Business Management
Fringe Benefits – Tax Changes for 2018
Employers who offer fringe benefits like transportation reimbursement and meals to their employees are familiar with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 15-B – Employer’s Guide to Fringe Benefits, which offers guidance on the tax treatment of such employee benefits. The IRS recently released an updated version of Publication 15-B for 2018, incorporating tax law changes…
Read MoreMaking Your Day Easier
At Consolidated Insurance, our belief has always been that we best serve our clients as not just a broker, but as a partner in helping their businesses better manage their risk. To that end, we’re proud to re-introduce MyWave Connect, a time-saving online resource that puts clients in control of customized compliance information and much…
Read MoreNew Employer Tax Credit for Paid Family & Medical Leave
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in December of last year creates a new business tax credit for employers that provide paid family and medical leave to employees. Here’s what you need to know: The tax credit is temporary and applies to tax years 2018 and 2019 The credit is equal to…
Read MoreWhat You Need, When You Need It
It’s happened to every business … you’re working after hours, and you really need a certificate of insurance to wrap up the paperwork and bring in a new client. But your insurance broker is closed. Or an employee needs a new Auto ID card on a weekend, and all you can do is add it…
Read MoreInvestigating Sexual Harassment Claims in the Workplace
In a recent post, we discussed strategies for preventing harassment claims in the workplace (if you missed it, read it here). While that information covered a variety of situations, sexual harassment has been a primary focus for businesses in this current climate. What should you do if it’s too late to prevent a claim and…
Read MoreMaryland Enacts Paid Sick and Safe Leave
On January 12, the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of paid sick and safe leave legislation and the Healthy Working Families Act became law. Normally, legislation takes effect 30 days after a veto-override vote, meaning the law would take effect on February 11, but emergency legislation has been introduced that…
Read MorePreventing Workplace Harassment Claims
With all the recent attention devoted to instances of sexual harassment in Hollywood, Washington and elsewhere, and the corresponding #metoo movement, employers are rightfully concerned about workplace harassment and its potential liability. A single claim can have major repercussions for an employer, and even in a best-case scenario will consume large amounts of time and…
Read MoreNew Year, New Changes
As always, the turning of that last page on the calendar brings legislative changes to the worlds of benefits and compliance. Here’s a look at highlights of the changes thus far for 2018: Minimum Wage Changes in Many States While the federal minimum wage rate remains at $7.25 per hour, some 20 states have adopted…
Read MoreEmployee Benefit Plan Limits for 2018
Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits, periodically updated by the IRS to allow for inflation. These include high deductible health plans (HDHPs), health savings accounts (HSAs), health flexible spending accounts (FSAs), 401(k) plans and transportation fringe benefit plans. Here’s a look at what’s changing – and what’s not – next year: The…
Read MoreRemote Possibilities – Working from Home, Part 2
If you’re among the growing number of workers who’ve been given the opportunity to work from home, or the growing number of employers who are granting such permission, good for you: telecommuting can save a great deal of time sitting in traffic and can be a great recruiting tool for employers. Done right, a telecommuting…
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