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The gig economy: What California’s ruling means for business 5184 3456 Heidi McLean

The gig economy: What California’s ruling means for business

Gray areas: the stuff of messy legal battles, public relations disasters, and HR headaches. Among the grayest of the gray is worker classification. While it isn’t a new topic, the gig economy is forcing the worker classification debate to a head, leaving the task of finding clarity to the courts. The latest ruling to make headlines continues to…

worker classification - PayReel
Worker classification confusion, no more 6875 3958 Heidi McLean

Worker classification confusion, no more

If you manage a contingent workforce, you’ve thought a lot about worker classification, compliance, and risk. If you haven’t, but you do manage freelancers, then you are likely either willfully ignoring it, hoping it will go away (it won’t) or drinking too much. First, we’ll talk about why you should care about the subject. Then we’ll get to the…

home office solutions - PayReel
Home office solutions for form and function 3393 5090 Heidi McLean

Home office solutions for form and function

The growing number of freelancers and independent contractors in recent years means that more and more people are working from home. While those unable to step away from their desks to do a load of laundry may have a little work-from-home envy, working from home has its challenges, too. A freelancer’s home office that is…

avocado toast - PayReel
The avocado toast generation and the case for hiring Millennials 5397 3598 Heidi McLean

The avocado toast generation and the case for hiring Millennials

Gone are the days when you could rely on your workers to put in their time at the office and stay loyal to one company from cradle to grave. These self-indulgent, entitled youngsters want to get promoted just for showing up. Millennials want avocado on their toast, purpose in their jobs, and a healthy work/life…

How have “work relationships” changed as offices become obsolete? 150 150 Heidi McLean

How have “work relationships” changed as offices become obsolete?

Gone are the days when “work relationships” are made up of people we see on a regular basis. We can literally have an entire functioning relationship without ever seeing a person or even hearing their voice. Talk about an evolution from the days when sharing an office building was a prerequisite. Here are some of…

work relationships - PayReel
How have “work relationships” changed as offices have become obsolete? 400 266 Heidi McLean

How have “work relationships” changed as offices have become obsolete?

Gone are the days when “work relationships” are made up of people we see on a regular basis. We can literally have an entire functioning relationship without ever seeing a person or even hearing their voice. Talk about an evolution from the days when sharing an office building was a prerequisite. Here are some of…

telephone booth - PayReel
Throwback Thursday: Hiring contingent workers pre e-anything 4404 2477 Heidi McLean

Throwback Thursday: Hiring contingent workers pre e-anything

On the rare occasion I pay a bill the old-fashioned way, I marvel. It wasn’t so very long ago that, for each bill, we’d sit down, handwrite a check, and then actually put it in the mail. Just as online bill pay has become the way of the modern world, so too have email, job…

happy birthday balloon and cake - PayReel
February 2018: Month in review 5808 3876 Heidi McLean

February 2018: Month in review

January took forever and February flew. Just like that, the second month of 2018 is over. Below are a few of the topics in employment and politics that made news in the shortest month of the year.   The FMLA turned 25…and had a quarter life crisis  On Feb. 5th, 1993 the Family and Medical…

woman working with tea and laptop - PayReel
States double down to support women workers 3000 2000 Heidi McLean

States double down to support women workers

Between the famous gender wage gap and a dead last ranking among developed countries for paid maternity leave, the United States isn’t winning the Olympic gold for female-friendly business practices. While the federal government is scrapping Obama-era changes aimed at promoting pay equity, some states are enacting new protections.   Protections for family New York requires paid…

January 2018: The Month of Many Mondays 150 150 Heidi McLean

January 2018: The Month of Many Mondays

January 2018 is over (finally?) and it’s official: this year is already a doozy. It’s not that it’s all been bad, it’s just been…a lot. Below are a few (really, these are only a few) of the topics in employment, politics, and entertainment that made news in the first 31 days of 2018. In employment January…

2018 lights - PayReel
Questions we’re asking about the contingent workforce in 2018 4412 2941 Heidi McLean

Questions we’re asking about the contingent workforce in 2018

The relationship between workers, employers, and government regulations is a balancing act. Each affects the others as inter-connectedly as any of nature’s most delicate symbiotic relationships. The contingent workforce is changing the employer/employee landscape everywhere. Similarly, government changes in healthcare and tax codes are sending a ripple effect through the system. Here’s just a taste…

An 11th hour gift guide for your favorite techie 150 150 Heidi McLean

An 11th hour gift guide for your favorite techie

From turntables to everyone’s favorite OG droid: Everything old is new again. We work with techies both inside and outside the office every day and these are some of the gifts causing a buzz in our corner of the world. They’re sure to excite the technophile in your life. The most endearing Star Wars droid of…

doctor - PayReel
Open enrollment ends Friday. Are you ready? 3543 2362 Heidi McLean

Open enrollment ends Friday. Are you ready?

While its future is uncertain, the healthcare marketplace is still up and running for now. So if you rely on the Affordable Care Act for your coverage, it’s time to get busy. We are now within the final hours of open enrollment for the healthcare marketplace.   Here are some answers to common questions: What…

myth button - PayReel
This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business 2000 2000 Heidi McLean

This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business

Sorry, y’all: The five-second rule is bogus. Germs don’t offer a grace period before jumping on your food. Not even your last bite of the really delicious stuff. But that one about metal objects dissolving in a glass of Coke? Still up for debate. And we won’t be testing it to find out. Myths can be…

What we’re thankful for (with GIFs!) 150 150 Heidi McLean

What we’re thankful for (with GIFs!)

