On December 19^th, Sage is scheduled to release an Interim Release Download (IRD) with year-end program updates for Accounts Payable and eFiling – as well as a Tax Table Update for 2020.

With a new year come a lot of new changes and updates to payroll requirements. 2020 is quickly approaching, so - as in the last few years - we compiled the following list of items that may initiate some payroll changes in your organization. You might start thinking about these and take action sooner than later.

We are excited to tell you about a couple of new features in the recent Product Update for Sage 2019 that we have been requesting for some time now.

Fall is here, and so are the world series, football season, and the start of basketball. What does this have to do with our November HR topic, Performance Evaluations & Effective Coaching? Many famous (and maybe not so famous) coaches have spoken words of wisdom over the years that can be applied by any manager leading a team. Take a look and see how these might apply to everyday coaching of your employees:

Oh no! The IRS is changing the W-4! While the final version of the form isn't expected until November, the current draft gives us a good idea of what employers and employees will begin using starting in 2020.

What does this mean for my employees and the taxes they pay (because you know they're going to ask you those questions)? Taxes, payroll, the IRS, their forms, and everything associated with these requirements can all seem so confusing and stressful to employees. These things are often referred to as “adulting” because they bring with them anxiety and fear, and they seem to encourage avoidance. In reality, the changes aren't as daunting as they seem. Here's an overview of what you should know when your employees ask.

Can you believe we are at the end of October already? The end of the year is a great time to review existing documents, systems, and HR administrative practices. If you are looking for a new HR system, we can help, and we encourage you to reach out to us to find out how. It’s also a good time to review your employee handbook. Here are 8 valuable reasons why:

In our recent post addressing the need for and benefits of an employee handbook, we mentioned the importance of having employees sign off on having received and read an organization's employee handbook. This is a vital step in creating and distributing a handbook because it encourages employees to read the document, ask questions about its contents, and signal that they understand the information provided. We also noted that sign-off should occur when each new edition of the handbook is given out.

Why are these statistics so significant? For one reason, the employment market is extremely tight right now. In order to recruit forward-thinking employees into your company's workforce and retain them, you need to appeal to the way they work.

Are all employers required to have an employee handbook? If you answered "no" to this question, you are technically correct. There are no federal or state laws that specifically require companies to create and maintain employee handbooks. HOWEVER, we strongly suggest doing so since, regardless of your company's size, having an employee handbook is a good business practice. There are many laws requiring employers to notify employees of workplace rights (e.g. EEO, sexual harassment, ADA, FMLA), and this document can help with that. In fact, a well-crafted employee handbook helps protect both employer and employees. Following are five specific reasons why having a handbook might be a good idea for your organization.

If you are filing your quarterly tax returns through Aatrix, the State of Oregon has a new requirement that a company’s BIN number has to be verified by a previous quarter’s taxes. The requirement can be fulfilled by doing the following: