# Asure Software ## Pages - [PEO Alternative](https://www.asuresoftware.com/peo-alternative/) - [Florida PEO Alternative](https://www.asuresoftware.com/florida-peo-alternative/) - [Equifax - WOTC](https://www.asuresoftware.com/equifax-wotc/) - [Customer Testimonials](https://www.asuresoftware.com/customer-testimonials/) - [Oracle HCM Now - Payroll Tax Management](https://www.asuresoftware.com/oracle-hcm-now-payroll-tax-management/) - [lendio](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/lendio-2/) - [logicmelon](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/logicmelon/) - [m3 righttime](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/m3-righttime/) - [microsoft dynamics gp](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/microsoft-dynamics-gp/) - [middesk](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/middesk/) - [millennium payroll](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/millennium-payroll/) - [my recruiting center](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/my-recruiting-center/) - [myhrscreens](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/myhrscreens/) - [oracle hcm](https://www.asuresoftware.com/oracle-hcm/) - [prismhr](https://www.asuresoftware.com/prismhr/) - [snagajob](https://www.asuresoftware.com/snagajob/) - [vestwell](https://www.asuresoftware.com/vestwell/) - [employee navigator](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/employee-navigator/) - [FSA Store](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/fsa-store/) - [HSA Store](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/hsa-store/) - [tailor brands](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/tailor-brands/) - [bluevine](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/bluevine/) - [lendio](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/lendio/) - [ads payroll](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/ads-payroll/) - [aloha pos hcm](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/aloha-pos-hcm/) - [amtrust](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/amtrust/) - [attendance on demand](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/attendance-on-demand/) - [csc paymaster](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/csc-paymaster/) - [darwinbox](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/darwinbox/) - [e-comp](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/e-comp/) - [ebenefits network](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/ebenefits-network/) - [equifax the work number](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/equifax-the-work-number/) - [hellosign](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/hellosign/) - [infinium payroll](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/infinium-payroll/) - [infor lawson](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/infor-lawson/) - [kvs springbrook](https://www.asuresoftware.com/partner-marketplace/kvs-springbrook/) - [HR ROI Calculator](https://www.asuresoftware.com/hr-roi-calculator/) - [AsureWorks Terms](https://www.asuresoftware.com/asureworks-terms/) - [Events](https://www.asuresoftware.com/events/) - [Webinars](https://www.asuresoftware.com/webinars/) - [Resources](https://www.asuresoftware.com/resources/) - [Employer Growth Standard](https://www.asuresoftware.com/employer-growth-standard/) - [Treasury V2 Preview](https://www.asuresoftware.com/treasury-v2-preview/) - [Asure ESS](https://www.asuresoftware.com/asure-ess/) - [state mandates](https://www.asuresoftware.com/state-mandates/) - [referral partners](https://www.asuresoftware.com/referral-partners/) - [reseller toolkit](https://www.asuresoftware.com/reseller-toolkit/): This content is password-protected. 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Payroll automation projects that stall or backfire make the same sequencing... - [Why FUTA Calculations Break Down and How Growth-Stage Payroll Teams Fix Them](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-futa-calculations-break-down-and-how-growth-stage-payroll-teams-fix-them/): Across growth-stage payroll engagements, Asure has found that FUTA miscalculations almost never stem from applying the wrong rate. They stem... - [Why Most Time and Attendance Buying Decisions Start in the Wrong Place](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-most-time-and-attendance-buying-decisions-start-in-the-wrong-place/): Across growth-stage implementations, Asure sees the same failure mode again and again. Buyers evaluate time and attendance systems by feature... - [You Are Not Outsourcing Payroll, You Are Choosing a Governance Model](https://www.asuresoftware.com/you-are-not-outsourcing-payroll-you-are-choosing-a-governance-model/): Across Asure's work with growth-stage employers, one pattern repeats. Operators pick a payroll service model on price or brand recognition,... - [The Hidden Variable in Every Payroll Cost Benchmark](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-hidden-variable-in-every-payroll-cost-benchmark/): Growth-stage operators anchor payroll decisions to one number, the per-employee monthly rate, and consistently underestimate what they will actually pay.... - [Why Most Payroll Provider Rankings Miss the Point and What to Look For Instead](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-most-payroll-provider-rankings-miss-the-point-and-what-to-look-for-instead/): Across the payroll provider evaluations Asure supports, the same pattern repeats. Buyers shortlist by brand recognition and price, then discover... - [Why Employee Growth Drives Business Performance (and Why HR Support Matters More Than Ever)](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-employee-growth-drives-business-performance-and-why-hr-support-matters-more-than-ever/): Employee growth is one of the most powerful drivers of business performance. Organizations that invest in employee development often see... - [The Hidden Retention Tool Most Employers Overlook](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-hidden-retention-tool/): Why a Strong 401(k) Benefit Can Help You Keep Your Best Employees Employee retention has become one of the biggest... - [Internal Payroll and HR Administration May Be Costing More Than You Think](https://www.asuresoftware.com/internal-payroll-and-hr-administration-may-be-costing-more-than-you-think/): The True Cost of Keeping Payroll and HR In-House For many businesses, managing payroll and HR administration internally feels like the logical... - [Why Payroll Software Alone Isn't Solving Payroll and HR Administration