YOU, of course!   2. Stretchy pants!   3. Friendship   4. Family   5. Pie! About PayReel Producing multimedia content and executing live events is chaotic. At PayReel, we make sure our clients are able to hire who they want, when they want and that everyone is paid properly. Leave the details up to the PayReel team so…

pencil espresso and pens - PayReel
February 2018: Month in review 500 500 wpengine

February 2018: Month in review

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

payreel payroll services - PayReel
5 ways PayReel Online makes your life easier 6000 4000 Heidi McLean

5 ways PayReel Online makes your life easier

We think working with us should be easy as all that pie we’ll all be eating next week–but without the need for stretchy pants. That’s why our system is as secure as it is convenient. At PayReel, we pride ourselves on having that perfect mix of convenient automation and personal service from real, live humans. What…

game changer written on black board - PayReel
Contract work: It ain’t your father’s career track! 1000 750 PayReel

Contract work: It ain’t your father’s career track!

The workforce is evolving. There are fewer full-time positions and more project-oriented, “we’ll call you when we need you” jobs. Funny thing is many young, culturally diverse people coming into the workforce don’t necessarily want to be anchored to a single employer. They certainly aren’t looking for the stable but inflexible gigs their parents coveted.…

client relations payreel
Four easy steps to improve client relations 5379 3663 Heidi McLean

Four easy steps to improve client relations

We all like compliments. What a nice shirt! Great job on that presentation! Those jeans make you look skinny! But what about complaints? Can we honestly say that we always appreciate this type of feedback? Maybe not. But the best thing we can do for client relations is to treat those complaints as the gift…

woman with globe - PayReel
Meet the team: Crystal Somers, The Ambassador 7203 4807 Heidi McLean

Meet the team: Crystal Somers, The Ambassador

While our online payroll systems make our clients’ and employees’ lives easier, there’s simply no replacement for the real live people behind the scenes. We are proud to have a stellar team, including Crystal Somers, our Client Experience Manager (also known as The Ambassador). If you haven’t already experienced Crystal’s stellar customer service yourself, you…

contract work payreel misclassification - Payreel
Misclassification in the news: What you need to know 3000 2000 Heidi McLean

Misclassification in the news: What you need to know

While the workforce has plenty of people legitimately doing contract work, when employees are misclassified as contractors, the worker and the government are both likely to miss out. The government loses potential tax dollars and workers lose out on benefits and more. Employers should care about it, too (and not just because the legal stakes…

payreel hurricane harvey - PayReel
Hurricane Harvey: How to get support plus unique ways to give it 400 300 Heidi McLean

Hurricane Harvey: How to get support plus unique ways to give it

Hurricane Harvey has left much of America’s fourth largest city underwater. We’ve seen photos of harrowing rescues, and of submerged homes, buildings, and highways. We’ve heard reports of the months of cleanup and billions of dollars in recovery efforts ahead for Houston. Like so many, we at PayReel have been wondering what we can do. The…

Michelle event payroll payreel
Meet the team: Michelle Bowersox, Operations Team Leader 800 552 Heidi McLean

Meet the team: Michelle Bowersox, Operations Team Leader

At PayReel, we keep things running smoothly with one of the easiest-to-use online payroll systems around. But it’s important to us that technology serves as a complement to the human touch, not the other way around. Somewhere behind all your on-time paychecks are the real people we are proud to have on our team. One of…

onboarding contractors - Payreel
How to simplify onboarding your freelancers 5616 3744 PayReel

How to simplify onboarding your freelancers

How much time are you spending setting up your freelancers? If the answer is too much, then maybe it’s time to reconsider your methods. Let PayReel handle onboarding paperwork so you can spend your time and energy on the creative parts of your projects instead.   So what’s the problem? Worker classification: One of the most difficult things about…

event payroll - Payreel
Is there something you need to tell us? 5184 3456 Heidi McLean

Is there something you need to tell us?

Keep in mind that anytime you move, change your phone number or email address, or have an update to your tax status, it’s important to keep your profile with PayReel updated. That way, we can keep you paid.    How do I update my profile? Submit any changes to your profile (address, tax status, direct deposit information, email address, phone number, oh…

How to set up an independent contractor - PayReel
Are you an independent contractor? Be sure you know your rights 5000 2813 Heidi McLean

Are you an independent contractor? Be sure you know your rights

Like many employers, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) has independent contractors (ICs) on the mind. And for good reason: They’re taking over the world! Or at least the world economy. ICs now make up 34% of the national economy and the trend is increasing internationally, too. To that end, the US DOL has put…

worker classification - PayReel
Our in-house HR specialist works hard to keep businesses compliant 6875 3958 Heidi McLean

Our in-house HR specialist works hard to keep businesses compliant

Angie—our in-house HR specialist and newest member of the PayReel team—stays ahead of the game to ensure PayReel keeps our clients compliant. Keeping on top of the ins and outs of compliance is hard, time-consuming, high-stakes work. Isn’t it nice to know you have someone in your corner to keep your payroll services running smoothly and accurately?…

payreel payroll services - PayReel
Introducing Angie: Our in-house HR specialist 6000 4000 Heidi McLean

