Entries by Simon Carlson

Three Things to Know Before Demoting an Employee

Employee demotions occur for various reasons, including: Poor job performance. The position being eliminated. Disciplinary action (for conduct issues). The organization being restructured. Seeking a better fit for the employee’s skill set. Changing business needs. Voluntary decision by the employee. According to a study by OfficeTeam, poor performance is the No. 1 reason for demotions. […]

Cybersecurity and the Importance of Data Privacy

Cybersecurity — especially data privacy — is one of the biggest problems facing businesses today. These security problems are compounded because every segment of every industry is affected differently, and each is subject to the risk factors peculiar to that segment. Grouping similar data together based on chosen parameters allows businesses to assess the privacy […]

What All Employers Should Know About Workplace Harassment

Every employee deserves to work in an environment free from discrimination, hostility, and harassment. From enacting mechanisms for reporting harassment to carrying out swift and thorough investigation procedures, employers play an integral role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their employees. Poor commitment to providing a harassment free workplace can cost both employers and […]

Free Webinar: BASIC COBRA Administration

DATE: Thu, Aug 08, 2019 TIME: 2:00 pm EDT to 2:30 pm EDT Register for the webinar here After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. BASIC’s proven expertise ensures consistent compliance that satisfies the requirements of all relevant regulations. With penalties up to $100 per day per qualified […]

IRS Lowers Affordability Rate to 9.78 Percent for 2020

The IRS has announced Revenue Procedure 2019-29, which lowers the ACA’s affordability standard to 9.78 percent for 2020, down from 9.86 percent in 2019. The goal of the Affordable Care Act’s affordability standard is to provide employees with a low-cost group health care option by imposing cost-sharing limits. Group health plan coverage is deemed affordable […]

House of Representatives Votes to Repeal ACA “Cadillac Tax” Provision

On Wednesday July 17th, the House of Representatives voted to repeal a provision of the Affordable Care Act called the “Cadillac tax” via the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019 (H.R. 748). Legislators have twice voted to delay the tax, which is set to take effect in 2022. The goal of the […]

BASIC Shares 3 Frequent FMLA Mistakes Employers Should Avoid

Managing FMLA in-house is complicated and full of risk. Overwhelming paperwork and navigating legal requirements can quickly become a headache for any Human Resources department. BASIC illustrates three common FMLA mistakes made by employers and corresponding lawsuits that have followed. 1)  Insufficient Communication Employers have a responsibility to provide employees on FMLA leave with clear explanations […]

IRS Issues Draft of New Form W-4

As expected, the IRS has published a draft of a radically revised Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. The agency emphasizes this is just a preliminary version, and until further notice, everyone should continue to use the current version. However, human resources departments and payroll managers should take a good look at it now, as it’s […]