Complexity](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-payroll-software-alone-isnt-solving-payroll-and-hr-administration-complexity/): Most Businesses Don’t Have a Software Problem. They Have an Administrative Burden Problem. For years, growing businesses have been told... - [Hidden Costs in Your PEO You Might Not Be Seeing](https://www.asuresoftware.com/hidden-costs-in-your-peo-you-migh-not-be-seeing/): The monthly invoice is only part of what a PEO actually costs. For growing companies, the harder costs to spot... - [When Should Businesses Outsource Payroll and HR Administration?](https://www.asuresoftware.com/when-should-businesses-outsource-payroll-and-hr-administration/): There Comes a Point When Managing It Internally No Longer Scales Efficiently For most small and mid-sized businesses, payroll and... - [Are You Outgrowing Your PEO?](https://www.asuresoftware.com/are-you-outgrowing-your-peo/): When a PEO stops feeling like relief and starts feeling like overhead, it’s worth asking why — and what comes... - [Employer Growth Standard](https://www.asuresoftware.com/employer-growth-standard/): Asure_EmployerGrowth_Guide 2026Download - [Onboarding Isn’t Paperwork—It’s a Launchpad for Growth](https://www.asuresoftware.com/onboarding-isnt-paperwork-its-a-launchpad-for-growth-2/): As new budgets take effect and strategic planning turns to action, January consistently ranks as the highest hiring month of... - [Why Leadership Training Is the #1 Growth Differentiator](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-leadership-training-is-the-1-growth-differentiator-2/): Many small and mid-sized businesses hit a familiar wall. Revenue plateaus. Turnover creeps up. Managers feel stretched thin. The founder... - [Delivering Payroll — How to Pay Employees Accurately, Securely, and On Time](https://www.asuresoftware.com/delivering-payroll-how-to-pay-employees-accurately-securely-and-on-time-2/): Delivering payroll is the final and most visible step in the payroll process. After collecting employee information, calculating wages, filing... - [New York Sets Official 401(k) Compliance Deadlines: What Employers Need to Do in 2026](https://www.asuresoftware.com/new-york-sets-official-401k-compliance-deadlines-what-employers-need-to-do-in-2026-2/): After discussion and delay, New York State has officially put dates on the calendar for its retirement plan mandate. The... - [Benefits & Deductions — How to Manage Payroll Deductions Accurately and Transparently](https://www.asuresoftware.com/benefits-deductions-how-to-manage-payroll-deductions-accurately-and-transparently-2/): Managing employee benefits and payroll deductions is one of the most important components of running an accurate, compliant, and trusted... - [Filing Payroll Taxes — How Growing Businesses Stay Compliant and Avoid Penalties](https://www.asuresoftware.com/filing-payroll-taxes-how-growing-businesses-stay-compliant-and-avoid-penalties-2/): Filing payroll taxes is one of the most important—and often most intimidating—responsibilities business owners face. Unlike other operational tasks, payroll... - [Why the Right Payroll Partner Offers More Than Just Software](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-the-right-payroll-partner-offers-more-than-just-software-2/): When most small and midsize businesses start shopping for payroll solutions, they’re usually focused on software features: automated payroll runs,... - [Calculating Employee Pay — Getting Wages Right Every Time](https://www.asuresoftware.com/calculating-employee-pay-getting-wages-right-every-time-2/): Calculating employee pay may sound straightforward, but for many business owners, it becomes one of the most complex and high-risk... - [The Rise of Biometric Time Clocks: Security, Accuracy, and Privacy Considerations](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-rise-of-biometric-time-clocks-security-accuracy-and-privacy-considerations-2/): As small and mid-sized businesses continue modernizing their HR and payroll systems, biometric time clocks are rapidly becoming a go-to... - [Collecting Employee Information — The Foundation of Accurate Payroll](https://www.asuresoftware.com/collecting-employee-information-the-foundation-of-accurate-payroll-2/): Collecting employee information may feel like simple paperwork, but it’s actually the foundation of every accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll... - [6 Tips for Building a Payroll & HR Tech Stack That Grows With You](https://www.asuresoftware.com/6-tips-for-building-a-payroll-hr-tech-stack-that-grows-with-you/): As businesses scale, one of the most overlooked—but most important—systems to modernize is your Payroll & HR tech stack. Early-stage... - [Understanding and Preventing Retaliation in the Workplace](https://www.asuresoftware.com/understanding-and-preventing-retaliation-in-the-workplace/): Retaliation is one of the most serious—and most common—employment law risks for small and mid-sized businesses. In fact, retaliation remains... - [3 Payroll & HR Trends Every Business Leader Should Watch in 2026](https://www.asuresoftware.com/3-payroll-hr-trends-every-business-leader-should-watch-in-2026/): If you lead a business today, one thing is clear: payroll and HR have officially become strategic functions—not back-office tasks.... - [Why Compliance Should Be the Foundation of Your HR Tech Stack](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-compliance-should-be-the-foundation-of-your-hr-tech-stack/): When small and midsized businesses build out their HR tech stack, they often start with things like time tracking, performance... - [Firing and Discipline Without Breaking the Law](https://www.asuresoftware.com/firing-and-discipline-without-breaking-the-law/): How to Protect Your Business While Managing Employee Performance Terminations and disciplinary actions are some of the most legally sensitive... - [Hiring Compliance: Questions You Cannot Ask Candidates](https://www.asuresoftware.com/hiring-compliance-questions-you-cannot-ask-candidates/): Hiring the right people is critical to your company’s success—but asking the wrong questions during interviews can lead to serious... - [The Payroll Error Problem: How Automation Helps You Get Payroll Right Every Time](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-payroll-error-problem-how-automation-helps-you-get-payroll-right-every-time/): Payroll errors are more than an accounting issue—they’re a serious business risk. A missed overtime payment, an incorrect tax withholding,... - [Buddy Punching and Time Theft: Hidden Risks That Cost Employers Millions](https://www.asuresoftware.com/buddy-punching-and-time-theft-hidden-risks-that-cost-employers-millions/): The