Introducing Angie: Our in-house HR specialist

Working live events can be chaotic and challenging. It’s nice to know you have someone in your corner. Angie, our in-house HR specialist and the newest member of the PayReel team helps us ensure our employees (like you!) get paid timely and accurately. Quick and accurate payment You submit timecards by end of business on Monday; your supervisor…

freelance payroll payreel - PayReel
The gig economy is here to stay: Here’s what it means for businesses 4256 2832 Heidi McLean

The gig economy is here to stay: Here’s what it means for businesses

The gig economy now makes up 34% of the US workforce. Gone are the days when cubicles dominate workers’ worlds from 9 to 5 Mondays through Fridays. Independent contractors are more likely to do the bulk of their work from home or from Starbucks than from a cubicle or brick and mortar offices. Tax laws, employment laws,…

labor laws payreel - PayReel
When America’s pastime and labor laws collide 5404 3603 PayReel

When America’s pastime and labor laws collide

Unpaid training. Unpaid overtime. A $25 stipend for an entire day spent in a city you don’t live in. If that sounds great to you and you know your way around a baseball diamond, head on over to your city’s minor league baseball team. You’d be a great fit. We’re not talking about the guys…

worker classification - PayReel
How to navigate the increasingly dangerous waters of worker classification 4449 3675 Heidi McLean

How to navigate the increasingly dangerous waters of worker classification

Just as the stakes are getting higher, worker classification is getting trickier. The rise of the gig economy has led to an exponential increase in the number of independent contractors it brings into the labor pool each day. Lawmakers are taking note,  and the government ain’t playin’. Tax and employment law violations can lead to…

event payroll - Payreel
Six reasons PayReel projects are better projects 560 315 Heidi McLean

Six reasons PayReel projects are better projects

Whether it’s a massive event or a one-camera shoot, when PayReel manages your projects, it’s the best for clients and workers alike. At PayReel, we’re devoted to making every single client and worker interaction a good one.   We make your life easy and your workers happy   1. We do it all. Unlike the…

gig economy - PayReel
The gig economy: How to pay contractors and navigate benefits 4166 2083 Heidi McLean

The gig economy: How to pay contractors and navigate benefits

The gig economy offers benefits to workers and companies alike. While those benefits do include flexibility for workers and lower costs to employers, they don’t cover things we’ve grown used to such as built-in 401K plans, health insurance options, and worker’s compensation. For many independent contractors, that’s a problem. And as the gig economy’s slice…

IRS mistakes cost big (even when they're not your fault) - PayReel
IRS mistakes cost big (even when they’re not your fault) 4500 3000 Heidi McLean

IRS mistakes cost big (even when they’re not your fault)

  A case involving embezzlement, tax liability, and good intentions added up to a nightmare for one man. Dr. Robert McClendon’s story proves there’s no amount of caution too intense when it comes to payroll tax liability.   The road to hell is paved with good intentions In a sobering case reported in Forbes, a…

independent contractor payreel freelance freelancer - PayReel
Four ways going freelance could land you your dream job 5882 3993 Heidi McLean

Four ways going freelance could land you your dream job

Considering quitting your day job but concerned about the long-term effects on your future prospects? It’s time to think differently. Here are four ways freelancing could actually boost your career in the long run:   Get paid to find—or sharpen—your passion People pay a boatload of money to refine their skills at college. Freelancers get…

USA flag - PayReel
What do Trump’s first 100 days mean for the on-demand economy? 1920 1285 PayReel

What do Trump’s first 100 days mean for the on-demand economy?

  If anything’s certain, it’s that very little is certain when it comes to the rumors and grand plans that often surround any President’s first 100 days in office. Worker classification was a major focus during President Obama’s administration, which resulted in a rash of highly-publicized lawsuits and debates across the U.S. just as the on-demand economy…

independent contractor - PayReel
Considering freelancing? Trump’s tax changes might convince you to take the leap. 5984 2703 Heidi McLean

Considering freelancing? Trump’s tax changes might convince you to take the leap.

The freedom that comes with being an independent contractor often comes at a price. Being in the driver’s seat means managing your own schedule, finances, and a lot of other complex aspects of your career. Independent contractors must pay their own self-employment tax, pay for health insurance out of pocket, and don’t have paid time off or employer matching on retirement…

local tax calculator - PayReel
Don’t know if your locality taxes? Might be time to hire a payroll service. 4000 2668 PayReel

Don’t know if your locality taxes? Might be time to hire a payroll service.

Would you rather think about federal, state, and local (yes, local—such as in NYC and LA) taxes more or less? A) More B) Less If you answered A, you have found your calling in life. Become a CPA and you can spend your days researching tax laws and perfecting the art of the deduction. We are forever…

payroll services - PayReel
How do you keep track of all those W-4s? 4928 3264 PayReel

How do you keep track of all those W-4s?

  The infamous W-4 might seem like a simple little piece of paper on the surface, but it’s how employers calculate tax withholdings. And unfortunately, it has the less-than-magical power to multiply exponentially when you execute live events, produce multimedia content, or just simply employ a whole lotta people.   Here’s why W-4s are so dang hard to keep…

hammer and nails - PayReel
DOL drops the hammer on worker classification 2000 1335 PayReel

DOL drops the hammer on worker classification

  If you’ve been paying attention to labor law (or more specifically worker classification) in the news or the grumbles of your last Uber driver, you may know that the on-demand driver provider is facing a three-headed monster. It’s not stoplights, stop signs, and lane changes—instead, it’s a mess of more than 70 federal lawsuits…

payroll services payreel Rubiks
Is preparing for April 15 a pain in your tax? We can help. 3502 2334 PayReel

Is preparing for April 15 a pain in your tax? We can help.

