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Wondering Where the Presidential Candidates Really Stand on the Vital Issues Affecting Your Small Business? Here are the Answers!

Wondering Where the Presidential Candidates Really Stand on the Vital Issues Affecting Your Small Business? Here are the Answers!

As small to midsize business (SMB) owners across the country prepare for November’s presidential election, they are likely considering the impact the election results will have on their business. We’ve cut through the clamor to put together a side-by-side comparison of where the two major presidential candidates stand on the issues that most affect SMBs.

November 1, 2016 ・1 min read

How Businesses Can Survive and Thrive as the Regulatory Environment Becomes more Complex

America’s small businesses are bearing over 36 percent more of the financial burden of regulatory compliance than their large counterparts. The regulatory environment that modern businesses face stymies both small business success and the economy.

September 11, 2016 ・4 mins read

Beyond Maternity Leave: Rethinking Your Paid Leave Policy

Recently, we have seen a large increase in the number of conversations we are having with our customers about implementing paid maternity leave polices. We’d like to help you think about what you should consider if you are contemplating offering a paid leave benefit.

July 25, 2016 ・5 mins read

California’s Minimum Wage Laws Vary by City: Learn How They Affect You Where Your Business Operates

In a previous post, I wrote about how California is in the process of raising the state-wide minimum wage to $15 an hour by January 1, 2021. However, many California jurisdictions are raising their own minimum wages even sooner.

July 19, 2016 ・2 mins read

3 Things You Need to do When One of Your Employees Tells You She is Pregnant

One of your employees has just come to you telling you that she is pregnant. You know this is good news. You are trying to act like you are thrilled. But at that moment, you can really only think about one thing - what this means for the company. What you should do now is take a deep breath and accept the fact that you need to dive head-first into the deep end of HR. It’s going to be okay.

June 6, 2016 ・7 mins read

Offering Retirement Plans May Soon Become Mandatory For Employers

If you don’t currently offer your employees a retirement plan, you may want to pay attention. At both the state and federal level, the government is continuing to push legislation to make mandatory retirement plans a reality. More than 25 states have proposed legislation to create a mandatory retirement plan for private-sector companies that don’t currently offer their employees a plan.

May 27, 2016 ・3 mins read

2 Legislative Trends to Watch as New York Passes Historic Minimum Wage Increases and Paid Family Leave Laws

My colleague Jon Sider recently wrote about California becoming the first state to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour. These historic changes to minimum wage laws are also continuing in New York City, where new paid family leave laws have also been implemented.

April 26, 2016 ・5 mins read

7 Trending HR Topics You Must Know in 2016

April 13, 2016 ・3 mins read

What You Need to Know About the Latest HR Technology Trends

Business today is all about leveraging the power of technology for efficiency, security and convenience. With new cloud technologies, automating your HR tasks doesn’t need to be cost-prohibitive. Instead, it can be an indispensable tool for managing your most important resource (your employees) at an efficient price and pace. Human resources creates dozens of pieces of paper for every employee, including applications, background checks, insurance, employment and benefits forms, and post-separation forms. Luckily, there is an answer to dealing with paper, and achieving more oversight and control over HR records. Mobile HR and cloud applications are changing the way people work – helping to alleviate the cost and time burdens of managing documents and ushering in a brand new era of data management.

February 22, 2016 ・5 mins read

Small Business Owners Tell Us How They Really Feel About the 2016 Presidential Candidates

February 17, 2016 ・1 min read

3 Recent Labor Law Updates and How to Prepare for 2017 Compliance

If you have at least one paid employee, then your business is required by law to display compliant versions of state and federal workplace posters in a conspicuous area visible and frequented by all employees. It is also important to remember to monitor the labor and employment laws due to the ongoing changes that occur. Failure to do so can result in substantial fines.

October 28, 2016 ・4 mins read

Labor Expenses Getting Out of Hand? Here Are 6 Ways SMBs Can Control the Cost

Money Crashers provides some tips for companies to control their employee labor costs.