Cost of a Few Extra Minutes A few extra minutes here. A favor for a coworker there. It doesn’t... - [What to Do If You Receive an EEOC Charge of Discrimination](https://www.asuresoftware.com/what-to-do-if-you-receive-an-eeoc-charge-of-discrimination/): Few things unsettle an HR leader or business owner faster than receiving a letter from the U. S. Equal Employment... - [5 Questions Every SMB Should Ask Before Choosing an HR & Payroll Partner](https://www.asuresoftware.com/5-questions-every-smb-should-ask-before-choosing-an-hr-payroll-partner/): Choosing the right HR and payroll provider isn’t just about cutting paychecks—it’s about building a foundation for compliance, growth, and... - [Employee Experience Matters: Why Today’s Workers Expect Modern Time Tracking](https://www.asuresoftware.com/employee-experience-matters-why-todays-workers-expect-modern-time-tracking/): The Employee Experience Has Evolved—Has Your Time Tracking Kept Up? In today’s workplace, employee experience (EX) has become a business-critical... - [Cloud Payroll & HR: 9 Reasons Growing Businesses Are Making the Switch](https://www.asuresoftware.com/cloud-payroll-hr-9-reasons-growing-businesses-are-making-the-switch-2/): Running a business is more complex than ever. Between multi-state compliance, remote work, tax filings, and employee self-service expectations, many... - [Who Counts as an Employee Under Federal Discrimination Laws?](https://www.asuresoftware.com/who-counts-as-an-employee-under-federal-discrimination-laws-2/): When small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) think about compliance, payroll accuracy, and workplace culture, it’s easy to focus on processes... - [Turning Compliance Into a Competitive Advantage: Lessons from High-Growth Companies](https://www.asuresoftware.com/turning-compliance-into-a-competitive-advantage-lessons-from-high-growth-companies-2/): For most small and mid-sized businesses, the word compliance triggers a familiar set of emotions: stress, cost, and risk. It’s... - [Beyond the Punch Clock: The Future of Time & Labor Management](https://www.asuresoftware.com/beyond-the-punch-clock-the-future-of-time-labor-management-2/): For over a century, time clocks have been the cornerstone of workforce management. They were simple, physical devices that answered... - [Manager Responsibilities Under EEOC: What You Must Know](https://www.asuresoftware.com/manager-responsibilities-under-eeoc-what-you-must-know-2/): Running a small or mid-sized business (SMB) means juggling many roles at once. Leaders are expected to drive growth, keep... - [The Payroll & HR Buyer’s Checklist: How to Choose the Right Partner for Your Business](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-payroll-hr-buyers-checklist-how-to-choose-the-right-partner-for-your-business-2/): When it comes to running a growing business, payroll and HR are often the backbone of daily operations. Paychecks need... - [6 Reasons Businesses Outsource HR](https://www.asuresoftware.com/6-reasons-businesses-outsource-hr-2/): Running a small or mid-sized business is no small feat. Leaders must juggle recruiting, payroll, compliance, benefits, and employee development... - [What Growing Companies Do Differently: Insights from the 2025 HR Benchmark Report](https://www.asuresoftware.com/what-growing-companies-do-differently-insights-from-the-2025-hr-benchmark-report/): Why do some small and midsize businesses grow year after year while others stall or shrink? According to Asure’s newly... - [Celebrating Small Business Excellence at the Inaugural Asure50 Awards](https://www.asuresoftware.com/celebrating-small-business-excellence-at-the-inaugural-asure50-awards-2/): On September 3, 2025, Asure brought together some of the nation’s most inspiring small businesses at The Downright Hotel in... - [Common FMLA Violations Every Employer Should Avoid](https://www.asuresoftware.com/common-fmla-violations-every-employer-should-avoid-2/): FMLA protects employees who need time away—but small mistakes can trigger audits and claims. This quick guide spotlights the top... - [FMLA Audits: What Business Owners Should Know and How the DOL’s PAID Program Can Help](https://www.asuresoftware.com/fmla-audits-what-business-owners-should-know-and-how-the-dols-paid-program-can-help/): In July 2025, the DOL relaunched the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. With the DOL recently expanded self-audit program,... - [How to Deny PTO Requests Fairly—Without Hurting Morale or Violating the Law](https://www.asuresoftware.com/how-to-deny-pto-requests-fairly-without-hurting-morale-or-violating-the-law/): How to Deny PTO Requests Fairly—Without Hurting Morale or Breaking the Law Denying a PTO request is never ideal—but sometimes... - [Is Earned Wage Access Right for Your Business? 5 Questions to Ask](https://www.asuresoftware.com/is-earned-wage-access-right-for-your-business-5-questions-to-ask/): Earned Wage Access (EWA) allows employees to access their earned wages before payday—without loans, interest, or changes to your payroll... - [Is It Time to Leave Your PEO? When Growing SMBs Should Switch to an HCM/ASO Model](https://www.asuresoftware.com/is-it-time-to-leave-your-peo-when-growing-smbs-should-switch-to-an-hcm-aso-model/): PEOs are not a forever solution for SMBs. At a certain size, the cost of convenience outweighs the benefits, and... - [Why Payroll Tax Reconciliation Should Be a Year-Round Effort](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-payroll-tax-reconciliation-should-be-a-year-round-effort/): Meta: To avoid stress and costly mistakes, your company needs to stay on top of its payroll tax reconciliation throughout... - [The Aftermath of HR Misconduct—And Why an Outside Expert Can Help](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-aftermath-of-hr-misconduct-and-why-an-outside-expert-can-help/): When the integrity of a company’s Human Resource (HR) department is compromised—whether through misconduct, breaches of trust, or failure to... - [3 Real-Life Scenarios Where Earned Wage Access Makes a Big Difference](https://www.asuresoftware.com/3-real-life-scenarios-where-earned-wage-access-makes-a-big-difference-2/): Imagine this: it’s a Wednesday morning and one of your team members walks in visibly stressed. Their car broke down... - [HR Compliance Update | July 7, 2025](https://www.asuresoftware.com/hr-compliance-update-july-7-2025-2-2/): FEDERAL UPDATES EEOC Enforcement Priorities. The Acting Chair of the EEOC identified four areas that will be the focus of... - [HR Compliance Update | July 7, 2025](https://www.asuresoftware.com/hr-compliance-update-july-7-2025-2/): FEDERAL