Doing taxes is as challenging as solving a Rubik’s cube but without any of the fun. Also like a Rubik’s cube, there are endless ways to get it wrong. For individuals, getting taxes wrong can be painful, but the stakes are even higher for businesses. One of the biggest challenges we’re seeing for businesses right…

pay temp employees payreel
How to pay temp employees and freelancers fairly and accurately 4416 2676 PayReel

How to pay temp employees and freelancers fairly and accurately

  According to a study by Princeton University, 95% of the 10 million new jobs added during President Obama’s terms were temporary or part-time. Unfortunately, the reality for many such workers is difficult. Often, they lack access to benefits, work overtime without corresponding compensation, and deal with clients who pay late or don’t pay at all. On…

money law - PayReel
Contractor payroll, overtime exemptions, and what Volkswagen’s scandal teaches us 5472 3648 PayReel

Contractor payroll, overtime exemptions, and what Volkswagen’s scandal teaches us

  Heads up: The way the production industry has traditionally approached contractor payroll just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Though currently stalled, new overtime regulations are questioning outdated payment practices—including day rates in the production industry. Wherever you find new guidelines radically changing previously-accepted practices, you will also find someone trying to get around them. But it behooves…

dessert and celebration - PayReel
How 2016’s overtime exemptions, minimum wage, and more will affect 2017 500 266 PayReel

How 2016’s overtime exemptions, minimum wage, and more will affect 2017

The ball has dropped and the confetti has settled. Now that we’re back to work, let’s talk about what changed—other than the year—when the clock struck midnight on Dec. 31, 2016.   Minimum wage As of Jan. 2017, if you have employees working in one of the 29 states (plus Washington, D.C.) that passed a new…

money car calculator - PayReel
How much money will you save now that mileage rates have decreased? 6016 4016 PayReel

How much money will you save now that mileage rates have decreased?

  You love your freelancers because they go the extra mile. Now that extra mile is going to cost you less. Effective Jan. 1, standard mileage rates for using a personal vehicle for business purposes will be just a little lower than they were in 2016. Here is the CliffsNotes on how the mileage rates…

working overtime - PayReel
Overtime exemptions are on hold. How will it affect you? 1756 1241 PayReel

Overtime exemptions are on hold. How will it affect you?

  A ruling slated to put an additional $1.2 billion per year in workers’ pockets is now on ice. Here is the state of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) and what it means for your business.   What exactly is the FSLA? The Department of Labor’s (DOL) FSLA includes new overtime exemptions. If and when…

man playing chess - PayReel
Paying non-exempt employees after the minimum wage increase 4131 2749 PayReel

Paying non-exempt employees after the minimum wage increase

  One hotly-contested topic this election year has been the minimum wage increase. While we still don’t know exactly how federal minimum wage will be affected once our new president takes office; what we have right now is a mashup of states who are implementing gradual increases, several whose increases depend on a litany of…

2016 presidential election - PayReel
The economy has election anxiety, too 4500 3000 PayReel

The economy has election anxiety, too

It’s finally election day. Whether you spend tonight celebrating with a Mazel Tov cocktail (yes, it’s a thing) or working on your emigration papers, here’s a look at how the election may affect everything from the world’s economy to your own small business. Economic uncertainty Election season uncertainty knows no limits—it affects individuals as well as…

clock - PayReel
Payrolling freelancers? Here are 4 ways to be ready for new overtime rules. 3504 2336 PayReel

Payrolling freelancers? Here are 4 ways to be ready for new overtime rules.

  The Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) will make about 4 million more workers eligible for overtime on December 1st, 2016. With 21 states suing to end the act altogether, some businesses may be hoping it all just goes away before they have to make changes. But waiting is risky. Getting ready for upcoming…

over time pay roll timesheet - PayReel
Ten questions to help you decide if you really need to pay for payroll services 5472 3648 PayReel

Ten questions to help you decide if you really need to pay for payroll services

Time is money. And when you have a tendency to get buried under onboarding, vendor payment, classifying temporary employees, and other hiring details, time is priceless. Here’s a brief quiz to determine if hiring someone to handle your payroll services might be worth the investment.   Do you regularly hire independent contractors and/or temporary employees?   Is said…

video production up close - PayReel
Contractor payroll is changing. Here are four ways to be prepared. 5000 3662 PayReel

Contractor payroll is changing. Here are four ways to be prepared.

Like it or not, upcoming overtime exemption rules will change the way the production industry engages with contractors and freelancers. In the past, we talked about where things have been. Here, we’ll talk about where they’re going and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve. Be aware. If you hire contractors, you need…

signs and symptoms - PayReel
Best Insurance For Temporary Employees? Prevention 750 517 PayReel

Best Insurance For Temporary Employees? Prevention

When staffing special events or hiring freelance video crews for one-off projects, temporary workers are an incomparable asset. As a special breed, they also require special attention to everything from worker classification to the Affordable Care Act. Protecting these workers, who often spend extended time outdoors, requires a little extra forethought and attention, too. When it comes…

woman and man with paper - PayReel
Are You Buried In Vendor Payment Paperwork? We Have a Solution 1666 1666 PayReel

Are You Buried In Vendor Payment Paperwork? We Have a Solution

There are two certainties in life: Death and paperwork. Mountains and mountains of paperwork. From teachers to creative professionals, every role has its own version of the dreaded TPS report. The joy-sucking chore of managing stacks of paper often supplants dreams of making paradigm-shifting creative work. A paperless vendor payment solution, on the other hand, liberates…

game changer written on black board - PayReel
Be prepared: Is setting up independent contractors about to get harder? 1000 750 PayReel

Be prepared: Is setting up independent contractors about to get harder?

