Patriot Software

AUGUST 17, 2020

Tax withholding comes with the territory of being an employer. Employment taxes can be broken down into payroll taxes and income taxes. Most people use the terms interchangeably. But when you hear about a payroll tax deferral, you probably want to know the exact difference between payroll tax vs. income tax.

Payroll 135

Payroll 135

Patriot Software

MARCH 8, 2021

Want to avoid breaking labor laws? Then you need to pay employees according to federal, state, or local minimum wage law. But if you have tipped employees, you might be able to pay a lower, tipped minimum wage. Read on to learn what is a tipped minimum wage, along with the current federal tipped wage […] READ MORE.

Compliance Training 134

Compliance Training Payroll 134

Patriot Software

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Typically, employers get to choose whether they want to offer types of paid time off, like sick leave, to employees. But depending on your business location, you might not have a choice. Little by little, paid sick leave laws by state are on the rise. If your employees work in a state with mandatory sick […] READ MORE.

Payroll 126

Payroll 126

Patriot Software

MARCH 1, 2021

True or false: As an employer, you can pay employees any amount you want. It’s 100% false. Because of minimum wage law. But, what’s minimum wage? Depending on your business location, you might have differing federal, state, and local minimum wage rates. To ensure your business is compliant with labor laws, get to […] READ MORE.

Payroll 122

Payroll 122

Patriot Software

JULY 21, 2021

Do you know your Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) responsibilities? Now, throw in a holiday. Do you still know how FMLA and holidays work? Here are some popular questions when it comes to FMLA and holidays: Do holidays count toward an employee’s FMLA eligibility? Does a holiday count as an employee’s days of FMLA […] READ MORE.

Payroll 119

Payroll 119

Patriot Software

MARCH 15, 2021

As a small business owner, you may have a lot of questions about FMLA, starting with, What is FMLA? To help you better understand FMLA and your roles and responsibilities as an employer, here are the basics of the law, eligibility requirements, and how to remain compliant as an employer. What is FMLA? So, what […] READ MORE.

How To 119

How To Payroll 119

Patriot Software

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Payroll software makes paying employees a breeze by calculating federal, state, and local taxes. If you’ve decided you want to use software to run payroll, you can put away your calculator and income tax withholding tables (hooray!). There are several payroll software providers on the […] Read More

Payroll 106

Payroll How To Software 106

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 10, 2022

Connecticut joined the paid family leave states when employers began handling Connecticut paid family leave contributions in 2021. Time has flown by and it’s now 2022. What does that mean? Employees in Connecticut can now apply for benefits from the state’s paid family leave program.

Compliance Training 116

Compliance Training Payroll 116

Patriot Software

JULY 26, 2021

When an employee leaves your business, you must follow an employee termination checklist. One of your employer responsibilities is giving terminated employees their final pay. But, how soon do you need to pay it out? Cue final paycheck laws by state. Read on to learn about (and comply with) final paycheck laws.

Compliance Training 113

Compliance Training Payroll 113

Patriot Software

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

If the complex PPP loan forgiveness process has been weighing over your head, here’s some good news: you don’t have to apply right away. In fact, a lot of small businesses aren’t. The Small Business Administration and Treasury continue releasing guidelines. And, there’s plenty of time for Congress to release more COVID-19 legislation.

Guidelines 112

Guidelines Strategy Payroll 112

Patriot Software

MAY 2, 2024

Are all of your employees eligible to receive overtime pay? Some employees are exempt from overtime pay and minimum wage laws. Exempt employee qualifications are determined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). To run payroll correctly, you need to be familiar with exempt employees. What is an exempt employee?

Payroll 102

Payroll Resources 102

Patriot Software

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Do you need to withhold money from employee wages beyond taxes (e.g., garnishments or benefits)? Then you might be wondering when exactly you deduct the employee’s contributions—before or after taxes. Well, it depends. For accurate withholding, understand what are pre-tax deductions. Not sure what that means or how it impacts your tax calculations?

