All companies have a process for paying employees. That also involves paying taxes on time and filling out all government forms. No matter what the size of your company is, there are many things to keep in mind. Payroll involves many details and it’s easy to make mistakes. From part time workers to full time workers to outside consultants, it’s important to keep it all straight. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to payroll: Employee classification – These days, many companies hire temporary workers, such as independent contractors and consultants. Therefore, make sure you correctly figure out the classification of every person who works in your company. This is important because you need to know how to report payroll information for tax purposes. 1099’s– Any independent contractor who receives $600 or more in payment during a year should receive a 1099 form by January 31 of the next year.   Deadlines– Do not miss deadlines for payroll taxes to state and federal ag ...

The Florida Senate has approved a bill that would limit how much money doctors can charge for giving drugs to workers comp patients. This comes less than a year after former Governor Charlie Crist vetoed a similar proposal.   Business group Associated Industries of Florida has pushed for the price limits. Opponents include the Florida Medical Association. Experts with Associated Industries say an analysis shows that passing such a bill would decrease workers comp costs by $62 million. The savings would be passed to businesses through lower insurance rates.   The Senate recently approved a budget-related bill that included the limitations on drug costs. The House, however, does not have a comparable proposal. This means the issues will most likely be included in the upcoming budget negotiations.   The House has separately proposed a ban on doctors giving out drugs in their offices. This is due to problems with crooked pain clinics in Florida. If that passes, it means doctors who treat ...

A new free online guide hopes to support companies nationwide by helping them create, initiate and maintain a health benefits plan that will stabilize health care costs and improve employees’ health. After looking at their own company trends, the participating “KC2” project employers changed their benefits to help line up incentives with desired behaviors. The goals were to reduce health risks, encourage employee wellness and promote the use of preventive case. The guide was launched this past April by New York-based Pfizer Inc., the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (in Kansas City, Missouri) and the National Business Coalition on Health (which is based in Washington). The project is based on the experience of “KC2,” a three-year, value-based benefit project that involved 15 Kansas City area employers. The “AHSP Employer Guide” showcases case studies, as well as the tools and lessons learned from the KC2 project.   In a statement about the project, Mid-America Coalition president William Bruni ...

According to a study by the Milliman Medical Index, in less than nine years, health care costs for the average American family have doubled. According to the study, health care costs families an average of $19,393 each year. The highest cost for health insurance was in Miami, where health care spending averaged about $23,363. That was followed by New York (with an average of $22,785) and Chicago (with an average of $21,996).   The study, published by Milliman Inc. (a Seattle-based global consulting and actuarial firm), shows back in 2002, health care costs for an average American family of four who were enrolled in a preferred provider organization plan cost an average of $9,235. Even though the 7.3 percent increase this year over 2010 is the lowest annual rate of increase in more than ten years, the increase in total dollars is the highest in the history of the study (at $1,319).    Employees are paying a larger share of the cost increase than their employers. This has been the case o ...

According to the government news web site, www.GovExec.com, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) human resources employee has been charged with embezzlement. She allegedly used the agency’s payroll processing system to embezzle close to $150,000 from the government.   Pending the results of an investigation, Sheila Ann Howard was placed on administrative leave. The 54-year-old Maryland resident is a human resources/personal assistant at FEMA’s headquarters in Southwest Washington. Howard’s job is to manually input payments into FEMA’s payroll processing system. The special system manages transactions that can’t be processed through the National Finance Center. This includes restored annual leave payments, special bonuses, cash awards and compensatory time payments. Over a 15-month time period, she allegedly made 26 fraudulent payments in the names of 16 former FEMA employees as well as one current worker. If she is convicted, she will reportedly face a maximum sentence of ten years in jail.&# ...