  In any game-changing endeavor, the trailblazers have both the most to gain and the most at stake. Since its start in 2009, Uber, a spearhead in the gig economy, has earned a $62.5 billion valuation and forked out millions in legal settlements due to worker classification missteps. The gig economy and technological advances are redefining business as…

money and clock - PayReel
When net 90 kills creativity, you need to pay contractors quicker and easier 800 534 PayReel

When net 90 kills creativity, you need to pay contractors quicker and easier

When you pay contractors quickly, they’re more likely to answer your calls and ramp up your projects in a short amount of time. For busy department heads with big projects and short turnaround times, there’s nothing better than diving right in with tried and true creative partners. Saving time, money, and hassle by working with people who just get…

uber on cell phone logo - PayReel
Uber Lessons on Avoiding Worker Classification Problems 3917 2611 PayReel

Uber Lessons on Avoiding Worker Classification Problems

Need a ride? Get a Lyft. Want a meal? Here’s your hub for grub. Need a bed? Skip the air mattress: Airbnb instead. Companies providing on-demand products and services have revolutionized the economy. And Uber is at the front of the pack; pushing boundaries in both worker classification and technology. While this new frontier is sometimes undefined,…

myth button - PayReel
This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business 2000 2000 PayReel

This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business

Sorry, y’all: The five-second rule is bogus. Germs don’t offer a grace period before jumping on your food. Not even your last bite of the really delicious stuff. But that one about metal objects dissolving in a glass of Coke? Still up for debate. And we won’t be testing it to find out. Myths can be…

sustainable developement - PayReel
Successful Businesses are Built on Trust 500 500 PayReel

Successful Businesses are Built on Trust

After nearly three decades, my business and I have matured. In a nutshell, this means I get to shut up more. This luxury is a direct result of being surrounded by advisors and team members with varied experience and whose strengths function well together. Trust powers a sustainable business. Here’s how it helped me build…

Three Reasons You Need to Get Comfortable With Change - PayReel
Three Reasons You Need to Get Comfortable With Change 750 500 PayReel

Three Reasons You Need to Get Comfortable With Change

As an entrepreneur, you must either get comfortable with change or find a new career path. Just as the once cutting-edge typewriter is now obsolete, every shiny piece of equipment in your office will soon be replaced by something sleeker, faster, and seemingly impossible to live without. Keeping up with evolving technology is just the…

coffee cappuccino - PayReel
3 Steps to Relieve Freelance Payroll & Tax Season Headaches 3504 2336 PayReel

3 Steps to Relieve Freelance Payroll & Tax Season Headaches

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of companies with large contingent workforces digging through piles of paperwork, shipping out tax documentation, tracking down addresses, updating changed addresses, fielding endless calls from freelancers, and running around like chickens who have been recently separated from their heads. During Tax Day, and tax season, managing freelance payroll is more than just…

man shrugging - PayReel
Implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Contingent Workers 760 653 PayReel

Implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Contingent Workers

Implementing the Affordable Care Act is challenging for any business, but for those who must provide insurance for temporary employees, it’s a real pain in the ACA. Below are three of the biggest challenges (plus one solution to them all): 1) Interpreting and Following the Rules Balancing a complex law like the Affordable Care Act with…

woman sick - PayReel
Payrolling & Paid Sick Leave Laws: What Employers Need to Do 785 523 PayReel

Payrolling & Paid Sick Leave Laws: What Employers Need to Do

If you’ve been waiting to look into the new paid sick leave laws until the dust settles, you can be assured the dust won’t settle and the time is now. Here’s what you need to do to get your payroll in good shape and your people covered: Know YOUR Rules: From state to state and…

woman with tea sick - PayReel
What You Need to Know About Paid Sick Leave Laws 760 523 PayReel

What You Need to Know About Paid Sick Leave Laws

If you’ve been waiting to look into the new paid sick leave laws until the dust settles, you can be assured the dust won’t settle and the time is now. Here’s what you need to know to get your payroll in good shape and your people covered. The Times, They are a Changin’ The past…

homeless man - PayReel
Classifying Employees and Independent Contractors—A Worker Classification Cheat Sheet 5760 3840 PayReel

Classifying Employees and Independent Contractors—A Worker Classification Cheat Sheet

Employee misclassification is on a lot of people’s minds. Hillary Clinton has even made it a part of her campaign. It’s pretty irritating that the rules are confusing, vary from state to state, and are often subjective, but there are a few standards that remain true across the board. If you want to get all…

money and taxes - PayReel
Top worker classification mistakes to avoid 6144 4096 PayReel

Top worker classification mistakes to avoid

Employee misclassification is getting to be a big deal for the government and a bum deal for businesses. Back in 2000, Microsoft paid $97 million, plus legal fees, in a benefits dispute with its long-term temps. More recently, FedEx shelled out $228 million. And then there’s Uber, which just lost in a dispute over whether…

compliance legal rules - PayReel
Worker Classification: 5 Reasons Companies Can’t Ignore Compliance Rules 4506 3811 PayReel

Worker Classification: 5 Reasons Companies Can’t Ignore Compliance Rules

With the rise of the sharing economy, workplace compliance issues are surfacing at an alarming rate. Uber and similar enterprises have been at the forefront of news on the subject of late, but the IRS is expanding its attention. And when the IRS pays more attention to this topic, companies need to do the same…

thin ice sign - PayReel
Worker Classification: What’s the Problem And Why Should You Care? 550 459 PayReel

Worker Classification: What’s the Problem And Why Should You Care?

