Implementing a Drug Testing Policy in the Workplace

There are no laws that require you to keep drug-abusing employees on your payroll. However, numerous restrictions, primarily state laws, dictate what you can and can't do. As with other sensitive personnel issues, it's important to develop a policy, communicate it clearly and enforce it consistently. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bans discrimination against employees who have a history of drug or alcohol abuse but are sober and in rehabilitation programs. In addition, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration frowns on post-incident mandatory drug tests. An example wou...

In Hurricane affected areas, we can all agree that storm preparedness is an important part of a business plan. It's crucial to begin your plan by picking the right individual to decide when employees should come to work, not come to work or do so at their own discretion. The person designated for the role should be given clear guidelines to help in those situations. Some smaller companies take the simple approach of piggybacking on the decision made by a large local employer. Of course, during your busiest times, you might have to pivot and continue operations regardless of what others do....

E-Verify is about to play a critical role under the Trump administration. The electronic service, launched in 1996, is primarily a voluntary web-based system, though it could soon become mandatory. E-Verify enables employers to quickly determine whether information supplied by job applicants on their I-9 forms is consistent with data held by the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security. In effect, this is a faster version of the basic paper-based I-9 system. Employers submit I-9 data electronically, and, generally within a few seconds find out whether the in...

Employees who take an unpaid leave, per the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may need more than the 12-week limit. Deciding whether to promise an employee who exceeds the limit that he or she will have a job to return to takes a delicate balancing of compassion, practicality and legal risk analysis. That's because, if the extended absence is the end result of some form of disability, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) might also play a role in your decision. The enforcer of the ADA — the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — has never offered clear guidance on the topic....

On Dec. 22, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2018-06 to: Extend the due date for furnishing forms under Sections 6055 and 6056 for 2017 for 30 days, from Jan. 31, 2018, to March 2, 2018; and Extend good-faith transition relief from penalties related to 2017 information reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056. Notice 2018-06 does not extend the due date for filing forms with the IRS for 2017. The due date for filing with the IRS under Sections 6055 and 6056 remains Feb. 28, 2018 (April 2, 2018, if filing electronically). The IRS is encouraging reporting...

Tax Reform Bill Signed into Law On Dec. 22, 2017, President Donald Trump signed the tax reform bill, called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, into law, after it passed both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. This tax reform bill, drafted based on a tax reform plan that was developed in consultation with the Trump administration, will make significant changes to the federal tax code. Specifically, the tax reform bill will have a substantial impact on businesses. For example, it: Lowers the corporate tax rate—Beginning in 2018, the bill reduces the corporate tax rat...

OVERVIEW The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) electronic reporting rule requires certain establishments to report information electronically from their OSHA Forms 300, 300A and 301. Under the rule, the first electronic reports were due on July 1, 2017. However, on Nov. 24, 2017, OSHA issued a new final rule officially delaying the first electronic reporting deadline to Dec. 15, 2017. Affected establishments will need to submit their reports through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) website by that time or face possible OSHA penalties.  ACTION STEPS Af...

CertiPay is thrilled to receive the CareerSource Polk "Best Place To Work" award. CareerSource provides recruiting, hiring and training services to Polk County businesses. Pictured: Mark Ruggieri and Jamie Knight

Overview On July 17, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, issued an updated version of Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). Under federal law, every employer that recruits, refers for a fee or hires an individual for employment in the United States must complete a Form I-9. The updated form replaces a version that was issued in 2016. Employers may continue using the 2016 form until Sept. 17, 2017. Exclusive use of the updated form is expected by Sept. 18, 2017. The new form expires on Aug. 31, 2019...

Winter Haven, FL, July 12, 2017 — CertiPay, a national Payroll, Human Resources and Benefits Enrollment solutions company, is pleased to announce the successful completion of its annual Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) 18 Type II audit for 2016. Completion of the SSAE 18 audit provides evidence of CertiPay’s strong commitment to the integrity of its web-based applications, including benefits enrollment, HR and payroll processing tools. The results of the audits were “unqualified,” meaning that the control measures in place are effective and operating as designed. “R...