Wellness 111

Wellness Payroll 111

Patriot Software

AUGUST 9, 2021

You know that paying someone comes at a cost. In addition to giving employees their paychecks, you also have the cost of payroll taxes. So, how much does an employer pay in payroll taxes? Keep reading to learn more about the employer cost of payroll taxes. How much does an employer pay in payroll taxes? […] READ MORE.

Payroll 111

Payroll Compliance Training ATS 111

Patriot Software

APRIL 15, 2024

Payroll is arguably a business’s biggest expense. Between taxes and benefits, an employee costs up to 32% more than their wages. To accurately budget for your payroll-related expenses, try payroll forecasting. Payroll forecasting is an essential part of financial planning that requires you to analyze and understand your company’s payroll data.

Payroll 100

Payroll Strategy Data Compliance Training 100

Patriot Software

AUGUST 31, 2022

If you want to pay an employee supplemental compensation, such as a bonus or a relocation payment, you must withhold payroll taxes just like with regular wages. But, what if you want an employee to receive a specific amount after taxes? That is when you gross-up payroll figures. And to do that, you need to […] READ MORE.

Payroll 110

Payroll How To Compensation 110

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 17, 2022

When an employee becomes unemployed, they might qualify to receive unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are funded by unemployment taxes, which are paid based on employee wages. But who pays unemployment tax? You or your employees?

Compliance Training 108

Compliance Training Payroll 108

Patriot Software

MARCH 6, 2024

Understand the new Alabama overtime tax law that exempts employees' overtime earnings from state income tax. Get the details and reporting requirements for businesses. Read More

Report 97

Report Payroll 97

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 14, 2022

When an employee is called to serve on a jury, it can be a strain on your business. You might need to adjust schedules to fill the employee’s absence. Product creation or services might be disrupted. When your employee is fulfilling their civic duty, your business doesn’t stop. But, when an employee is on jury […] READ MORE.

Productivity 106

Productivity Payroll 106

Patriot Software

JULY 26, 2021

Deciding whether you want to provide paid time off (PTO) is something you need to do before you hire an employee. Offering PTO also requires you to craft a policy that explains how your business treats accrued time off. But, PTO payout laws by state may restrict whether you can establish a use-it-or-lose-it policy. Sure, […] READ MORE.

Policies 105

Policies Hiring Payroll 105

Patriot Software

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Some businesses prefer paying employees cash instead of other payment methods, like direct deposit or check. If you choose to pay cash wages, you are still responsible for depositing and reporting employment taxes. Paying employees cash under the table, or off the record, means you fail to pay and report taxes.

Report 105

Report Compliance Training Payroll 105

Patriot Software

MAY 10, 2021

When it comes to paying your employees, you can’t pay them all willy-nilly. Instead, you must give them their wages on a consistent basis (e.g., weekly) and stick to one pay frequency. When you choose a paycheck frequency for your business, you need to follow state and federal payment laws.

Compliance Training 105

Compliance Training Payroll 105

Patriot Software

AUGUST 30, 2022

Employees love raises. Regular raises can improve employee happiness and put them in a better financial position. And, raises can reduce your employee turnover. You can give raises for merit or increasing job value. You might also give a cost of living raise. Employee raise expectations and employer plans are out of sync.

Payroll 105

Payroll 105

Patriot Software

MAY 5, 2021

When it comes to running payroll, you have a lot of things to mark off on your to-do list. From gathering timesheets to distributing pay stubs, there can be a lot of steps that go into paying your employees. But after you pay employees, your payroll checklist isn’t finished just yet. You also need to […] READ MORE.

Payroll 105

Payroll Report 105

Patriot Software

APRIL 16, 2024

Despite your best efforts, accidents can happen in the workplace. When they do, you must fill out a workplace incident report. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, requires that all employers report qualifying workplace incidents. And, most employers must submit OSHA forms for other injuries and illnesses.

Report 93

Report Examples Payroll Resources 93

Patriot Software

AUGUST 29, 2022

Collecting, reporting, and remitting payroll taxes are some of your key responsibilities when you have employees. And if you forget or downright neglect your responsibility, your small business could receive a penalty for not paying payroll taxes.