UPDATES EEOC Enforcement Priorities. The Acting Chair of the EEOC identified four areas that will be the focus of... - [Scaling Payroll Tax Compliance as Your Business Grows](https://www.asuresoftware.com/scaling-payroll-tax-compliance-as-your-business-grows-2/): As you gear up for your company’s next expansion, take advantage of a few key strategies for seamlessly scaling your... - [Understanding the New Federal Tax Law on Tips and Overtime: What Employers Need to Know and How to Prepare](https://www.asuresoftware.com/understanding-the-new-federal-tax-law-on-tips-and-overtime/): Understanding the New Federal Tax Law on Tips and Overtime: What Employers Need to Know and How to Prepare The... - [The Hidden Costs of Financial Stress in the Workplace—And How Earned Wage Access Helps](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-hidden-costs-of-financial-stress-in-the-workplace-and-how-earned-wage-access-helps-2/): Why supporting employee financial wellness isn’t just good for people—it’s good for business. Financial stress is no longer a personal... - [Navigating Minimum Wage Complexity: Why Payroll Software & HR Support Matter](https://www.asuresoftware.com/navigating-minimum-wage-complexity-why-payroll-software-hr-support-matter-2/): The Growing Challenge of Local & Industry Minimum Wage Ordinances As the labor landscape continues to evolve, employers face increasing... - [Mastering Payroll Tax Filing Deadlines: A Checklist for Enterprise Companies](https://www.asuresoftware.com/mastering-payroll-tax-filing-deadlines-a-checklist-for-enterprise-companies-2/): To ensure your workers are paid on time and your business is in compliance, you need to follow major tax... - [How to Prevent Direct Deposit Fraud: Best Practices for Employees and Employers](https://www.asuresoftware.com/how-to-prevent-direct-deposit-fraud-best-practices-for-employees-and-employers-2/): Preventing direct deposit fraud requires a proactive approach from both employers and employees. By implementing strong security measures and fostering... - [How On-Demand Pay Helps You Attract and Retain Hourly Workers](https://www.asuresoftware.com/how-on-demand-pay-helps-you-attract-and-retain-hourly-workers-2/): In today’s fast-moving labor market, attracting and keeping reliable hourly workers is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses.... - [Harnessing Technology for Payroll Tax Efficiency](https://www.asuresoftware.com/harnessing-technology-for-payroll-tax-efficiency-2/): Thanks to new developments in automation, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, a revolution is underway in how large employers handle... - [Why a Mid-Year HR Compliance Check is Critical for Growing Businesses](https://www.asuresoftware.com/why-a-mid-year-hr-compliance-check-is-critical-for-growing-businesses-2/): A mid-year HR compliance review allows growing businesses to proactively identify gaps and make necessary adjustments before year-end audits or... - [How To Navigate the Four Phases of Onboarding](https://www.asuresoftware.com/how-to-navigate-the-four-phases-of-onboarding-2/): Better onboarding increases employee engagement and retention. Discover the four phases of onboarding and the best tips for boosting your... - [Avoiding Costly Penalties: Top Payroll Tax Mistakes Large Employers Make](https://www.asuresoftware.com/avoiding-costly-penalties-top-payroll-tax-mistakes-large-employers-make-2/): Large corporations are bound by many different payroll compliance and tax rules. To prevent expensive penalties, learn more about the... - [State-by-State Termination Pay Rules: How and When To Pay Final Paychecks](https://www.asuresoftware.com/state-by-state-termination-pay-rules-how-and-when-to-pay-final-paychecks-2/): Many states have specific legal regulations about when and how to give a former employee their final paycheck. Read on... - [The Hidden Costs of Payroll Tax Errors—and How To Prevent Them](https://www.asuresoftware.com/the-hidden-costs-of-payroll-tax-errors-and-how-to-prevent-them-2/): A single payroll mistake can end up costing your company significantly. 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They automate outputs, payments, filings, and reports, before fixing inputs, data quality, approval chains, and calendar alignment. The teams that get it right spend their first weeks on data and workflow, not software setup. Here is the part most vendors skip. The readiness work comes first, the data audit, the approval-chain mapping, the calendar alignment, and the baseline metrics that decide whether the software pays off, and Asure helps growing teams do exactly that before anything goes live. Payroll Does Not Take Too Long Because It Is Manual It Takes Too Long Because It Is Fragmented Ask any operations or finance leader why payroll takes so long and you will hear some version of "it is too manual. " That is the surface symptom. The real problem sits one layer down. Payroll is slow because it is fragmented. Walk through where the hours actually go. Almost none of them go to the payroll calculation itself. The engine runs the math in minutes. The time disappears upstream, in the days before anyone clicks run. You are chasing hours out of a time tool, waiting on a manager to approve a timesheet, reconciling a new hire who exists in the HRIS but not yet in payroll, exporting a CSV from one system and re-keying it into another, and confirming a benefits deduction that changed mid-cycle. Then someone reviews it all and... - Categories: Compliance The right payroll compliance software depends on your company size, your multi-state complexity, and how much of the work you want to run yourself. Match the platform to your highest-risk obligation first, which for most US employers is multi-state tax… The right payroll compliance software depends on your company size, your multi-state complexity, and how much of the work you want to run yourself. Match the platform to your highest-risk obligation first, which for most US employers is multi-state tax filing. If you want to run payroll and HR in-house, AsureCentral brings payroll, tax, HR, and compliance into one connected system. If the compliance load has already outgrown a self-serve tool, AsureWorks runs it for you while you remain the sole employer of record. Gusto, Paycor, ADP Workforce Now, Rippling, and Deel each fit specific size and geography profiles, compared in detail below. Payroll compliance is rarely a problem until it is one. The trigger is usually a tax notice, a missed filing, a worker misclassification, or an audit letter that lands on someone's desk. And the person who owns payroll is the one who takes the