Below are two briefs from our labor attorneys that cover the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the recent change in the GA DOL’s reporting of partial Unemployment Insurance Claims. BRIEF #1: Congress Finalizes COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Act: Prepare to Provide Paid Sick Leave and FMLA BRIEF 2: Emergency Changes to Georgia Unemployment with Harsh Penalties for Employers In Response To COVID-19 If you are reducing the hours of full or part-time staff, these…
In the current environment, we realize that you may have questions about how the coronavirus is affecting our operations. The good news is that it’s largely business as usual for Marathon – but with some modifications. While the situation is fluid, we have no current plans to change our work hours or availability, but are following stricter procedures for keeping our offices as clean and sanitized as possible. To help our staff stay safe and healthy,…
The news flowing about approved and pending legislation related to the Coronavirus is monumental and complex to interpret. In addition to the legal briefs that we shared with you on Friday, more information has come to our attention that you need to consider when evaluating leave requests from staff. Please read: U.S. Treasury, IRS and Labor announce plan to implement Coronavirus-related paid leave for workers and tax credits for small and midsize businesses to swiftly…
With fear and uncertainty circulating about the continued spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, it’s no surprise that employers are wrestling with the best way keep employees healthy and to ensure that sick employees stay at home for as long as needed. In particular, I am concerned about industries with heavy concentrations of hourly employees – such as retail and restaurants – that could be hit worse because sick employees will still try to come…
The IRS introduced a new W-4 form effective January 1, 2020 that eliminated withholding allowances. The form was redesigned to allow taxpayers to make their own calculations, especially when taking into account multiple sources of income. Employees who have furnished Form W-4 in any year before 2020 are not required to furnish a new form merely because of the redesign. However, with many employees surprised with either large tax bills or large refunds last year,…
After years of debate, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule on September 24 that increased the salary threshold for an “exempt” employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to $684 a week ($35,568 annually) from $455 a week effective January 1, 2020. As a reminder, unless exempt, employees covered by the FLSA must receive at least time and one-half their regular pay rate for all hours worked over 40 in a…
By the end of each year, I’m usually approached with questions from clients who have received their W-2 form and are concerned about owing taxes when it comes time to square up with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It’s good practice to make sure that your backup withholding is up to date so that you avoid unwanted surprises. If you’re an employer, it’s helpful to be aware of the hardship that employees could experience if…
With many Americans looking forward to a long weekend and a day off from work on Monday, we thought that it would be fun to take a look at the history and origination of our beloved “end of summer” holiday: Labor Day. This day was created to celebrate the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Observance of the Labor Day holiday evolved over a period of years as attention was…
Why Don’t We Labor on Labor Day? Our news usually deals with business topics, but with Labor Day coming up this weekend, we thought it would be interesting to look at the history and origination of our beloved “end of summer” holiday: Labor Day. This day might better be called “Workers’ Day,” because that is who it celebrates—the American worker and the trade and labor groups that support them. Encouraged by the labor movement, Labor…
We hear a lot about the dangers of drunk driving, but did you know it is only the Number 3 cause of accidents? The Number 1 cause, by far, is distracted driving. Per a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80 percent of automobile accidents and 65 percent of near-accidents involve some form of driver distraction within three seconds of the incident. Although talking or…
Buffalo's Cafe Ends Human Resources Headaches;