October 20, 2016 ・3 mins read

These 4 Letters Could Save Your Business

If an employee cries foul, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) can be a company’s best friend. This unsettling situation, which immediately draws a company into a potentially nightmarish legal, HR and financial maze, is one that few business leaders foresee.

September 29, 2016 ・4 mins read

Independent Contractors v. Employees: How to Make Sure You’re Classifying Correctly

Independent Contractors v. Employees: How to Make Sure You’re Classifying Correctly

In the past, the use of independent contractors was a logical way for small and midsize businesses to reduce labor-related costs and risks in an effort to grow their business. However, the line between who is truly an independent contractor and who is an employee, as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), has been somewhat murky.

July 22, 2016 ・3 mins read

The Salary Threshold for Exempt Status Becomes Effective December 1. Are You Prepared

Recently, the DOL released the final rule updating the overtime exemption rules under the FLSA. The Final Rule will be effective on December 1, 2016.

June 29, 2016 ・5 mins read

Amended Harassment and Discrimination Rules Are Here – Starting with California

California-based employers with five or more employees must now comply with amended anti-discrimination regulations regarding the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) that went into effect on April 1, 2016.

June 1, 2016 ・5 mins read

Mandatory Commuter Benefits are a Thing Now in New York City: Here’s What That Could Mean for Employers Around the Nation

Employers in New York City have undergone a lot of mandatory changes to employment laws already this year. The most recent one, which NYC employers will need to implement by July 1, 2016, is the New York City Commuter Benefits Law. Under this new law, NYC employers with 20 or more full-time, non-union employees must offer their full-time employees the opportunity to use pre-tax income to purchase qualified transportation fringe benefits.

May 16, 2016 ・4 mins read

Wage Theft Laws: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business

With increasing frequency, states are adopting "wage theft” bills. Because of this, TriNet has made the move to protect our clients by having worksite employees (WSEs) authorize their payroll deductions with us directly. l

April 21, 2016 ・3 mins read

The New Minimum Salary for Exempt Status Could More Than Double in 2016. Here is What You Need to Know to be Prepared

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is in the process of amending the overtime exemption rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Currently, the FLSA provides an exemption from overtime pay for employees who meet certain tests regarding their job duties and who are paid on a salary basis at no less than $455 a week. This new rule would dramatically increase the number of employees eligible for overtime pay by the end of 2016. Under the proposed new regulations, the threshold for exempt status would go from $23,600 per year ($455 per week) to $50,440 per year ($970 per week) – an amount in the 40th percentile of earnings for full-time salaried workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The DOL estimates that this increase in salary threshold for exempt status would affect approximately five million workers, making them eligible for overtime pay. In California alone, 420,000 workers would be affected. Why the increase in exempt status salary? President Obama directed the DOL to change their minimum pay for exempt status because more and more employees worked in excess of 40 hours per week for pay that would put them below the federal poverty threshold. The wage threshold hasn’t changed since 2004, which is the only time it has been updated since the 1970s. Importantly, the new regulation would also include changes to the salary threshold every year, based on wage growth and inflation.

March 14, 2016 ・4 mins read

American Presidential Candidates Are Failing Small Businesses: An Open Letter from the CEO of TriNet

The following letter from TriNet CEO Burton M. Goldfield is in response to the TriNet 2016 Presidential Election Survey Dear 2016 Presidential Candidates: As the CEO of TriNet, I work to provide HR services for more than 12,000 U.S. small businesses and their 314,000 employees every day. I see firsthand the struggles these aspirational companies go through as they try to grow their businesses while navigating an increasingly volatile regulatory landscape. What’s even more challenging is that when they flourish, they face a heightened impact of ever-changing regulatory issues. Whether it’s differing tax or labor laws at the federal, state and local levels, or the states’ varying degrees of Affordable Care Act implementation, there is a plethora of employment law with which they have to comply. What you perceive to be a minor tax change at the federal, state or local level may impact a small business to the tune of $20,000. This can put them out of business. Large companies can more easily absorb these unanticipated costs. These complexities skew the focus of small businesses away from successfully executing their business plans.