blame and the penalty. That is why payroll compliance software is best understood as risk mitigation against a sudden, expensive event, not a nice-to-have efficiency play. This guide compares the payroll compliance platforms US employers shortlist most often against seven compliance criteria, and it shows where Asure fits as a legitimate option, both as software you run yourself (AsureCentral) and as a managed service that runs it for you (AsureWorks). Asure is a payroll and HR provider, so we are transparent about that. We hold Asure to the same seven criteria as everyone else and keep the competitor comparisons factual and sourced. A... - Categories: Payroll A late tax deposit costs you 2 percent if it slips one to five days, 5 percent at six to fifteen days, and 10 percent past fifteen days, per the IRS failure-to-deposit penalty rules. Miss the IRS notice window and… A late tax deposit costs you 2 percent if it slips one to five days, 5 percent at six to fifteen days, and 10 percent past fifteen days, per the IRS failure-to-deposit penalty rules. Miss the IRS notice window and it climbs to 15 percent. A missed W-2 deadline, an unregistered state, a deduction entered wrong, and the person who owns payroll is the person who owns the penalty and the awkward conversation with employees whose checks were short. That is the real stakes of choosing payroll software for small business. The sticker price is not the risk. The risk is what happens after day one. Most "best of" lists skip the part you actually have to do. They rank vendors on ease of use and call it a decision. This guide does the opposite. It gives you the five procedures a finance lead or people ops lead executes to select, configure, and launch a right-fit platform: map your requirements, choose your support model, shortlist vendors against that scorecard, configure compliance at go-live, and connect your integrations. Run them in order and you end up with a defensible choice instead of a demo-driven one. One note before you start, because it shapes every step below. Asure runs payroll and HR on one connected platform, AsureCentral, and gives you a choice of who does the work. You can run payroll and HR yourself, have Asure's specialists run it for you through AsureWorks, or mix the two, without surrendering employer-of-record control. The... - Categories: Payroll & Taxes Across the payroll provider evaluations Asure supports, the same pattern repeats. Buyers shortlist by brand recognition and price, then discover 18 months later that the platform cannot scale or the service model does not match how their team operates. This… Across the payroll provider evaluations Asure supports, the same pattern repeats. Buyers shortlist by brand recognition and price, then discover 18 months later that the platform cannot scale or the service model does not match how their team operates. This is a compliance and operational-fit decision, not a software decision, and most ranking lists will not tell you that. If you are working through that decision now, Asure's payroll and HR specialists can help you settle the operating model question first, whether the answer turns out to be self-managed AsureCentral, fully managed AsureWorks, or another provider entirely. The Payroll Provider Market Is Built to Confuse You The U. S. payroll market has two poles. At one end sit the enterprise incumbents, ADP and Paychex, with decades of history, enormous client bases, and product lines that stretch from five-person shops to global workforces. At the other end sits a crowded field of SaaS-native challengers, Gusto, Rippling, OnPay, and Paycor among them, which generally compete on modern interfaces, fast setup, and self-service workflows. Between those poles sits almost everything a buyer will read during an evaluation. And here is the structural problem. Most payroll provider selection analysis published online is written by the vendors being analyzed. Vendor-produced best-of content vastly outnumbers neutral analysis, and directories tend to rank by popularity or advertiser relationship rather than fit criteria. Search for the best payroll companies for growing businesses and you will mostly find payroll companies grading themselves and their competitors. In Asure's work supporting... - Categories: Payroll Growth-stage operators anchor payroll decisions to one number, the per-employee monthly rate, and consistently underestimate what they will actually pay. The support model you are buying, not the headline rate, determines both your total cost and your compliance exposure. At… Growth-stage operators anchor payroll decisions to one number, the per-employee monthly rate, and consistently underestimate what they will actually pay. The support model you are buying, not the headline rate, determines both your total cost and your compliance exposure. At Asure, we watch that gap surface on first invoices every week. If payroll and HR administration has become work you want off your plate, Asure's experts handle payroll processing, payroll tax filing, and compliance administration for growing businesses, with one accountable team helping you stay compliant while you stay focused on growth. The Per-Employee Rate Is a Marketing Number, Not a Benchmark Search for the average cost of payroll services and you will find dozens of confident answers. None of them can tell you what you will actually pay. Provider pricing pages do not help either, because each vendor presents its own tiers as the market standard, and almost none of them compare across support models, which is where the real cost differences live. Here is the pattern. An operator with 40 employees compares three providers on the headline rate, picks the lowest, and signs. The first invoices look fine. Then year-end arrives. W-2 preparation and delivery bill separately. The 1099s for contractors bill separately. The state registration the provider handled in the fall shows up as a surcharge. Every off-cycle run (a payroll run outside your regular schedule, used for corrections, bonuses, or contractor payments) billed each time one happened. The annualized cost lands far above what the rate... - Categories: Payroll Across Asure's work with growth-stage employers, one pattern repeats. Operators pick a payroll service model on price or brand recognition, then discover six months later that accountability for tax filings, compliance exceptions, and data accuracy never clearly transferred. The model… Across Asure's work with growth-stage employers, one pattern repeats. Operators pick a payroll service model on price or brand recognition, then discover six months later that accountability