Employee misclassification (noun): The kiss of death for companies. See also: Number one on the IRS’s list of least favorite things. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides an alternative description here: “Employee misclassification is the practice of labeling workers as independent contractors, rather than employees.” As the shared economy blossoms and remote work becomes…

supreme court - PayReel
Supreme Court Favors ACA: Businesses Still Have Compliance Questions 1000 667 PayReel

Supreme Court Favors ACA: Businesses Still Have Compliance Questions

Today, the Supreme Court ruled: Key elements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) stand. Immediately, this SCOTUS ruling means: Their paying customers are protected and healthcare and hospital stocks have soared. Democrats are breathing a big sigh of relief with President Obama saying, “The ACA is here to stay.” With no proposed alternative in place, Republicans reportedly…

clock in building - PayReel
ACA & The Election Year 4272 2848 PayReel

ACA & The Election Year

There’s not a hotter topic for those in the custom staffing industry than the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It affects everything from hiring independent contractors to budget management. We, along with our corporate clients and independent contractors, are largely affected by every detail, regulation, and modification of the law. For this reason, we’re tuned in…

clouds - PayReel
ACA: Businesses & The Next Five Years 500 500 PayReel

ACA: Businesses & The Next Five Years

1. The Dust Is Settling, But We Still Have Some Challenges The American Staffing Association (ASA) has worn out the road to DC. Lobbyists have played a big part in cluing DC into the reality of where the Affordable Care Act (ACA) doesn’t accommodate those with nonconventional work arrangements, such as independent contractors and freelancers.…

man with rain boots in mud - PayReel
ACA & Contingent Workforces (Lessons from the First Five Years) 1280 850 PayReel

ACA & Contingent Workforces (Lessons from the First Five Years)

  When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, we in the contingent labor industry held our breath. As a company providing contractor management services, we wondered: How will this affect temporary, freelance employees and the businesses that employ them? Will ours and clients’ costs skyrocket? Will we be able to accommodate the demand? What we…

men and women in leather jackets - PayReel
How you can stay fresh, relevant, and in business 730 365 PayReel

How you can stay fresh, relevant, and in business

The journey is the destination, but *awards and recognition provide nice scenic overlooks along the way. We’ve learned a thing or two over the past 19 years, and thought we’d share some of what’s worked for us and led to our recent success. (We’ll save our mistakes and missteps for another post.) The saying goes that…

world cup - PayReel
Making goals & headlines (business lessons from the world cup) 730 548 PayReel

Making goals & headlines (business lessons from the world cup)

Neymar da Silva Santos Jr., the Brazilian fútbol wonder boy, scored his 100th professional goal on his 20th birthday in 2012. Now 22 and still in his formative years, Neymar has led his team to the World Cup quarterfinals. But in the days following Brazil’s decisive 4-1 win over Cameroon, the news that reached further…

PayReel team
The [Entrepreneurial] Journey is the Destination 760 257 PayReel

The [Entrepreneurial] Journey is the Destination

Twenty-five years in business makes for one heckuva journey—complete with more than a few dead ends and accidentally-delightful wrong turns. It has even included some awards (such as being named one of the top 50 Colorado Companies to Watch in 2014). That’s pretty fun. But you know what’s even more fun? Getting there. Our favorite…

corks - PayReel
PayReel Named one of Colorado’s Top 50 Companies to Watch! 760 433 PayReel

PayReel Named one of Colorado’s Top 50 Companies to Watch!

Pop some bubbly and indulge us while we share some great news with you. PayReel has been named one of the top 50 Colorado Companies to Watch in 2014! Winners are selected by a panel of judges based on revenue growth, unique use of technology, exceptional entrepreneurial spirit and a highly sustainable competitive advantage. PayReel…

man multitasking - PayReel
3 Reasons Payroll Is Like Parenting (Happy Mother’s Day) 1520 700 PayReel

3 Reasons Payroll Is Like Parenting (Happy Mother’s Day)

They keep endless details running smoothly, money moving to all the right places, and reports changing hands with the precision of Olympic relay racers. They’re the payroll team. And just like parents: 1. They have a ridiculous amount of responsibility. Assigning tiny humans with the monikers they will carry with them from birth to the…

magnifying glass - PayReel
Freelancer or Employee? The $14M Question. 1924 1924 PayReel

Freelancer or Employee? The $14M Question.

Each year, federal and state governments increase their efforts to sniff-out companies that improperly classify workers as independent contractors.  It looks like the trend continues. About a week ago, the President released his 2015 fiscal year budget, which explicitly states that his Administration plans to “detect and deter” the misclassification of workers as independent contractors.…

eye contact - PayReel
Online Staffing for Media Production – Is eye contact a thing of the past? 500 401 PayReel

Online Staffing for Media Production – Is eye contact a thing of the past?