Payroll 20

Payroll Report 20

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 10, 2022

As a small employer, you have all sorts of payroll taxes to worry about: income taxes, Medicare tax, and Social Security tax. But, what about unemployment taxes? Do employers have to pay unemployment taxes? Do employers have to pay unemployment taxes? In general, all employers have to pay unemployment taxes.

Payroll 101

Payroll 101

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 19, 2022

The topic of gender equality at work is heavily debated. Do hiring managers place more men than women? Do women earn less than men working the same jobs? Are women passed up for promotion opportunities? According to many studies, the answer is yes to all of the above. You can’t solve the nation’s inequalities. But, […] READ MORE.

ATS 99

ATS Study Hiring Payroll 99

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 1, 2022

Do you think an employee is stealing time from your company? There are many types of employee time theft. And, worker time fraud can be expensive for your business. Let’s say you have an employee who steals 15 minutes of time per shift, and they work five times per week. The employee earns $10 per […] READ MORE.

How To 99

How To Company Payroll 99

Patriot Software

JANUARY 8, 2024

You might have heard about per diem pay before. But, are you familiar with Publication 1542? Learn more about Publication 1542 per diem rates and how to calculate per diem pay below. Publication 1542 Per diem is a daily rate employers give employees to cover business-related traveling expenses.

Compliance Training 90

Compliance Training How To Payroll Compensation 90

Patriot Software

AUGUST 11, 2021

Withholding allowances used to be a way employees could adjust how much money employers take out of their paychecks for federal income tax. Although the IRS removed withholding allowances for federal income tax in 2020, they’re still out there—through pre-2020 W-4 forms and state income tax. So, what is withholding allowance?

Payroll 98

Payroll 98

Patriot Software

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

As a business owner, running errands is inevitable. But sometimes, you are too busy to make the run yourself. You might send an employee to pick up something or handle a task for you. If you find yourself counting on employees to use their personal cars for business, consider offering mileage reimbursement. So, what is […] READ MORE.

Payroll 98

Payroll 98

Patriot Software

DECEMBER 29, 2023

Aggressive promotion, scams, and ERC mills—that’s the drama surrounding the employee retention credit (ERC). The ERC was a lifeline for small businesses struggling to stay open during the pandemic. But bad actors quickly pounced on the opportunity.

Payroll 89

Payroll Report 89

Patriot Software

AUGUST 23, 2021

Thanks to COVID-19, 2020 and 2021 were jam-packed with big changes and new legislation for many employers. Some states, like Massachusetts, began making adjustments to provide employers with temporary relief options. In 2021, Massachusetts created the COVID-19 Employer Relief Account. And in turn, the COVID-19 Recovery Assessment was born.

Compliance Training 98

Compliance Training Payroll 98

Patriot Software

AUGUST 18, 2021

So, you’ve decided to give your hard-working employees paid time off (PTO). You’ve drafted a clear PTO policy that details the benefit. But, nobody’s taking their time off. What gives? In an effort to force workaholics to take a vacation, some businesses are shifting gears and implementing mandatory time off. Should you?

Policies 98

Policies Payroll 98

Patriot Software

APRIL 6, 2022

Employers juggle many responsibilities, including calculating and withholding payroll taxes and other deductions. But, what exactly does payroll taxes include? And, how do you know how much to withhold from employees’ wages? If you’re wondering about understanding payroll taxes, never fear—your payroll taxes breakdown is here.

Payroll 98

Payroll 98

Patriot Software

AUGUST 25, 2022

Do you daydream about working with family members? You may consider hiring your child if you’re a small business owner. That way, you can show them the ins and outs of your business and the importance of hard work. At the same time, you gain an extra set of hands to get tasks done (win-win-win!). […] READ MORE.

Hiring 98

Hiring ATS Payroll 98

Patriot Software

OCTOBER 10, 2022

With paid sick leave programs on the rise, more and more states are establishing new laws for employers. One state that has taken its law to the next level is Maine. The Maine paid sick leave law boasts something that no other state can: paid leave for any reason. Read on to learn all about […] READ MORE.

Compliance Training 98

Compliance Training Payroll 98