for tax filings, compliance exceptions, and data accuracy never clearly transferred. The model decision is a governance question first, and a vendor question second. This piece covers the terminology problem, the three real positions on the payroll outsourcing spectrum, what actually shifts to a provider in managed payroll services and what never does, the three governance questions that determine your right model, and why growth-stage companies keep re-evaluating the whole decision. We'll also show you the model-fit diagnostic we run with operators before any vendor conversation, so the governance question is settled before the demos start. The Terminology Is Designed to Confuse You Type "what is a managed payroll service" into a search bar and you will get a different definition from every vendor on page one. That is not carelessness. Each provider defines managed, full service, and third party to match whatever its product tiers happen to do. Start with the plain-language definitions. A managed payroll service means a provider's specialists execute payroll operations on your behalf, processing pay runs, filing payroll taxes, and handling exceptions on top of the software platform. Full-service payroll usually means the software calculates paychecks and files taxes while your team still operates the system and owns the inputs. Third-party payroll covers everything from a reporting agent who files forms to a bureau that runs your entire... - Categories: Time & Attendance Across growth-stage implementations, Asure sees the same failure mode again and again. Buyers evaluate time and attendance systems by feature count instead of workforce fit. The teams that get requirements right start with three workforce realities (pay rule complexity, time… Across growth-stage implementations, Asure sees the same failure mode again and again. Buyers evaluate time and attendance systems by feature count instead of workforce fit. The teams that get requirements right start with three workforce realities (pay rule complexity, time capture diversity, and payroll integration depth) before they open a single vendor demo. Feature Checklists Fail at Implementation, Not at Selection Pull up any vendor comparison page and you will find the same thing. Forty rows of features, five columns of checkmarks, and almost no way to tell which rows matter for your workforce. Every serious vendor supports scheduling. Every serious vendor tracks overtime. The checklist cannot tell you what will break. Most advice on how to choose time and attendance software starts with what the software can do. Start instead with what your payroll cannot survive. Here is the pattern worth knowing before you spend a dollar. Teams that select on feature breadth and teams that select on requirements fit often buy comparable software. They have very different first six months. The feature-breadth buyer discovers the gap during configuration and payroll testing, when real pay rules meet out-of-the-box templates. The shift differential that spans midnight. The server who picks up host shifts at a second rate. The crew that crosses a state line on Thursday. None of that shows up in a demo, and all of it shows up in your first parallel payroll run. The requirements-fit buyer found those edge cases before the demo, asked vendors to configure... - Categories: Tax Articles Across growth-stage payroll engagements, Asure has found that FUTA miscalculations almost never stem from applying the wrong rate. They stem from losing track of where each employee sits relative to the $7,000 federal wage base across pay periods. Fix that… Across growth-stage payroll engagements, Asure has found that FUTA miscalculations almost never stem from applying the wrong rate. They stem from losing track of where each employee sits relative to the $7,000 federal wage base across pay periods. Fix that structural problem, and Form 940 accuracy follows. The FUTA Rate Is the Easy Part Start with how FUTA tax is calculated, because the arithmetic takes about ten seconds. Under IRS Publication 15 (2026 edition) (https://www. irs. gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15. pdf), the FUTA tax rate is 6. 0%, and it applies to the first $7,000 you pay each employee in wages during the year. Employers who pay their state unemployment taxes in full and on time can take a credit of up to 5. 4%, which brings the effective rate down to 0. 6%. So how much FUTA tax do you pay? At the full credit, the math caps out at $42 per employee per year. That is 0. 6% of $7,000. Without the credit, the ceiling is $420 per employee. Small numbers. Simple percentages. Which is exactly why growth-stage teams trust the calculation more than they should. Here's where it breaks down. The $7,000 is a per-employee, per-year wage base, not a company-wide figure. Every employee crosses it at a different point in the calendar depending on pay level, hire date, and hours. The moment an employee's cumulative wages pass $7,000, FUTA stops accruing on that person for the rest of the year. The calculation you ran in January is structurally different... - Categories: HCM, HR Services, Payroll - Tags: HCM, HR, Payroll Employee growth is one of the most powerful drivers of business performance. Organizations that invest in employee development often see higher productivity, stronger employee engagement, improved retention, and better overall business outcomes. Yet many businesses struggle to create consistent development opportunities while also managing the day-to-day demands of HR administration, compliance, and workforce management. As organizations grow, employee development and HR compliance become increasingly connected. When employees have the support, they need to learn, develop, and advance, businesses create a workforce that is more engaged, productive, and prepared to meet future challenges.   