Last month, Staffing Industry Analysts reported that by 2020, online staffing could become a $46 billion per year niche. That’s right, $46 billion.   If SIA’s crystal ball is right, the use of online staffing platforms, where the buyer and worker navigate the entire recruiting process while never meeting in person, will grow more than…

Affordable Care Act - PayReel
Freelancers take action: Simple steps for navigating the Affordable Care Act 400 300 PayReel

Freelancers take action: Simple steps for navigating the Affordable Care Act

We’ve got news for you… the Affordable Care Act is real and it’s here. Now. Healthcare marketplaces are up and running. So, if you’re a freelancer you’ve got a federal mandate, but you also have options. Here’s what you need to know. First, the mandate. If the law remains in its current form (and so…

man on cell phone - PayReel
The Problem With Ethics 1920 1080 PayReel

The Problem With Ethics

If you had to choose, would you rather own and run a business with A) a partner who is hard-working, brilliant, innovative, and dishonest, or B) a struggling C-student that you’d trust with your life? While you’re compiling your list of arguments in favor of the C-student, allow me to remind you that we’re talking…

twinkie - PayReel
PayReel Makes Controversial Announcement 605 328 PayReel

PayReel Makes Controversial Announcement

News Release: April 1, 2013 – PayReel Acquires Hostess Brands “It’s all about extending our reach and, of course, the Twinkies!” commented PR’s top executive. “We could no longer bear the thought of weekly staff meetings without those wonderful little attitude adjusters.” PR shares rose 1,200% on the news. In a rare consensus, industry analysts…

Keep the change PayReel

Keep the change

Some people thrive on it, most avoid it, some dread it, but change in the workplace is inevitable. It represents a giant opportunity to strengthen teams and make business run more effectively, but this opportunity is seldom realized because managing through change is uncertain, exhausting work. A trip to the Business section at your local…

crystal color - PayReel
The power of pride 762 1066 PayReel

The power of pride

The top executives of several major breweries had just finished a panel discussion at an industry conference. They decided to head over to the hotel lounge for some refreshments. The top executive from Corona sits down at the bar and says to the bartender, “I would like a tall glass of the world’s best beer,…

rocks in jar - PayReel
My Big Rock Confession 900 600 PayReel

My Big Rock Confession

Swamped? Buried? Overwhelmed? Have any of these descriptions applied to you within the past three weeks? Since we all have the same number of hours available to us each day, how is it that some people seem to get so much more accomplished? If you’re familiar with the work of the late Stephen (“7 Habits”)…

man running up hill cartoon - PayReel
2013: Time to stop treading water and make it rain 620 454 PayReel

2013: Time to stop treading water and make it rain

The U.S. Congress certainly kept things interesting during the holiday season. They wiggled our toes over the fiscal cliff then pulled us back to terra firma just as our New Year’s Eve champagne bottles ran dry. Cautiously optimistic, we now pass through the portal of a new year. 2013: The year we come to terms…

looking through magnifying glass at money - PayReel
3 Independent Contractors Walk Into a Bar … 3872 2592 PayReel

3 Independent Contractors Walk Into a Bar …

But in the eyes of the Department of Labor, one of them probably isn’t really an independent contractor (what, you were expecting a joke?). Sure, all three freelancers are free to work wherever they choose and they have the flexibility to pick and choose this project or that. But, unless they can check all the…

Lucky or just good? 150 150 PayReel

Lucky or just good?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Las Vegas? That’s right, gambling. Most visitors come to Vegas to get lucky at the tables or slots. Casinos bank on players’ willingness to take on bad risk – that’s what keeps the acres of marble floors polished and maintains the opulence that…

lightbulb - PayReel
The Idea Factory 1800 1200 PayReel

The Idea Factory

In my last post I mentioned the challenge of building a high performing team from the raw material of a multi-generational workforce. One of the hallmarks of a high performance organization is the ability to innovate and adapt. Said another way, they possess the willingness to fail quickly en route to success. These are groups…

latte - PayReel
Embracing Our next diversity 3504 2336 PayReel

Embracing Our next diversity

I don’t feel old. Though I admit there are aspects of our popular culture that I find bewildering (e.g. $5 lattés with frilly foam designs, that thing with the pants hanging off the butts, and every texting abbreviation besides “LOL” … not sure why, but that one always makes me laugh). I also don’t feel…

people working together on graph - PayReel
Super-star Wars: holding on to your heroes 620 412 PayReel

Super-star Wars: holding on to your heroes

The Great Recession has certainly pushed the battle for workforce talent off the front pages … at least temporarily. But surely we haven’t forgotten that the population of the U.S. is still aging. Fortune 500 companies expect to lose 50% of their senior management within the coming decade. And the pipeline of college graduates with…

stethoscope and globe - PayReel
The Affordable Care Act: Will it put your business in the penalty box? 187 280 PayReel

The Affordable Care Act: Will it put your business in the penalty box?

