Litigation is on the rise for state overtime compliance.

CCH Human Resources Management reports that claims of state overtime violations are increasing due to the attention that the new white-collar regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) received. The change caused many plaintiff’s attorneys to focus their efforts on the differences between the federal and state requirements. Steven S. Greene, managing member of the law firm of Helms & Greene, LLC, while speaking at WorldatWork’s 2007 Conference and Exposition, stated that attorneys are exploiting the material differences between the federal and state standards, causing settlements and verdicts to soar.

StaffScapes, a Colorado based Professional Employer Organization (PEO), guides our clients through the complicated maze of human resource management, including state and federal labor law compliance. Please contact us at 303-466-7864 or info@staffscapes.com to discuss what our services can do for you.

Small businesses weighed down by government compliance

A recent study by the Small Business Research Board (SBRB) finds that small businesses continue to be hindered by government regulation. The study reports that 88 percent of small business owners state that it takes more time than it did just two years ago to comply with government regulation.

The results show slight differences among seven leading industries, with construction and contracting businesses reporting the highest impact.  The industry results are as follows: 93% construction and contracting business, 92% transportation; 90% automotive; 90% retail; 85% distribution/ wholesaling; 83% manufacturing; and 80% food industry.

StaffScapes, as a Professional Employer Organization, takes this government compliance burden away from our clients, allowing them to focus on the core functions of their business. To find out how StaffScapes can make your business more profitable and efficient please contact us at (303)466-7864 or email info@staffscapes.com.

IRS will audit 2,000 taxpayers each year for the next three years.

Beginning February 2010, the Internal Revenue Service will begin employment tax audits on 2,000 randomly selected taxpayers (employers) per year for the next three years.  The IRS states that they are conducting this study “to collect data that will allow the IRS to understand the compliance characteristics of employment tax filers”. This means, the IRS is using this three year “study” to find out where employers are not staying in compliance with collecting, reporting, and paying taxes. The IRS also explains that the examinations will be comprehensive in scope. The IRS will not be looking for just a handful of different problem areas, but searching for any and every area of non-compliance. Now is the time to audit your employment compliance practices. Contact StaffScapes to discuss any concerns or problems that you may have.

See Also

• IRS Will Begin Employment Tax Research Study in February 2010

Running a business can be difficult.  Being confident you are compliant with required laws can be even harder.  But, it doesn’t have to be.  Why wait until you need to find information or it is required for you to provide HR data.  To help, StaffScapes has compiled a list of areas that should be included in your 2011 audit below:

1.  Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
2.  Employee Applications
3.  New Hire Reporting
4.  Timesheets
5.  Performance documentation
6.  Workers’ Compensation Claims
7.  OSHA Logs
8.  Medical Applications
9.  COBRA/Continuation notifications
10. Drug Testing
11. Retirement Plan Compliance

Reviewing your documents now will save you time and stress later.  StaffScapes takes care of all of these areas and more allowing our clients to focus on their business.