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The IRS reminds employers that last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made changes to several programs that can affect an employer's bottom line and its employees' deductions. This includes employee achievement awards. Here are some facts about these changes: Under previous law:   Employers could deduct the...

11 October, 2019

What benefits does your church offer its employees?   This question tends to pop up a lot in job interviews—often right after the interviewer asks “Do you have any questions for me?”. And employee benefits are a fair thing to inquire about; most of us would like...

10 October, 2019

Do you allow your employees personal use of your company's equipment? If you do, consider your liability. Many employers, as a benefit, allow their employees personal use of company vehicles, equipment, and other property. For example, Ted, who owned a car dealership, let employees work on...

09 October, 2019

Your team members don't call their bank when they need to check their balance, they simply access their account from their smartphone. They also pick up concert tickets and book flights without ever speaking to an actual human being. Self-service access lets people manage their...

08 October, 2019

One of our employees interviewed a candidate today and emailed me afterwards. He was impressed by the candidate, but grew concerned after the candidate mentioned having social anxiety. He wondered whether the anxiety could affect the candidate’s ability to do the job. I reminded the...

07 October, 2019

When disaster strikes, many business owners might find themselves needing to reconstruct records. This will help them prove a loss, which may be essential for tax purposes, getting federal assistance, or insurance reimbursement. Here are tips for businesses that need to reconstruct their records: To create...

04 October, 2019

Ready-to-use resolution language for church board to set a clergy housing allowance in 2019 by Richard R. Hammar.   Editor’s Note: A resolution can only be applied prospectively, never retroactively. For a church to have a resolution in place for a specific calendar year, it needs to...

03 October, 2019

Legal hassles can arise when you give references for former employees. These former employees might turn around and sue your organization for defamation. Here's a quick review of the ins and outs of giving references for former employees. First the facts: Defamation involves communicating false information. Defamation...

02 October, 2019

Let’s talk about PTO and remote working. Telecommuting continues to increase every year. How do you handle leave for remote workers? Follow these guidelines. Make your leave policy work for all of your employees—regardless of where they park their keyboard. First, let’s clarify what we’re talking about. How...

01 October, 2019