Smokers take between 3 to 6 breaks per day.

A survey by the National Business Group on Health reports that nearly fifty percent of smokers say they take between three and six smoke breaks per day at work, with more than two-thirds of those employees reporting that the breaks last between five and fifteen minutes. The survey polled 508 employers and 510 employees who smoke.

"While we all intuitively know that smokers taking cigarette breaks cuts into their productivity at work, we learned from this survey that the extent of time lost at work due to smoke breaks could be staggering," said Ron Finch, vice president at the National Business Group on Health.

Employers in the survey ranked smoking the leading preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. Most of these employers believe that establishing smoke-free workplaces is the best way to encourage smokers to quit, but the survey found that employees who smoke believe access to smoking cessation benefits would help them most.

State Child labor Law Restrictions and PEO’s (Professional Employer Organization) go hand in hand in keeping small business owners up to date on all restrictions and laws.

In our home state of Colorado the child labor law reads: Minors 14 & 15 years of age must have school release permits to be employed during school hours. The permits are issued by the school district superintendent and apply to a specific position, employer and length of time designated in the permit.

Doing business in California  employers also must have a permit on file to employ all minors.

As a Professional Employer Organization our goal is to help keep all employers on the right side of the law. Many small employers may not be aware of the proper procedures on hiring minors in today’s work place. Contact StaffScapes for more details on minors working in your business.

PEO’s (Professional Employer Organization) are set to help their clients comply with the proposed minimum wage increase

USA Today reports:

America’s businesses are at odds over minimum wage legislation, but the rift has little to do with a $2.10 hourly raise.

A Senate bill that could win final passage this week is pitting small businesses and retailers that would benefit from tax breaks in the bill against the larger corporations and manufacturers that would have to pay for them.

At issue are tax breaks put in the Senate bill as sweeteners to attract Republican votes for the minimum wage increase. The legislation would increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour in three steps over two years.

For the full article go to www.usatoday.com or click on the link below. As a Professional Employer organization StaffScapes will help all clients implement any new minimum wage or other federal labor law change. Contact StaffScapes for further information on the impact Hr outsourcing can have on your business.

See Also

• USA Today
  Min wage divides

Lost your W2? StaffScapes offers a W2 reprint service for all employees….

StaffScapes sent out W-2’s for all former and current employees January 22, 2007. For those who have not received their W-2 from StaffScapes, or have an address change, please contact our office. For those who have lost or misplaced their W-2, reprints can be requested. StaffScapes will begin issuing requested reprints February 16, 2007, for $5 dollar fee. If you have any questions or concerns, please call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

StaffScapes, Inc. a Professional Employer organization based in Denver Colorado is seeking PEO Brokers to work with.

Are you a PEO Broker or Insurance Agent losing business to PEO’s? A PEO is an effective way for an independent agent to increase retention and to increase agency commissions.  Contact StaffScapes, Inc. to learn about our residual program.  With over 10 years of service to the Colorado market place StaffScapes is one of the most stable and respected PEO’s in Colorado.

Contact Jim Thibodeau for more information about the broker programs.

StaffScapes’ commitment to customer service excellence is proven by our membership in the ThinkWare Steering Committee.

StaffScapes is proud to announce our membership in PEO software provider, ThinkWare, Inc.’s “Steering Committee”.  Membership in this Steering Committee testifies to StaffScapes’ dedication to enhancing and improving the PEO industry and customer satisfaction. 

Steering Committee members have many different responsibilities for the improvement of services provided by ThinkWare and their client PEOs.   Committee members serve as a product direction committee to assist ThinkWare in current and future development priorities. Through constant communication with the Steering Committee, ThinkWare receives information on product enhancements and directions. Also members serve as a sounding board for the user community and a voice of guidance to ThinkWare. Just as important as the product quality to our user community is the quality of the support and client services provided. Finally, members assist ThinkWare with special projects, such as Beta testing, that assist development of the ThinkWare products.

ThinkWare, Inc. has been providing software and consulting services since 1994, and is the leading provider of software solutions for the Professional Employer (PEO) or employee outsourcing, industry. Boasting a growth rate unmatched by any other PEO-software solution, ThinkWare provides software solutions and services for PEO and ASO (Administrative Service Organization) companies throughout the United States.

ThinkWare relies upon advanced technology, industry knowledge and experience, and a proven development partner organization to develop solutions specifically designed to handle the unique challenges faced by PEO/ASO companies today.

To find out what StaffScapes and ThinkWare can do for you, please call (303) 466-7864 and talk to a StaffScapes representative today.

Senator Chris Dodd (Democrat-CT) plans to ammend the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide six weeks of paid leave.

“Washington- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), author of the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which has enable approximately 50 million Americans take leave from their jobs for the birth or adoption of a child, and in order to care for themselves, their children or an immediate family member, today announced legislation, which he will introduce in the coming weeks, to provide paid leave for employees. Sen. Dodd’s bill would also expand the number of individuals eligible for FMLA. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), has announced his intentions to co-sponsor Sen. Dodd’s legislation.”