If you haven’t heard about the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to uphold the individual mandate provision of “ObamaCare”, you’ll likely be pleased to know that “Gone with the Wind” won the Oscar for best picture. Volumes are being written about how this law will affect individuals, yet those of us who depend on the flexibility…

dice and money - PayReel
Safe Bet: Workers’ Compensation Rates on the Rise 2580 1932 PayReel

Safe Bet: Workers’ Compensation Rates on the Rise

I never imagined I could actually feel sorry for any insurance company. By that I mean, feel sorry for its corporate balance sheet. I’ve got close friends working for behemoths in the industry and I could never feel ambivalent about their misfortune. But since learning about the underlying causes behind the trend in workers’ comp…

stethoscope - PayReel
Physician, Heal Thyself: PayReel Gets Audited 1280 1024 PayReel

Physician, Heal Thyself: PayReel Gets Audited

For years, PayReel has been helping clients avoid going through what has been known to be a painful and expensive ordeal. Being audited by the IRS or Department of Labor is not, in itself, a sign of any wrongdoing. But an audit often uncovers illegal practices that have embarrassed and even toppled otherwise healthy businesses.…

Bold As ICE: Non-compliance Gets Riskier 150 150 PayReel

Bold As ICE: Non-compliance Gets Riskier

It’s old news that the Obama administration increased funding to the Department of Homeland Security’s ICE division (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).  It’s also been widely reported how this increased funding is being spent.  Like the Employer Compliance Inspection Center which houses a team that expressly targets I-9 audits of large businesses.  With all the press,…

Don’t Be an Audience of One 150 150 PayReel

Don’t Be an Audience of One

Within the IRS and Department of Labor, red flags start flying from any number of triggers. Consider the example of a legal secretary who presented herself as an independent contractor to a prominent Colorado law firm. After her project with the firm ended, she filed for unemployment benefits. An investigation into her claim revealed she…

PayReel Execs Gain Insights, Lose Cash 150 150 PayReel

PayReel Execs Gain Insights, Lose Cash

Sometimes it’s a good idea to get away from the office to recharge your batteries, to sharpen the axe, to network with colleagues, and to lose a few bucks in a casino. PayReel’s CEO and I managed to do just that last month in Las Vegas while attending an Executive Forum sponsored by Staffing Industry…

U.S. Supreme Court Will Decide Fate of “ObamaCare” 150 150 PayReel

U.S. Supreme Court Will Decide Fate of “ObamaCare”

Once you get past all the legal jargon, it’s a really simple question:  Does the Constitution of the United States give Congress the power to compel every citizen to either purchase health insurance or pay a penalty? Our Supreme Court justices listened to arguments for three days in late March and are expected to hand down…

Turning Up the Heat on Worker Misclassification 150 150 PayReel

Turning Up the Heat on Worker Misclassification

If you’ve come anywhere near an HR newsletter in the last six months, you know there’s a big crackdown in progress targeting misclassification of employees as independent contractors.  The heat has risen to the point where one piece of pending legislation would make misclassification a federal offense regardless of whether the infraction was intentional or…

Up the Down (Unemployment) Staircase 150 150 PayReel

Up the Down (Unemployment) Staircase

The U.S. economy’s jobless recovery has improved over the past few months to a mostly jobless recovery.  While most pundits are cautiously optimistic about the employment outlook, employers in many states are still facing increases in unemployment insurance taxes.  Yes, you read that right.  Unemployment is down and unemployment insurance taxes are going up. Like…

Sneaking a peek at 2012 150 150 PayReel

Sneaking a peek at 2012

Now that most of us are well onto our new year’s diets and beginning to rationalize away the more strenuous of our resolutions, let’s take a look at some topics that promise to be interesting reading in 2012 … Unemployment is down, but state and federal unemployment insurance tax rates are still heading up.  What’s…

citi logo - PayReel
Dad, is this you they’re talking about? 299 100 PayReel

Dad, is this you they’re talking about?

Very early in my career, I got a good piece of advice:  “Never do a business deal you wouldn’t want your kids to read about in the morning paper.”  Alas, if only the Madoffs, Murdocks, and Nacchios of the business world had been privy to such sage wisdom. Still, how many of us risk getting…

The Healthcare Reform Head Fake 150 150 PayReel

The Healthcare Reform Head Fake

At the risk of understatement, The Federal Affordable Care Act of 2010 (or, depending on your politics, ObamaCare) has become a sort of a lightning rod issue. One of the more controversial elements of the act is the assessment of taxes on businesses that choose not to offer their employees health insurance coverage.  If your…

Leadership 150 150 PayReel

Leadership

(I’m turning over this week’s post to Lisa Cobb, Payroll Supervisor at PayReel.  See you next time!  AB) Last week I attended a Leadership Certificate Program in Washington D.C.  What I took away from the three days is how true leadership differs from good old-fashioned management. Our instructor, Martin Armstrong, is retired military and served…

Freelancers: This ain’t your father’s career track! 150 150 PayReel

Freelancers: This ain’t your father’s career track!

I hear so much about changes in hiring practices … Fewer full-time positions, more project-oriented, “we’ll call you when we need you” jobs.  Funny thing is many young, culturally diverse people coming into the workforce don’t necessarily want to be anchored to a single employer.  They certainly aren’t looking for the 8-to-5, half-hour-lunch, 2-week- vacation…

Why you should read this blog 150 150 PayReel

Why you should read this blog

Let me begin by saying what this blog isn’t. It’s not a way for payroll professionals to stay up-to-date on pending legislation. It’s also not a thinly veiled attempt to sell you something. It’s not particularly well constructed or worthy of being plagiarized. It is, on the other hand, a good read for busy people…