Business Owner

To Pay an Intern or Not to Pay?

That is the question many employers face. Interns are great options for small businesses that need extra help but do not have the funding to bring a full-time employee on staff. Should you pay your interns or not? Thanks to the Department of Labor (DOL), that question is now answered for you. Recently, the DOL announced tips that reverse their previous test to determine whether an intern or student...

How to Prepare When Switching Payroll Providers


Before you switch, keep these things in mind to prepare. There may come a time when you feel the need to switch payroll providers. Perhaps your current provider is missing the mark or maybe their company is dissolving. Regardless of why you switch, be sure you are completely prepared to make the transition as seamless as possible. Things to Consider When Switching Payroll providers range in price. Before diving...

Do You Know About the Social Security Wage Base?

Determine if you are withholding as much as you should be and when to stop. Social Security tax is a tax that applies to both employees and employers. As an employer, you are required to withhold a certain percentage of each employee’s paycheck and to make a matching contribution. Social Security tax does not change each year (with a few exceptions). However, the case is not the same as...

4 Reasons You Should Not Handle Payroll Alone

A risk not worth taking. Payroll is a vital part of your business but handling it all by yourself could cost you more than you may expect. Here are some of the biggest reasons you should not process payroll solo. Payroll Rules in Different States If you have multiple locations across state lines, you may find yourself facing an in-house nightmare when it comes to payroll rules and trying...

Worker Classification: Consider All Aspects of Your Work Relationship

How to avoid the headaches associated with misclassifying your workers. The Department of Labor makes a big deal out of businesses who misclassify their workers, whether purposefully or accidentally. The IRS stands ready to penalize and fine those who do so. The act of misclassification can also result in a violation of workers’ compensation laws and a liability for unemployment taxes, along with many other issues. To help you...

Salary vs. Hourly Employees – How should you pay your hired help?

The decision on how to pay your employees can be hard. You not only have to decide how much you will pay them but you must decide whether you will pay them on an hourly or salaried basis. Laws and benefits exist for both ends of the spectrum that you should take into consideration when deciding. Pros and Cons of Paying Salary Wages A benefit of paying employees a...

A Quick Age Discrimination Q&A For HR Managers: 3 Facts Every Employer Should Know

Understanding applicable laws and regulations is crucial for employers who want to avoid making HR mistakes. This is especially true in respects to discrimination laws, as failure to comply can be quite costly in terms of fines, lawsuits, and public perception of your organization. Below are three important (and often misunderstood) questions about age discrimination regulation in the US. Question: Who is Protected by Age Discrimination Laws? Answer: The...

Surviving Low Cash Flow – 3 tips and tricks to keep your business afloat until better times arrive. 


The holiday season is here, and the official start of Winter is right around the corner. For winter-oriented businesses such as ski resorts and coat/jacket manufacturers, these months probably represent peak season — a time with lots of sales, success, and cash flow. At the same time, summer-oriented businesses such as ice cream shops and water-gear rental facilities are likely dealing with the down season. Relatively few sales are...

3 Workplace Safety Rules Business Owners Should Understand

As an employer, you are subject to dozens of federal, state, and local laws regulating your professional relationship with your employees. Some such laws deal with firing and hiring, for example — while others govern wages, overtime, discrimination/harassment, etc. One of the most extensive and important sets of regulations surrounding your business, of course, are safety laws. Though there is no substitute for carefully studying and meticulously complying with...

Remote Teamwork

There are many benefits to working with remote employees and contractors — from reduced payroll costs to increased efficiency to schedule flexibility and much more. However, challenges such as coordinating teamwork and managing the legal status of your employees can also arise. If you do opt to work on a project with a remote team, then you may find the following 5 tips helpful. • Simplify, clarify, and assign....