Here are this week’s links to a few good stories that we found and selected because we feel they might add valuable insights and perspectives for small to medium size businesses.
- Last November, Massachusetts voters approved the Earned Sick Time Law which requires employers with eleven or more employees to provide paid sick time. On April 24, the proposed regulations were released and some observers feel the many unanswered questions remain. Given that the law becomes effective on July 1, business owners should be aware of this important new requirement. The Attorney General’s office is holding a series of public hearings that will end on June 5. Krokidas and Bluestein issued a client alert on their website that addresses some of these concerns. For more detail, read Employment Law Update – Proposed Regulations Clarify Open Issues Regarding Earned Sick Time.
- In March, the unemployment rate was 5.5%, a seven year low. For college graduates, it was an astonishing 2.4%. What this means is that good workers have plenty of choice out there. In an article written by Chuck Pappalardo on the American Express Open Forum website he states “Finding new employees – and keeping them- is about to get a whole lot harder. Workers now have big choices when it comes to finding jobs they want. So how do you attract the best employees for your business, and make sure they want to stay?” Read How Can You Find (and Keep) the Talent Your Business Needs? to learn more.
- The Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services are charged with enforcement of the Affordable Care Act. Recent guidance from the three agencies state that certain wellness benefits may be taxable – gym membership subsidies are cited as an example. Angela Bohman of Stinson Leonard Street in a post on the JD Supra website makes note of this and suggests reading FAQs about the Affordable Care Act Implementation (Part VVX) for more information.
For more information on this topic, please reach out to Genesis HR Solutions at AskUs@genesishrsolutions.com or 800-367-8367.
Genesis HR Solutions is the premier PEO provider for Massachusetts based businesses.
