Pinnacol Assurance releases 2007 rates

The largest worker’s compensation carrier in Colorado, Pinnacol Assurance released the 2007 rates earlier this month. Did you find your rates moving upwards or your discounts slowly disappearing. Many companies do not take advantage of the discounts that Colorado has in place for small business. Some of the work comp discounts are simple to get others take a little more work from management and owners. Do you have a designated medical provider selected for when an employee gets hurt? Do you have a return to work policy in place to help employees re-enter the workforce. Have you ever tried to start a cost containment program?  These are all area that can benefit small business.

As Colorado’s leading PEO we have helped clients realize these benefits. If have questions on how to implement these programs contact StaffScapes and learn more about our programs and how they have helped business save thousands. We can be reached at 303-549-1860 or info@staffscapes.com

Tips to save on Workers’ Compensation Costs

There are many ways to reduce costs on Workers’ Compensation Premiums.  Some ways may include: employee communications including Safety Meetings, Newsletters, posters or videos, maintaining a good relationship with your designated medical center, claims management, and a safety program. 

Providing communication to the employees regarding safety issues can help increase the employee’s safety awareness and decrease the amount of claims.  Preventing injuries before they happen is key in keeping a healthy workforce and to continue business to run smoothly.

Reporting injuries in a timely manner can prevent liability to the company and additional costs that may be incurred.  The injured worker should be sent to the designated provider to be treated as soon as possible to prevent further injury and to have record of treatment close to the time of the injury. This will provide documentation if the injured worker will need additional treatment.  The accident should be investigated to make sure any potential injuries can be prevented in the future. 

Following up with claims and providing additional information to the insurance company or the medical provider can also help reduce additional costs that may be incurred.  It is important to return the injured worker to work when possible within restrictions.  Communication with the medical provider may reduce the number of medical visits needed to complete the medical treatment and close the claim. 

Implementing a Safety program will show support from upper management to provide a safe workplace.  It is important to review the program regularly and make sure that rules are being followed by all employees within the organization.  Providing a safe working environment will increase your productivity and reduce the potential liability of increased costs.

For more information on Workers’ Compensation Claims Management, Safety Programs, or Workers’ Compensation coverage contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864. 

When filling out a W-4 many employees assume that their tax status will continue to stay the same, unless they make changes to it. This is not the case for employees who claim exempt on their taxes….

If an employee claims exempt on their W-4’s, the employer will not withhold federal tax on their income, however Social Security tax and Medicare will be applied.  Every year, those who claim exempt on their W-4 will need to renew their status in the beginning of the new year, if they wish to continue as exempt.  Employees who claimed exempt in 2006 will have their exempt status expire in February 16, 2007 unless they renew their status by filling out a 2007 W-4. 

If the employee does not renew their status by the specified date, their tax status will default to single and 0 withholdings.  At the beginning of the new year, StaffScapes sends a letter to their exempt employees to remind them of the deadline, and attach a new W-4 for them to complete and update.

You can find more information about tax exempt status and W-4’s at www.irs.gov or by calling StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

Tips to manage the stress of holiday traveling

The holiday season accounts for nearly 10 percent of all miles traveled by Americans during the entire year. Planes are overbooked, highways are overcrowded, making most of us hardly overflowing with holiday cheer. The link below provides a few suggestions on how to deal with holiday stress as we get on the road this week.  Go to Staffscapes.com for other holiday stress relieve ideas under our documents page.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from your friends at StaffScapes.

Wages on days of inclement weather

Closing operations due to inclement weather raises the question of compensation for employees.  A major factor to determine is if they are exempt or non-exempt employees.  To preserve an employees’ exempt status employers are prohibited from making deductions for absences caused by the employer.  You must assume that all your exempt employees’ were ready, willing and able to come to work and are unable to doc their pay.

Employers have no obligation for compensation to non-exempt employees’ under FLSA for days when the business operation is closed.  Employers’ only have to pay them for actual hours worked.  If the employer doesn’t communicate the closure to employees prior to their arrival they employer would be responsible to pay employees’ for time worked.

For more information or help in creating policies and procedures please contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864 or visit our website at www.staffscapes.com.