Why Employee Growth Matters Employee growth refers to the ongoing development of an employee's skills, knowledge, capabilities, and career potential. It can include formal training, mentorship, coaching, leadership development, cross-functional projects, and opportunities for advancement. Companies that prioritize employee growth create an environment where employees feel valued and invested in the organization's success. This often leads to measurable improvements in business performance. Benefits of employee growth include: Increased employee engagement Higher productivity and efficiency Improved employee retention Stronger leadership pipelines Better adaptability to change Increased innovation and problem-solving For businesses seeking long-term success, employee development is no longer optional. It's a competitive advantage. How Employee Development Improves Employee Engagement Employee engagement remains one of the strongest predictors of workplace performance. Employees who have opportunities to learn and grow are more likely to feel connected to their work and committed to organizational goals. When employees see a clear path for growth, they are more likely to: Take ownership... - Categories: 401k - Tags: 401(k) Why a Strong 401(k) Benefit Can Help You Keep Your Best Employees Employee retention has become one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today. While many organizations focus on compensation, workplace culture, and career development opportunities, there is one retention tool that often gets overlooked despite its proven impact: a retirement savings plan. A competitive 401(k) program does more than help employees prepare for the future. It demonstrates that an employer is invested in their long-term financial well-being. In a labor market where employees have more choices than ever, that message can make a meaningful difference. Employees Are Looking Beyond Their Paychecks Today's workforce evaluates employers based on the entire employee experience. Salary remains important, but benefits play a major role in determining whether employees stay or begin looking elsewhere. Retirement benefits consistently rank among the most valued workplace offerings. Employees want confidence that they are making progress toward their financial goals, and they increasingly expect employers to help support that journey. When organizations fail to offer meaningful retirement benefits, employees may view that as a sign that the company is focused on short-term employment rather than long-term growth. Financial Stress Impacts Retention Financial stress doesn't stay at home when employees come to work. Concerns about retirement savings, debt, and financial security can affect engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. According to numerous workforce studies, financially stressed employees are more likely to: Experience decreased productivity Feel disengaged from their work Explore opportunities with other employers Delay retirement, creating workforce planning... - Categories: HCM, HR Services, Payroll - Tags: HCM, HR, Payroll Most Businesses Don't Have a Software Problem. They Have an Administrative Burden Problem. For years, growing businesses have been told that the answer to payroll and HR challenges is better technology. Invest in a more powerful payroll platform. Add an HRIS. Integrate time tracking. Connect benefits administration. Automate workflows. And to be fair, today's technology is better than ever.   Most employers already have access to a growing ecosystem of workforce technology, including:  Payroll platforms HR systems Time and attendance tools Benefits administration portals Recruiting software Compliance resources Yet despite these investments, many organizations still find themselves dealing with payroll fire drills, mounting HR workloads, compliance concerns, and constant operational interruptions.   The reason is surprisingly simple: software helps manage work, but it doesn't actually remove the work.   Complexity Increases as Businesses Grow When a business has 10 employees, payroll and HR administration can feel relatively straightforward. At 50, 100, or 250 employees, the reality looks very different.   Growth introduces new layers of complexity where: New hires need to be onboarded Termed employees must be offboarded properly Benefits deductions require ongoing coordination Time records need validation Payroll data must be reviewed for accuracy Compliance requirements multiply across states and jurisdictions. Even organizations with modern technology stacks quickly discover that every new process, vendor, or system creates additional coordination behind the scenes.   Someone still has to review payroll before it runs. Someone has to manage employee changes, monitor compliance obligations, answer employee questions, and resolve issues when they arise.   In many businesses, that responsibility falls on a small group of... - Categories: HCM, HR Services, Payroll - Tags: HCM, HR, Payroll The True Cost of Keeping Payroll and HR In-House For many businesses, managing payroll and HR administration internally feels like the logical choice. It offers a sense of control, familiarity, and direct oversight over critical workforce processes.   But as organizations grow, the true cost of keeping these responsibilities in-house often extends far beyond salary and software expenses.   The reality is that payroll and HR administration require significant time, expertise, and ongoing attention. What starts as a manageable responsibility for a small team can gradually become a source of operational drag, compliance risk, and leadership distraction.   The question isn't whether internal administration can work.   It's whether it's still the most efficient use of your organization's resources. The Hidden Cost of Time One of the biggest expenses associated with payroll and HR administration rarely appears on a financial statement.  And what’s that? Time.   Every pay period, internal teams are responsible for a wide range of administrative tasks, including:  Payroll preparation and validation Time and attendance reconciliation Benefits deduction management New hire onboarding paperwork Employee record updates Compliance tracking and documentation Reporting corrections and exception handling Individually, these tasks may seem minor. Collectively, they can consume hours, or even days, of valuable time each payroll cycle.   As businesses grow, that burden grows alongside them. Processes that were efficient with 15 employees often become significantly more demanding at 50, 100, or 200 employees.   