February 18, 2016 ・3 mins read

Wondering Where the Presidential Candidates Really Stand on the Vital Issues Affecting Your Small Business? Here are the Answers!

Wondering Where the Presidential Candidates Really Stand on the Vital Issues Affecting Your Small Business? Here are the Answers!

As small to midsize business (SMB) owners across the country prepare for November’s presidential election, they are likely considering the impact the election results will have on their business. We’ve cut through the clamor to put together a side-by-side comparison of where the two major presidential candidates stand on the issues that most affect SMBs.

November 1, 2016 ・1 min read

3 Recent Labor Law Updates and How to Prepare for 2017 Compliance

If you have at least one paid employee, then your business is required by law to display compliant versions of state and federal workplace posters in a conspicuous area visible and frequented by all employees. It is also important to remember to monitor the labor and employment laws due to the ongoing changes that occur. Failure to do so can result in substantial fines.

October 28, 2016 ・4 mins read

Labor Expenses Getting Out of Hand? Here Are 6 Ways SMBs Can Control the Cost

Money Crashers provides some tips for companies to control their employee labor costs.

October 20, 2016 ・3 mins read

These 4 Letters Could Save Your Business

If an employee cries foul, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) can be a company’s best friend. This unsettling situation, which immediately draws a company into a potentially nightmarish legal, HR and financial maze, is one that few business leaders foresee.

September 29, 2016 ・4 mins read

How Businesses Can Survive and Thrive as the Regulatory Environment Becomes more Complex

America’s small businesses are bearing over 36 percent more of the financial burden of regulatory compliance than their large counterparts. The regulatory environment that modern businesses face stymies both small business success and the economy.

September 11, 2016 ・4 mins read

Beyond Maternity Leave: Rethinking Your Paid Leave Policy

Recently, we have seen a large increase in the number of conversations we are having with our customers about implementing paid maternity leave polices. We’d like to help you think about what you should consider if you are contemplating offering a paid leave benefit.

July 25, 2016 ・5 mins read

Independent Contractors v. Employees: How to Make Sure You’re Classifying Correctly

Independent Contractors v. Employees: How to Make Sure You’re Classifying Correctly

In the past, the use of independent contractors was a logical way for small and midsize businesses to reduce labor-related costs and risks in an effort to grow their business. However, the line between who is truly an independent contractor and who is an employee, as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), has been somewhat murky.

July 22, 2016 ・3 mins read

California’s Minimum Wage Laws Vary by City: Learn How They Affect You Where Your Business Operates

In a previous post, I wrote about how California is in the process of raising the state-wide minimum wage to $15 an hour by January 1, 2021. However, many California jurisdictions are raising their own minimum wages even sooner.

July 19, 2016 ・2 mins read

The Salary Threshold for Exempt Status Becomes Effective December 1. Are You Prepared

Recently, the DOL released the final rule updating the overtime exemption rules under the FLSA. The Final Rule will be effective on December 1, 2016.

June 29, 2016 ・5 mins read

3 Things You Need to do When One of Your Employees Tells You She is Pregnant

One of your employees has just come to you telling you that she is pregnant. You know this is good news. You are trying to act like you are thrilled. But at that moment, you can really only think about one thing - what this means for the company. What you should do now is take a deep breath and accept the fact that you need to dive head-first into the deep end of HR. It’s going to be okay.

June 6, 2016 ・7 mins read

Amended Harassment and Discrimination Rules Are Here – Starting with California

California-based employers with five or more employees must now comply with amended anti-discrimination regulations regarding the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) that went into effect on April 1, 2016.

June 1, 2016 ・5 mins read

Offering Retirement Plans May Soon Become Mandatory For Employers

If you don’t currently offer your employees a retirement plan, you may want to pay attention. At both the state and federal level, the government is continuing to push legislation to make mandatory retirement plans a reality. More than 25 states have proposed legislation to create a mandatory retirement plan for private-sector companies that don’t currently offer their employees a plan.

