Employers have an extra day to furnish W-2s to employees and file them with the Social Security Administration. The usual Jan. 31 deadline falls on a Sunday in 2027, so the due date for 2026 Forms W-2 moves to Monday,…
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Payroll usually pays the hours recorded on time clocks – but requiring employees to arrive early can create a pay obligation before they even punch in. That’s the issue in a recent wage dispute, alleging violations of the Fair Labor…
An applicant who alleged Sirius XM’s hiring software repeatedly screened him out because he’s Black recently had his complaint dismissed – for now. A federal judge in Michigan dismissed the complaint without prejudice on Sept. 30, 2026, finding that the…
When daylight saving time ends, employees on the clock when the time changes at 2 a.m. pick up an additional hour. Payroll teams need to make sure that hour is credited and paid this run. This year, the clocks fall…
A California company closed without warning or final paychecks just over a decade ago. Now, its owner has paid nearly $2 million after years of state wage enforcement efforts. The state's Labor Commissioner’s Office recovered the money for 136 former…
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, Montana’s minimum wage rises 35 cents to $11.20 an hour under the state’s annual cost-of-living adjustment. The state Department of Labor & Industry has updated its minimum wage and overtime poster, available in English and Spanish,…
On Oct. 13, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Merritt v. Texas Farm Bureau. The denial leaves in place a Fifth Circuit ruling that a company owed no overtime pay to a misclassified worker because it didn’t know he…
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, New Jersey’s minimum wage for most workers rises 56 cents to $16.48 an hour. The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development sets the rate each year based on Consumer Price Index increases, as required by…
Massachusetts recently updated its paid family and medical leave contribution guidance after passing Chapter 101 of the Acts of 2026. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The law shifts employer contributions from medical leave to family leave to mitigate…
SHRM has been found liable for failing to accommodate a job applicant who uses a service dog to manage Type 1 diabetes – a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state law. On Oct. 9, a…
On Oct. 1, 2026, California’s Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO), along with state and local enforcement partners, announced a $272.5 million settlement with Lyft. It resolves a misclassification dispute alleging that Lyft treated California drivers as independent contractors. The agreement is…
Payroll teams in California have a new pay data reporting penalty to keep on their radar. On Sept. 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1237. The new legislation raises the maximum penalty for a subsequent failure to file a required…
Time to update your systems: The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced the 2027 Social Security taxable wage base. Next year’s number will increase to $192,300 – that’s $7,800 more than the current amount of $184,500. So, the intermediate projection…
Wyoming’s unemployment insurance (UI) wage base rises to $34,900 per employee in 2027, up from $33,800 in 2026. The $1,100 increase takes effect Jan. 1 and increases the wages subject to each employer's assigned UI tax rate. The change doesn't…
California’s statewide minimum wage will rise to $17.40 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027. The increase will also raise the annual salary an employee must earn to qualify for exemption from overtime requirements to $72,384; employees must meet the duties…
With Election Day coming Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, now’s a good time for payroll teams to review state voting leave requirements – before you start getting time-off requests. Four states show why a single companywide policy may not be enough.…
