A new opinion letter looked at whether one company needed to add bonuses into its overtime calculations under federal law. The answer from the Department of Labor (DOL)? Yes. That meant the company dropped the ball and had to either…
Compensation
IRS has released 2026 mileage rates and other updates impacting employees who drive personal vehicles for work or employer-provided vehicles. First, IRS said in a recent notice that the business standard mileage rate for 2026 is 72.5 cents per mile.…
Many states increased their minimum wage rates on January 1, 2026. Did you catch the changes needed to pay employees accurately? When it comes to compliance, minimum wage is just one of many areas where you'll find differences among states,…
The IRS has revised Form W-4 for 2026, making the newly revised form available to employers during mid-December 2025. The updated form incorporates several of the income tax provisions contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and it…
Wage bases for 2026 are rolling out. You can ensure you’re accurately withholding for state unemployment insurance (UI) tax. Here's the latest info. While most states with changes have increased their wage bases for UI tax purposes, four states —…
Thinking about adding tips and overtime compensation to box 14 of Form W-2 for TY 2025? Two recent IRS notices have provided insight. The IRS issued its latest notice covering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on November 21,…
The IRS recently announced changes to retirement plan numbers for next year, putting your year-end prep in high gear. The 401(k) plan salary deferral limit will bump up to $24,500 (currently $23,500). How about the salary deferral limit for 403(b)…
Is your company a joint employer, subject to trickier overtime compliance issues? If you don't ask that question, employees might do it for you. Case in point: An employee recently contacted the Department of Labor (DOL), asking for guidance on…
The amounts you can exclude from an employee’s gross income for certain fringe benefits will increase for 2026, IRS announced. As you know, fringe benefits are generally subject to income tax withholding as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes,…
In our interactive instructor-led 60-minute event, discover how to navigate the growing challenges of compensation management amid rising financial stress and shifting employee expectations. As workers demand fairness, transparency, and real value from their compensation, HR leaders must rethink outdated…
Ever since the Secure 2.0 Act laid out changes for workplace retirement plans, employers have been waiting for final regs from the IRS. Now, the regs are here. The 2022 law established new requirements, impacting 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans…
The IRS has released proposed regulations, giving businesses needed details about tracking and reporting income based on tips. The One Big Beatiful Bill Act (OBBBA) had set October 2, 2025, as the deadline for publishing a list of occupations related…
Employers that don't want to require employees to turn in receipts for business travel reimbursement can rely on per diem rates. The General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a notice regarding its fiscal year 2026 per diem rates for business…
As finance and HR leaders develop 2026 salary budgets, errors in payroll execution can quickly undermine the impact of planned pay raises. Employees rely on their pay to cover rising costs and navigate an uncertain economy – and payroll mistakes…
The IRS has issued a draft of the tax year 2026 Form W-2, incorporating the reporting requirements of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). It's important to note: The IRS hasn't finalized the changes yet, and they don't apply…
The IRS announced it isn't planning late-in the-game changes to tax year 2025 Forms W-2 and other payroll forms, such as the 941. That’s the case even though the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) says employees can take deductions…