See Senator Dodd’s website below for more information. StaffScapes, Inc. will follow his revision to the FMLA as it moves through the Senate and House sub-committees.

See Also

• Senator Dodd (D-Ct)
  FMLA

StaffScapes has sent out all W-2’s, employees who have not received their W-2 may need to update their information

For all former employees who still have not received a W2 from StaffScapes, it may because the address on your W-2 is no longer current.  If you have moved and still have not received your W-2 from StaffScapes, please contact a StaffScapes representative to update your address.  If your W-2 has been returned to us, we can send it to you when we receive a current address.  Also, starting February 16^th, StaffScapes will issue reprints of W-2 for the employees who request it.  For more information on missing W-2’s, address changes, and W-2 reprints, please call StaffScapes at (303) 466-7864. 

StaffScapes a Denver based PEO has been a member of NAPEO since we opened our doors in 1996. NAPEO is a great partner to all PEO’s from regulator compliance to marketing.

NAPEO, the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, is the recognized “Voice of the PEO Industry.®” NAPEO has more than 370 PEO members found in all 50 states, representing more than 70 percent of the revenues of the $51 billion PEO industry. PEOs enable clients to cost-effectively outsource the management of human resources, employee benefits, payroll and workers’ compensation. PEO clients focus on their core competencies to maintain and grow their bottom line. To learn more about the PEO industry and how PEOs contribute to small businesses’ success, visit the NAPEO Web site: www.napeo.org

See Also

• NAPEO- Voice of the PEO Industry
  NAPEO home page

A recent ICE arrest shows more than fines as potential liabilities from hiring illegal workers.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents recently arrested 24 day laborers at a Baltimore convenience store accused of being in the US illegally.  The suspected illegal immigrants apparently approached ICE agents asking for work.  The ICE agents were at the convenience store on an unrelated immigration investigation.

Of the 24 arrested, ICE says six had criminal records in the US, eight had been previously removed and three had final orders of removal from an immigration judge.  One of the arrested had been caught entering the country illegally six times previously.

Regardless of what the personal and political beliefs are of employers, there are significant liabilities from hiring illegal immigrants.  Fines from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) include a maximum of $10,000 per illegal worker with mandatory jail time.  A recent statement from a former DHS employee stated that DHS was putting more focus on the mandatory jail time for guilty employers. Beyond the fines, the above situation shows that 25% of those arrested had criminal records in this country.  If one of those 25% had been working and any accidents or crimes occurred harming other employees, clients or by-standers; a very sizable lawsuit could be filed (and won) against the employer for negligent hiring.  The illegal immigration issue is very divisive, but employers need to take the emotions out of the issue and focus on the potential liabilities.   

What is the timeline an employer has to give a terminated employee their last check?

When an employee has been discharged for any reason, According to the Colorado Wage Act, it is required that a last check for a terminated employee be issued to the employee for any wages due immediately, but that timeline can vary depending on the payroll/accounting department of the employer. Because StaffScapes is an offsite payroll company, StaffScapes has 24 hours to issue a check for any discharged employee. However, if the payroll department is onsite where the employee is discharged from, a last check is due immediately. If you have any questions about termination checks, terminations, or other tips on how to comply with employment law, please contact a StaffScapes representative at (303)466-7864.

California Employment Training Panel (ETP) recognizes the value a PEO brings to small business and is reviewing policy on funding ETP programs with PEO’s and there clients under a c0-employment relationship.The Employment Training Panel is considering funding employers that contract with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to perform employment-related services. Following a presentation by members of the PEO community at its January meeting, the Panel recognized that it is increasingly common for small and mid-sized employers to retain PEOs for payroll, Human Resources, and other administrative services.

The PEO representatives explained to the Panel that the contracts between employers and PEOs identify shared risks and responsibilities, and create a legally valid “co-employment” recognized by the courts. In general, PEOs charge services fees, but the client companies still make the hiring decisions and set out the salary and benefits for each employee. PEO services may range from processing personnel documents to negotiating for insurance coverage options. The PEO handles paperwork, while client companies are still in charge of the day-to-day business operations.

The Panel also heard from Christine Cobb, Director of Development at Sparkhill, LLC, in written comments. Sparkhill is a small production company within the entertainment industry, and contracts for payroll and related administrative services with a PEO. In the past, Sparkhill was considered ineligible to participate in ETP-funded training under a Multiple Employer Contract, due to questions about eligibility stemming from its co-employment relationship. In a letter to the Panel, Ms. Cobb stated that “although we contract out our payroll services, we are still paying payroll and other taxes to the state and should be able to take advantage of ETP as a result . . .”

