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The More You Know
Aug 31st
Some of you may recognize the logo above and the phrase “The More You Know” as the NBC public service campaign tagline prevalent in TV advertising for the last 20 or so years. Its purpose? To educate the public, raise awareness on important issues and inspire Americans to take action.
One of the things that we at Ascentis pride ourselves on is the many years of HR and Payroll experience that our staff brings to our clients. We understand their needs because we’ve been in their shoes. We continue to know what we know because we stay abreast of current workforce management issues and update our product offering to be flexible and customizable to create solutions for the changes that arise with our ever-changing workforce. One of the ways we stay ahead of the game is to read a good number of industry blogs daily. This post compiles our 10 most favorite workforce management related blogs that we want to share with you, kind of like our own personal “The More You Know” PSA for human capital management.
- HR Tests: Written by Bryan Baldwin, an HR consultant in Olympia, Wash., this blog has timely news of laws, regulations, products and conferences concerning testing and assessment instruments.
- The Human Capital Blog: Written by Brian Cork, a well known HCM recruiter and coach.
- Rehaul: This blog is written by Lance Haun, an HR professional who writes a full spectrum of articles— from recruitment and team building to training and development and employee relations.
- Evil HR Lady: Written anonymously by “an HR professional in a Fortune 500 company,” this blog is a great example of an HR professional who has lived what you don’t want to. At times, full of biting wit, and other times delivering valuable lessons, you’ll find yourself half laughing, and perhaps half recognizing yourself here.
- Chief Happiness Officer: Consultant Alexander Kjerulf teaches HR departments and entrepreneurs how to turn their company’s frown upside down.
- Workplace Prof Blog: Workplace Prof Blog is written by a team of law school professors who cover everything from Employment Law, to Employment Discrimination, to Labor Law, to Benefits, and more.
- Punk Rock Human Resources: Laurie Ruettimann is a punk rock HR pro with Fortune 500 experience. She writes and speaks openly (very openly) about business trends, employment, Corporate America, and opting-out of the rat race.
- Gruntled Employees: Gruntled Employees looks at how to keep employees gruntled. Employer advocate and counsel Jay Shepherd leads the discussion.
- HR Marketer: HR Marketer is a blog for companies who sell products or services to human resource executives.
- Human Capital League: An online community for workplace management professionals and others interested in the best practices of training and development, employee benefits, recruiting, payroll and the many other people-related functions that keep the wheels of commerce turning smoothly.
What blogs do you read (besides ours, of course) that keep you ahead of the pack? Send us your comments and blog recommendations.
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Do You Have the Open Enrollment Blues?
Aug 20th
If you’re like most individuals working in Human Resources you know all too well how overwhelming open enrollment can be not only for your HR staff, but also the rest of the organization. According to SHRM, HR Managers spend “an estimated 25 to 30 percent of their time managing employee benefits.” During an open enrollment period that number increases, to the degree that some HR departments even bring in temporary labor to assist with the influx of inquires. Other times, a company will simply outsource inquiries to a call center, incurring additional costs. Since the Healthcare Reform Act was passed there is even more information that your employees need, and many more laws with which you must be in compliance. Many companies are trying to find more efficient ways to keep their employees informed on the heath care plans and information. In this post, we’ll discuss open enrollment, the major responsibilities of HR, and some ways to improve the overall open enrollment process and experience.
Simply put, open enrollment is a period of time your employees enroll in benefits or change from one plan to another. After open enrollment is closed, the employee coverage is locked until the next open enrollment period begins. To ensure employees choose the healthcare plan that fits them best, companies dedicate countless hours, additional resources and lots of time ensuring that employees are informed. After all, we want our employees to be happy and healthy, because a happy worker is a productive worker.
Some of the major responsibilities for HR during open enrollment include choosing a benefits package, selecting and preparing communications for employees, setting the stage to make it easy for employees to complete open enrollment and keying updates and changes into additional systems. In each of these responsibilities comes an element of change management. Through the use of today’s available HRIS/HRMS tools, companies are finding it easier to manage the open enrollment process. A great example of such a tool is AscentisHR which is a fully integrated solution connecting open enrollment, self-service and HR administration together as one. The truth is that open enrollment need no longer be a pain point. It doesn’t have to be so arduous or time consuming for HR or for the employee. Employee Self-Service is the answer.
What Self-Service Looks Like. Literally.
Click on this image to see the full screenshot
The self-service open enrollment wizard provides a straightforward and intuitive approach to guide and inform employees on benefit selection. The system allows the employees to compare benefits side-by-side, elect alternative plans, submit benefits electronically to the carrier, and much more. Outside of open enrollment, the onus is placed on the employee to update their personal information throughout the year, taking the burden off of HR. Click here learn more about self-service and other Ascentis solutions.
For more information, or to request a product demonstration, fill out this short form and we’ll show you how we can help your Human Resources department be more accelerated, efficient and compliant. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, the Ascentis HR, Benefits and Payroll News, and stay on top of industry news, best practices and always-evolving legislation. Follow Ascentis on Twitter and “Like us” on Facebook to receive great HR, payroll and business tips. Feel free to share this post using the built-in share buttons below this post.
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Taking the Headache Out Of a Corporate Tax Audit
Aug 16th
In November of 2009 the IRS announced the Employment Tax National Research Project (ET NRP), which is the first study of its kind in 25 years related to payroll and employment tax issues. The IRS plans to randomly audit up to 6,000 companies in the next three years, with a direct focus on employment tax, worker classification, officer compensation, benefits and expense reimbursement. The IRS has already sent out of first batch of alert letters, letting companies know that they have been selected for an audit. This short video from Pillsbury, a national full-service law firm, briefly outlines for its clients some of the major issues involved.
If your business has been audited by the IRS, you’re not alone. According to IRS statistics, anywhere from .38% to 14.55% of businesses are audited annually (see data grid below). The government’s exact method for choosing who is audited remains a well-kept secret. However, the IRS boldly warned in a 2007 report that some business types are more likely to be audited than others. The IRS report states that “While large corporate audits are down slightly, we have increased our focus on mid-market those with assets between $10 million and $50 million dollars.” See specific IRS service and enforcement tables here. Into what category does your business fall, and how likely are you to be audited? What’s your worst fear in an audit? Are you prepared for it?
The burden of proof during an audit lies with you, the business owner, and the depth of records required by the IRS can be time-consuming and onerous at best. AllBusiness.com posted an aptly titled article, “To Hell and Back: Different Types of Tax Audits”, which documents the extensive information that the IRS requires during a business audit. The IRS provides their auditors with specific guidelines to follow during a business audit that is industry specific. Do you know what your potential future auditor may ask of you? Become more prepared and look for your guide here.
Don’t be another IRS statistic
Audits are costly. The expense to your business will be massive, and the strain on your valuable employees even more so. Regardless of the kind of audit you may experience, it’s always helpful to have the information you need at your fingertips. Ascentis online payroll and HR software (HRIS) offers robust core functionality that supports the electronic documentation of most, if not all, employment and payroll related data you will need during an audit. Ascentis integrated systems include standard and customized reporting engines so HR and payroll teams can provide the specific and detailed data that audits often require.
Learn more
For more information, or to request a product demo, fill out this short form and let’s talk about how we can help your HR and payroll teams be more accelerated, efficient and compliant. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, the Ascentis HR, Benefits and Payroll News, and stay on top of industry news, best practices and always-evolving legislation. Follow Ascentis on Twitter and “Like us” on Facebook to receive great HR, payroll and business tips.
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Health Care Reform: List of Preventive Services Without Cost-Sharing Released
Aug 9th
The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury issued interim final regulations requiring new plans and issuers to cover certain preventive services without any cost-sharing requirements when delivered by network providers. Cost-sharing includes out-of-pocket costs like deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance. Employers should note that these required preventive services do not apply to grandfathered plans.
Under the new rules, services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) will generally be required to be provided without cost-sharing when delivered by an in-network provider in the plan years that begin on or after September 23, 2010 (except grandfathered plans). For recommendations that have been in effect for less than one year, plans and issuers will have one year from the effective date to comply. Thus, recommendations and guidelines issued prior to September 23, 2009 must be provided for plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010.
Recommendations of the USPSTF appear in a released chart, which can be accessed by clicking here.
Preventive Services to Be Covered without Cost-Sharing
HHS reports that under the new rules, depending on age and plan type, individuals may have easier access to the following preventive services:
- Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests
- Cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies
- Flu and pneumonia shots
- Routine vaccines ranging from routine childhood immunizations to periodic tetanus shots for adults, including diseases such as measles, polio, or meningitis
- Counseling from health care providers on such topics as quitting smoking, losing weight, eating better, treating depression, and reducing alcohol use
- Counseling, screening and vaccines for healthy pregnancies
- Regular well-baby and well-child visits, from birth to age 21
The interim final regulations also make clear that a plan or issuer is not required to provide coverage or waive cost-sharing requirements for any item or service that has ceased to be a recommended preventive service. For example, if a recommendation of the USPSTF is downgraded from a rating of A or B to a rating of C or D, or if a recommendation or guideline no longer includes a particular item or service, the service is not required to be provided without cost-sharing.
For more on preventive services under the Affordable Care Act, please click here, or view the chart of covered services by clicking here. You can also view a list of covered services for adults, women (including pregnancy) and children by clicking here. To view the interim final regulations, please click here.
To stay on top of HR industry news, trends and best practices, sign up for the Ascentis HR, Payroll and Benefits Newsletter today!
Preventive Services to Be Covered without Cost-Sharing
HHS reports that under the new rules, depending on age and plan type, individuals may have easier access to the following preventive services:
- Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests
- Cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies
- Flu and pneumonia shots
- Routine vaccines ranging from routine childhood immunizations to periodic tetanus shots for adults, including diseases such as measles, polio, or meningitis
- Counseling from health care providers on such topics as quitting smoking, losing weight, eating better, treating depression, and reducing alcohol use
- Counseling, screening and vaccines for healthy pregnancies
- Regular well-baby and well-child visits, from birth to age 21
The interim final regulations also make clear that a plan or issuer is not required to provide coverage or waive cost-sharing requirements for any item or service that has ceased to be a recommended preventive service. For example, if a recommendation of the USPSTF is downgraded from a rating of A or B to a rating of C or D, or if a recommendation or guideline no longer includes a particular item or service, the service is not required to be provided without cost-sharing.
For more on preventive services under the Affordable Care Act, please click here, or view the chart of covered services by clicking here. You can also view a list of covered services for adults, women (including pregnancy) and children by clicking here. To view the interim final regulations, please click here.
To stay on top of HR industry news, trends and best practices, sign up for the Ascentis HR, Payroll and Benefits Newsletter today!
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Enjoy the benefits of SaaS functionality with Ascentis Time
Jul 27th
Ascentis Time is a SaaS-based timekeeping solution that offers many advantages for companies of all sizes. The benefits of automation are realized very quickly as the infrastructure is already built and waiting for your team and your employees.
The SaaS model has been created to minimize the technology effort of your organization – no servers or software is required to install and maintain. Ascentis Time is ”evergreen,” – that is always up-to-date - and all updates are provided as part of the service. The transition is almost effortless, all that’s required is the Web browser of your choice.
Ascentis Time supports many options that employees can use to interact with the system, from interactive electronic touch screen information terminals and bio-metric employee verification terminals, to browser-based access for time stamping or timesheet completion and phone reporting.
Executives, supervisors and administrators may access the application from anywhere at any time to review, edit, approve and report on the up-to-the minute labor information stored there. They can also utilize the built-in work flows to approve or deny requests for time off or have their reports delivered to their e-mail inbox at predetermined dates and times.
For more information about the powerful Ascentis time and attendance solution, please visit our Web site or call 1.800.229.2713.
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Electronic I-9s are a go!
Jul 23rd
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule confirming that employers and recruiters who are required to complete and retain the Form I–9, Employment Eligibility Verification, may sign this form electronically and retain this form in an electronic format. “E-Verify” is the electronic system facilitated DHS for this purpose. The final rule makes minor changes to an interim final rule announced in 2006.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, all U.S. employers, recruiters and certain other entities are required to verify the employment authorization and identity of all employees hired to work in the United States after Nov. 6, 1986. To comply with the law, an employer, or a recruiter or referrer for a fee, is responsible for the completion of a Form I–9, Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I–9), for each new employee, including United States citizens. The completed Form I–9 is not filed with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Rather, the Form I–9 is retained by the employer who must make it available for inspection upon a request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigators or other authorized federal officials. Employers are required to retain a Form I–9 in their own files for three (3) years after the date of hire of the employee or one year after the date that employment is terminated, whichever is later.
In this final rule, DHS makes minor modifications to 8 CFR 274a.2 to clarify certain provisions that:
• Employers must complete a Form I–9 within three business (not calendar) days;
• Employers may use paper, electronic systems, or a combination of paper and electronic systems;
• Employers may change electronic storage systems as long as the systems meet the performance requirements of the regulations;
• Employers need not retain audit trails of each time a Form I–9 is electronically viewed, but only when the Form I–9 is created, completed, updated, modified, altered, or corrected; and
• Employers may provide or transmit a confirmation of a Form I–9 transaction, but are not required to do so unless the employee requests a copy.
To view the final rule in the Federal Register, please click here. For more on the federal E-Verify system, please click here.
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Interview Questions: What You Need to Know
Jul 15th
As hiring begins to rebound, many small businesses may once again be thinking about recruitment and candidate selection. And, of course, one of the most important parts of the process is conducting the interview.
Whether you are a small business owner who conducts your own interviews, manager of a department or experienced HR professional, the following is a quick “refresher” on the do’s and don’ts related to interview questions.
Questions you may ask
Interview questions should be job-related, and provide insight into the candidate’s ability to perform the essential functions of the position you are filling. They can also provide certain information about the interviewee. Some examples of acceptable job-related inquiries include:
- Job Requirements: desired position, salary, full time or part time, date of availability to start.
- Essential functions of the job: Essential functions are the fundamental job duties that the employee must be able to perform on his or her own or, in the case of a person with a disability, with the help of a reasonable accommodation.
- Willingness to travel.
- Educational background.
- Skills: word processing, computer languages, etc.
- References.
- Eligibility to in the United States
Questions to avoid
Because of the numerous federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws that govern the employment process, direct and indirect inquiries concerning an interviewee’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military service, or any other protected class status should be avoided. In addition, some states have strict limitations on pre-employment inquiries about criminal backgrounds, in particular, arrests not leading to convictions. Questions to avoid include:
- How old are you?
- What is your nationality? Or what is the origin of your name?
- What is your race?
- Were you or are you currently disabled?
- Are you taking any medications?
- What is your religion?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- Do you have a drinking problem?
Interviewing in Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) goes one step further than the traditional civil rights laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, age, or other protected classes. Under the ADA, it is not enough that an employer simply does not discriminate. Employers must, under certain situations, also take steps to make “reasonable accommodations” for individuals with disabilities. To avoid charges of discrimination, employers should also adhere to the following guidelines when interviewing applicants with disabilities:
- Prepare for the interview by clearly understanding the essential job functions of the position in question.
- Employers may ask about an applicant’s ability to perform specific job functions. For example, an employer may state the physical requirements of a job (such as the ability to lift a certain amount of weight, or the ability to climb ladders), and ask if an applicant can satisfy these requirements.
- Employers may ask about an applicant’s non-medical qualifications and skills, such as the applicant’s education, work history, and required certifications and licenses
- Don’t ask questions about an applicant’s disabilities.
Additionally, many state civil rights agencies have their own guidelines on pre-employment inquiries based on both federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Be sure to check on any additional restrictions your state may impose on job interview questions.
For more information on the ADA compliant interview, please click here. To view a list of state labor offices, please click here.
To stay on top of HR industry news, trends and best practices, sign up for the Ascentis HR, Payroll and Benefits Newsletter today!
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COBRA Subsidy Widely Used by the Middle Class
Jul 8th
According to a recent Treasury Department survey, federal subsidies of health insurance premiums for the unemployed were widely used by the middle class during the recession. Many laid-off workers and their families maintained their health coverage as a result of the subsidy.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) established a tax credit that paid 65 percent of the cost of health insurance premiums for eligible unemployed workers and their family members who maintained their health coverage through the federal COBRA continuing coverage program. Usually, individuals on COBRA coverage are required to pay up to 102% of the total cost of premiums. The Treasury Department estimates that for a typical family nationwide, the ARRA subsidy reduced the cost of COBRA from about $13,500 to $4,725.
The Treasury analysis is one of the earliest reports on the profile of unemployed individuals who obtained continuing health insurance coverage through the ARRA COBRA subsidy. The study surveyed more than 6,000 New Jersey workers receiving Unemployment Insurance in the fall and winter of 2009. The report found that between one-quarter and one-third of eligible unemployed workers enrolled in subsidized COBRA. In addition, roughly 15% of Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries received health insurance coverage through COBRA.
The report concludes that the subsidy appears to have been especially important for maintaining health coverage for middle-class families during the recession, and likely reduced the number of Americans who otherwise would have gone uninsured during the recession. A separate publication from the Treasury Department estimates that up to 2 million households were provided premium assistance in 2009, and over 300,000 claims were filed by employer tax reporting units through early 2010. The Treasury Department suggests that the availability of the program may have significantly slowed the growth of the uninsured population, which had been significantly increasing through Feb. 2009.
To view the Treasury Department report, please click here. To stay on top of HR industry news, trends and best practices, sign up for the Ascentis HR, Payroll and Benefits Newsletter today!
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How To Make Open Enrollment a Positive Experience
Jun 30th
Contributed by Les Goldstein, Ascentis CEO
We are shortly approaching the “dreaded” open enrollment season where employees are asked to make important benefits decisions for the upcoming year. Traditionally, this has been a time of great stress for the HR department as it requires a huge increase in work with no additional staff. With the continually rising medical costs over the past ten years, this has also placed a great deal of stress on employees as they need to manage a myriad of decisions relating to:
- Medical and dental plan choices that will best meet their needs as it relates to coverage, deductibles and shared costs.
- Flexible spending accounts that allow them to pay in pre-tax dollars for medical costs that are not covered.
- Dependent care, transportation and other expenses that can be paid for in pre-tax dollars.
All these enrollment decisions have become more difficult as the complexity of available options increase. But there is now an easier way to manage enrollment, and many firms have already started to use this process. This time-saving service is known as online, or Web-based, enrollment. This capability allows employees to get on a computer at home or in the office, and by way of the Internet enroll in the benefits of their choice. Here are just a few of the many advantages of online enrollment:
- Saves money.
- Employees and their families can easily look at all the plans and options in one easy to access location at any time.
- Many questions are answered online with no need to tie-up an HR resource.
- Employees like the ease of use, and it gives them an empowered work experience.
- Minimizes expensive and time consuming errors (this is particularly true if there is an electronic interface to the insurance carriers).
Make your next open enrollment season a positive experience! Ascentis specializes in easy-to-use online tools that make the enrollment process virtually paperless. Ascentis Self-Service pushes out enrollment options and documentation to employees, and then transmits that data electronically to insurance carriers. This process saves time, allows HR to monitor the enrollment process closely, and accurately provides information to carriers.
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Ascentis Announces a New Time and Attendance Solution
Jun 23rd
Ascentis is excited to announce the release of Ascentis Time, our new time and attendance solution. Many of our customers have requested a Web-based timekeeping solution, and we’re very excited to be able to offer this on-demand, easy-to-use tool. Ascentis Time will be officially launched to the marketplace at the 2010 SHRM Conference & Expo in San Diego, Calif., June 27-30.
Because Ascentis Time integrates with our existing HRIS and payroll solutions, it will save time and ensure data accuracy across functions. It supports up to 15 labor levels, the most in the industry, and Ascentis Time will help organizations eliminate unauthorized overtime and overpayment of benefits. In addition, Ascentis Time will provide the foundation to help organizations forecast labor utilization, easily perform job costing and stay in compliance with federal labor regulations. A variety of reporting options are available to assess job costing, control departmental costs, monitor staffing, and much more.
Ascentis Time can collect employee time and attendance data from multiple sources and devices, including Web-based entry, badge terminals, biometric hand punch machines, telephones and dedicated time clocks. In conjunction with Ascentis Self-Service, employees can request time off through an automated approval process system that requires authorization from multiple levels, where appropriate.
Click here for more information about Ascentis Time, or call Ascentis at 1.800.229.2713 about this or any of our other workforce management solutions.