Having Direct Deposit simplifies paycheck and payroll processing

Most of the Denver area business closed on Wednesday, Thursday and are just starting to dig out from the big Christmas storm of 2006. Did your employer close for a couple of days? Did you get your paycheck? Could you make it into work? Could you take your check to the bank to cash or deposit it? If you have direct deposit this is not an issue with your paycheck. Payroll processing companies provide direct deposit for any employee who wishes to have it. By enrolling in direct deposit you can send funds to multiple accounts and select how much you want remaining in your checking account to pay bills. Never be without your paychex again, sign up for direct deposit today

To learn more about automatic direct deposits and other payroll functions contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

Nearly half of small business owners are not confident about their own retirement savings; Only 17 percent say they feel an obligation to offer retirement benefits to employees.

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of ShareBuilder 401(k) found that just 14 percent of America’s small business owners offer a 401(k) plan and 63 percent do not offer any form of retirement benefits to their employees. Nearly half (47 percent) indicated of small business owners are not confident that they are prepared for retirement.

Few small business owners consider it their responsibility to help their employees prepare for retirement. Only 17 percent of small business owners responded that they felt a strong obligation to offer retirement benefits (a 401(k) or other retirement plan), with 46 percent reporting that they felt no obligation at all.

When asked why they do not offer retirement benefits, 54 percent responded not having enough employees to make it worthwhile, and 28 percent cited the inability to afford a company match (though a company match is not mandatory). While costs appear to be a hindrance for some, 63 percent of respondents said they had no idea what a 401(k) plan would cost to administer.

Aside from helping America’s small business owners and their employees prepare for retirement, 401(k) plans are also considered a competitive advantage. Of those small businesses that do offer 401(k) plans, 70 percent reported they are important in attracting and retaining employees.

If you are interested in reducing the burden and cost of providing a 401(k) plan to your employees, contact a StaffScapes representative to discuss the benefits of partnering with us. You can contact StaffScapes at (303)466-7864 or info@staffscapes.com.

Common OSHA violations and how to avoid them

OSHA violations can be expensive but are easy to avoid.  The most common OSHA violations include:

• Scaffolding
• Fall Protection
• Hazard Communication
• Machine Guarding
• Lockout/Tagout
• Ladders
• Powered Industrial Trucks
• Electrical Safety
• Respiratory Protection

Communication to the employees in an important step in making sure they are working in a safe environment and can avoid these violations. Written policies and programs are important for the employees to understand and perform on the job site.  Continuous training is also important to provide for the employees.  Also upper management should enforce and follow programs. 

MSDS sheets must be available for employees working with or around chemicals in their work area.  Make sure equipment has been checked regularly to avoid equipment failure.  

StaffScapes a Denver based Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can help set up policy and procedures as mentioned above. Our Human Resource Department specializes in policy and procedure development, by having a few simply policies in place it can save a company countless dollars and man hours resolving a claim. Contact StaffScapes Human Resource Department or our Sales team with any questions on how a PEO can assist in developing OSHA policies.

W-5 update annually

W-5 is a form also known as EIC (Earned Income Credit) that allows low-income individuals and families to receive a refundable federal tax income during the year.  There are certain requirements an individual has to meet when filing for EIC.  Employees who do qualify should turn in a new EIC (W-5)  and a new W-4 by January 1^st  to their employers, because the EIC expires annually, on December 31^st. As one of the many benefits of using StaffScapes, StaffScapes will provide a W-5 to any employee who requests it, and will file it, once it is returned to them.  For more information about W-5, or W-5 qualifications, you can call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864 or visit www.irs.gov.

Around tax season, employers may recive a letter from the Social Secuirty Administration regarding a “mismatched” employee….

Social Security mismatch letters are usually sent to employers, after W-2’s have been sent to employees. When an employer receives a letter, the Social Security Administration notifies the employer that there is an employee (or are employees) whose SS # and information do not match up with what Social Security has on record.  The error might be a name change that was never reported to Social Secuirty, a missed digit in the SS #, or even the misspelling of an employee’s name.  The letter will provide a list of employees who were “mismatched” in their system and ask you to correct as many as possible.  Correcting the records is very important because if an employee is a mismatch in the Social Security system, their earnings for the year are not recorded to their Social Security record.  In order to keep an accurate record of an employee’s earnings and to ensure they get the benefits they are entitled, StaffScapes will try to correct all the mismatches for their employees.  For more information about Social Security mismatch letters, please call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864. 

Trouble figuring out if an employee is nonexempt or exempt? Information that will make classifying employees a little easier

The DOL has many classifications and qualifications for an exempt employee.  The qualifications are open to interpretation and the DOL has online guides of how to correctly classify an employee. The one blanket rule for all exempt employees in all categories is that they must be compensated at a salary rate no less than $455/week.

Under certain categories, more qualifications apply.

Executive Exemption- employee must regularly supervise the work of two other full-time employees and have hiring and firing authority over other employees.

Administrative Exemption- Employee must exercise independent authority and discretion over matters of significance.

Professional Exemption- to qualify for a learned professional exemption, advanced knowledge is required. A sub-category, the creative professional exemption requires an invention, imagination, originality or talent of an artistic or creative field.

This is only a brief summary of some of the qualifications and categories of an exempt employee, for more information; please call StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

New Colorado Minimum Wage Poster

The new Colorado Minimum Wage Poster is now available.  StaffScapes has recently sent out the new Colorado Minimum Wage Poster to all clients to replace old information. 

Effective January 1, 2007 the new Minimum Wage rate is $6.85.

Please contact StaffScapes if you have not received your poster or would like other required posters at 303-466-7864.

AMC Tickets available

StaffScapes has AMC tickets available to clients and employees.  The Silver Experience ticket is only $5.50 per ticket and has no expiration date. 

Please contact StaffScapes today to find out how you can get your tickets at 303-466-7864. 

StaffScapes is a Colorado PEO that offers many benefits for business owners and employees. 

2007 Calendar for StaffScapes payroll processing

To better inform and communicate with clients, StaffScapes has sent out their 2007 calendars to all clients. The calendars are created based on the client’s pay cycle and are color coded to indicate pay dates and the days which payroll are due.  The calendar also indicates bank holidays and days that the StaffScapes office will be closed in 2007.  If you have any questions about the 2007 StaffScapes calendar, please call a StaffScapes representative at 303-466-7864.

Changes to Inhalers for Anthem Participants

Albuterol Inhalers with CFCs to be Replaced

We want to ensure that our members receive the prescription medications they need without interruption or delay. This includes albuterol inhalers, which are used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

We’re contacting members who have filled a prescription for an albuterol inhaler that contains chlorofluocarbons (CFCs) within the past four months. We’re sending letters encouraging them to contact their doctor to discuss medication alternatives and obtain a new prescription for an inhaler that doesn’t use CFCs.

Why should members change their inhaler?

Albuterol inhalers are available with two forms of propellant: CFCs and hydrofluoroalkane (HFA). Although CFCs are safe to inhale, they can deplete the ozone layer, which protects the earth from the sun’s harmful rays.

In March 2005, the Food and Drug Administration issued a rule that CFC inhalers may not be produced or sold after December 31, 2008. It’s anticipated that supplies of CFC inhalers will become critically low during 2007. This is why we’re contacting members and their doctors about changing to an inhaler with HFA.

Because this is a regulatory requirement and albuterol CFC products are being discontinued by the manufacturers, this change applies to all fully insured and ASO plan members.

What alternative inhalers are available?

The following brand-name albuterol inhalers are available:

·                     ProAir HFA

·                     Proventil HFA

·                     Ventolin HFA

Since albuterol HFA inhalers may be more expensive than albuterol CFC inhalers, changing from an albuterol inhaler to one of the inhalers listed above may result in a higher copayment being charged at the pharmacy. The three HFA inhalers will be on our formulary and available on tier 2, or the brand-name formulary tier. The CFC inhalers were classified as a generic so members who paid a tier 1 (generic) copayment will now pay the brand-name copayment for HFA inhalers.

We’re also sending letters to members’ doctors and recommending that they write new prescriptions for “albuterol HFA,” which will allow the pharmacist to choose from the products they have available. By contacting their doctor now, members may prevent delays in refills and gaps in their drug therapy.

 Please contact StaffScapes Benefits’ Department for Benefit questions or more information at 303-466-7864

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.

Posting Requirements for OSHA 300A Log

The OSHA 300A Logs have been sent out to all clients that had employees with StaffScapes during 2006.  The 300A Log must be posted from February 1st through April 30th. 

This log is a summary of the number of injuries, types of injuries and number of days an employee was away from work. 

If you have not received your log please contact the Safety Coordinator at StaffScapes and we will get it out to you today.  If you would like more information on Workers’ Compensation Benefits or how we can help with OSHA requirements please contact a Representative at StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.  More more information on our services www.staffscapes.com.

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 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.