Speaking to this issue, Chairman Barry Broad observed that “employers using the administrative services of a PEO should not be prohibited on that basis alone from applying for ETP funding.” He asked ETP staff to prepare guidelines for Panel’s consideration in March. The guidelines will address employer eligibility and performance standards for a pilot program to fund training in this area. The guidelines will clearly distinguish the co-employment model from temporary agency employment.

The Panel has no plans to revise its long-standing policy against contracting with temporary agencies for training employees of client companies due to concerns about job security, wage progression, and other employment issues

See Also

• ETP News Link
  ETP Funding of PEO’s

W-4 is one of the most common forms Americans fill out. Here are a few things to remember when completing a W-4.

A W-4 is an IRS form that determines the federal tax that will be withheld from an employee’s paycheck. Filling out a W-4 is one of the first forms an employee will complete when hired. 

When filling out a W-4, make sure the information you write is correct and clear. 

The most important lines for an employee to complete are lines 1-7 of the “Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate.”

Always remember to sign your completed W-4.

Always remember to check the appropriate box for filing single or married. 

If you have questions about your withholdings- or want to verify you are withholding the correct amount, you can visit www.irs.gov and use the IRS withholding Calculator. 

If you are exempt from taxes- make sure to write EXEMPT on line 7.

Any incomplete W-4’s will automatically be defaulted to a tax status of single and 0 withholdings, the highest amount of tax will be deducted from your income.

Colorado requires all employers to report all new employees within 20 days of their hire date. StaffScapes sends copies of the employee’s W-4 to the Colorado State Directory of New Hires, so it is important that all W-4’s are completed accurately.

StaffScapes Benefits Available to all employees

StaffScapes offers a variety of benefits that assist small companies that may not meet enrollment requirements to offer additional benefits to employees.

Some of the additional benefits that StaffScapes offers include:

2 types of Dental programs, a discount plan and an indemnity plan.  Vision services, Life Insurance, AFLAC products and 401K options.  The 401K plan can be taylored to offer a plan that you design for your employees to meet your organizations needs.

We also offer small group medical plans that can be taylored to the benefits and costs that fits your needs.

For more information on additional benefit plans that can be offered to your employees, please contact the StaffScapes Benefits Department at 303-466-7864.

StaffScapes is a Denver based PEO that provides valuable HR services to organizations of any size.  Check us out at www.staffscapes.com.

The Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine recently tested the health and safety effects of working longer hours.

The results of a recent study conducted by the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine show no evidence that overtime work produced adverse effects to the health and safety of workers.  No adverse effects were found by the study until the hours worked exceeded 60. Employees who worked over 60 hours per week did have a higher incidence rate of reporting new injuries and diagnoses, but these effects were limited by prior health, demographics and compensation type.

The study shows that prior diseases and health status have a much higher impact on safety and health than overtime hours worked.

Colorado new hire reporting guidelines

Federal law requires all employers to report new hire data to their respective State Directory of New Hires. For the State of Colorado, employers are required to report their new hire data within 20 calendar days after the date of hire.

Federal law requires all employers to report new hire data to their respective State Directory of New Hires. For the State of Colorado, employers are required to report their new hire data within 20 calendar days after the date of hire.

What to Report on Employee:

¨      Employee name

¨      Address

¨      Social Security Number

What to Report on Employer:

¨      Employer name

¨      Payroll address

¨      Federal Identification Number

For more information on Colorado employer and employee reporting, please visit the Colorado State Directory of New Hires website.

One of the primary goals of all managers is to motivate employees to achieve highest-level performance. Higher employee motivation leads to greater creativity, productivity and discretionary effort, which in turn lead to improved company performance.

Results show that you should start with your human resources practices, which can have a direct impact on employee motivation. It is essential that you understand the relationship of employee motivation to your company’s performance. Identify strategies to motivate your employees to increase their discretionary effort,  have a plan to implement those strategies which ultimately will contribute to your company’s success. The Following are a few examples of how employee motivation can be established.

Understand employee needs

• Devise employee management programs and practices that aim to satisfy emerging or unmet needs such

  as offering flexible work schedules or benefit plans to employees.

• Actively seek employee input regarding issues that are important to them.

Offer fair compensation

• Establish hiring and promotion decisions that are based on merit- and job-related information.

• Find out employee perceptions of salary, working conditions and supervisor relationships.  Respond        quickly and accordingly to correct potential problems.

Build an effective employee rewards program

• Consider using a combination of rewards in your company’s reward system.

• Start by examining and addressing sources of dissatisfaction, such as salary, workplace relationships

  and job security.

• Next, improve motivating factors, such as employee recognition, career growth and increased

  responsibility levels.

Set challenging goals

• Set difficult goals that are quantifiable and measurable.

• Make sure employees understand and support the goals.

Link employee results and rewards

• Develop and communicate performance standards and reward systems to all employees.

• Give employees regular feedback on their progress towards their goals.

• Quickly reward goal and performance achievement. Great results should equal great rewards.