May 27, 2016 ・3 mins read

Mandatory Commuter Benefits are a Thing Now in New York City: Here’s What That Could Mean for Employers Around the Nation

Employers in New York City have undergone a lot of mandatory changes to employment laws already this year. The most recent one, which NYC employers will need to implement by July 1, 2016, is the New York City Commuter Benefits Law. Under this new law, NYC employers with 20 or more full-time, non-union employees must offer their full-time employees the opportunity to use pre-tax income to purchase qualified transportation fringe benefits.

May 16, 2016 ・4 mins read

2 Legislative Trends to Watch as New York Passes Historic Minimum Wage Increases and Paid Family Leave Laws

My colleague Jon Sider recently wrote about California becoming the first state to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour. These historic changes to minimum wage laws are also continuing in New York City, where new paid family leave laws have also been implemented.

April 26, 2016 ・5 mins read

Wage Theft Laws: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business

With increasing frequency, states are adopting "wage theft” bills. Because of this, TriNet has made the move to protect our clients by having worksite employees (WSEs) authorize their payroll deductions with us directly. l

April 21, 2016 ・3 mins read

7 Trending HR Topics You Must Know in 2016

April 13, 2016 ・3 mins read

The New Minimum Salary for Exempt Status Could More Than Double in 2016. Here is What You Need to Know to be Prepared

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is in the process of amending the overtime exemption rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Currently, the FLSA provides an exemption from overtime pay for employees who meet certain tests regarding their job duties and who are paid on a salary basis at no less than $455 a week. This new rule would dramatically increase the number of employees eligible for overtime pay by the end of 2016. Under the proposed new regulations, the threshold for exempt status would go from $23,600 per year ($455 per week) to $50,440 per year ($970 per week) – an amount in the 40th percentile of earnings for full-time salaried workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The DOL estimates that this increase in salary threshold for exempt status would affect approximately five million workers, making them eligible for overtime pay. In California alone, 420,000 workers would be affected. Why the increase in exempt status salary? President Obama directed the DOL to change their minimum pay for exempt status because more and more employees worked in excess of 40 hours per week for pay that would put them below the federal poverty threshold. The wage threshold hasn’t changed since 2004, which is the only time it has been updated since the 1970s. Importantly, the new regulation would also include changes to the salary threshold every year, based on wage growth and inflation.

March 14, 2016 ・4 mins read

What You Need to Know About the Latest HR Technology Trends

Business today is all about leveraging the power of technology for efficiency, security and convenience. With new cloud technologies, automating your HR tasks doesn’t need to be cost-prohibitive. Instead, it can be an indispensable tool for managing your most important resource (your employees) at an efficient price and pace. Human resources creates dozens of pieces of paper for every employee, including applications, background checks, insurance, employment and benefits forms, and post-separation forms. Luckily, there is an answer to dealing with paper, and achieving more oversight and control over HR records. Mobile HR and cloud applications are changing the way people work – helping to alleviate the cost and time burdens of managing documents and ushering in a brand new era of data management.

February 22, 2016 ・5 mins read

American Presidential Candidates Are Failing Small Businesses: An Open Letter from the CEO of TriNet

The following letter from TriNet CEO Burton M. Goldfield is in response to the TriNet 2016 Presidential Election Survey Dear 2016 Presidential Candidates: As the CEO of TriNet, I work to provide HR services for more than 12,000 U.S. small businesses and their 314,000 employees every day. I see firsthand the struggles these aspirational companies go through as they try to grow their businesses while navigating an increasingly volatile regulatory landscape. What’s even more challenging is that when they flourish, they face a heightened impact of ever-changing regulatory issues. Whether it’s differing tax or labor laws at the federal, state and local levels, or the states’ varying degrees of Affordable Care Act implementation, there is a plethora of employment law with which they have to comply. What you perceive to be a minor tax change at the federal, state or local level may impact a small business to the tune of $20,000. This can put them out of business. Large companies can more easily absorb these unanticipated costs. These complexities skew the focus of small businesses away from successfully executing their business plans.

February 18, 2016 ・3 mins read

Small Business Owners Tell Us How They Really Feel About the 2016 Presidential Candidates

February 17, 2016 ・1 min read

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