When payroll week consistently absorbs internal resources, the impact spreads throughout the organization. HR teams spend less time on strategic initiatives. Finance teams become responsible for additional cleanup and validation. Leaders find themselves pulled into administrative issues instead of... - Categories: Small Business, Time & Attendance, Time Tracking - Tags: employee time tracking, Small Business, time and attendance The monthly invoice is only part of what a PEO actually costs. For growing companies, the harder costs to spot are the ones that don't show up on any bill. When companies evaluate a Professional Employer Organization, the conversation usually centers on what they'll save. Access to large-group benefits rates. Reduced HR overhead. Shared compliance risk. The pitch is compelling, and for many organizations in the early stages of growth, the value is real. But as companies scale, a more complete picture tends to emerge. The fees that seemed reasonable at 50 employees look different at 200. The HR support that felt robust early on reveals itself to be thinner than advertised. And internal teams start noticing that a surprising amount of workforce operations work is still landing on their desks, despite everything the PEO was supposed to be handling. None of these costs are hidden in the deceptive sense. They're just easy to miss during the sales process, and easy to normalize once you're inside the model. Understanding them fully is the first step toward knowing whether your current arrangement is still working in your favor. The Fee Model Penalizes Your Own Success Most PEOs price their services as a percentage of total payroll, typically ranging between 2% and 12% depending on the provider and service tier. On its face, this seems straightforward. In practice, it creates a pricing dynamic that works against growing organizations. Every time a company hires, the PEO fee increases. Every time an employee gets... - Categories: HCM, HR Services, Payroll - Tags: HCM, HR, Payroll There Comes a Point When Managing It Internally No Longer Scales Efficiently For most small and mid-sized businesses, payroll and HR administration starts in-house.   In the early stages of growth, that approach often makes sense. Workforce processes are relatively straightforward, headcount is manageable, and administrative demands can be handled by an owner, office manager, HR professional, or finance leader.   However, as organizations add employees, locations, states, benefit plans, and compliance obligations, payroll and HR administration becomes increasingly complex. What once required a few hours each pay period can gradually evolve into a significant operational burden.   The challenge isn't that internal teams are doing anything wrong, it's that the business has outgrown the model.   The Signs Often Appear Before Leaders Realize It Many businesses don't wake up one morning and decide to outsource payroll and HR administration. There are a lot of warning signals and growing pains that gradually develop.   Common warning signs include:  Payroll week repeatedly disrupts normal operations HR teams are overwhelmed with administrative work Multi-state or multi-location growth increases complexity Compliance requirements become difficult to track Internal payroll or HR staffing feels fragile Multiple vendors create process confusion and accountability gaps At this stage, many organizations begin evaluating whether their current approach is still sustainable.  Most commonly, the answer is no. The Cost of Waiting Too Long One of the biggest misconceptions about outsourcing is that it's primarily a cost-saving decision.  In reality, many businesses outsource because the cost of maintaining the status quo becomes greater than the cost of change.   According to the U. S. Small Business Administration, small business owners spend significant portions... - Categories: Uncategorized When a PEO stops feeling like relief and starts feeling like overhead, it's worth asking why — and what comes next. For a lot of growing organizations joining a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) made complete sense. Payroll was getting complicated, benefits were expensive to offer, and HR compliance felt like a minefield. A PEO offered a way to hand off the complexity and get back to running the business. And for a while, it worked. But there's a pattern that shows up consistently as growth occurs: the model that provided relief at 40 employees starts creating friction at 150. As growth occurs, the support that felt robust early on starts feeling thin and the fees that seemed reasonable start climbing — not because service improved, but because the payroll did. And somewhere along the way, the internal team realizes they're still doing a significant amount of the work they thought they were paying for someone else to handle. If any of that sounds familiar, it may be time to ask whether you've outgrown your PEO. What a PEO Actually Delivers — and What It Doesn't Understanding the limits of the PEO model starts with understanding what the arrangement actually is. When an organization joins a PEO, they enter into a co-employment relationship; the PEO becomes the employer of record for tax and compliance purposes, while the client retains day-to-day control of its workforce. This structure allows the PEO to offer access to large-group benefits rates, handle payroll tax filings, and... - Categories: downloadable Asure_EmployerGrowth_Guide 2026Download - Categories: Hiring, HR Management, Human Resources As new budgets take effect and strategic planning turns to action, January consistently ranks as the highest hiring month of the year. How can growing businesses maximize their new talent? With strategic onboarding practices. For many organizations, onboarding is treated as a necessary administrative step: forms, policies, handbooks, and compliance boxes to check before a new hire gets to work. But the data tells a different story. Onboarding isn’t just about getting someone set up—it’s one of the earliest and most powerful growth levers a business has. When done well, it accelerates productivity, strengthens culture, and increases retention. When done poorly, it slows momentum before a new employee ever has a chance to contribute. According to Asure’s 2025 HR Benchmark Report, the difference between growing and shrinking companies isn’t whether they onboard—it’s how intentionally they do it The First Weeks Set the Trajectory First impressions matter. In the workplace, the first days and weeks determine whether a new hire feels confident, connected, and clear—or uncertain and disengaged. The benchmark data shows that onboarding is one of the most widely adopted stages of the employee lifecycle, with relatively small gaps between growing and shrinking companies overall. But those “small” gaps still carry real consequences. Growing companies are more disciplined and structured in how they onboard, turning a near-universal process into a competitive advantage rather than a checkbox exercise. What Growing Companies Do Differently in Onboarding The biggest onboarding differentiator isn’t paperwork—it’s purpose and clarity. Culture Starts on Day One One of... - Categories: Human Resources, Talent Management Many small and mid-sized businesses hit a familiar wall. Revenue plateaus. Turnover creeps up. Managers feel stretched thin. The founder is still involved in every decision, and growth starts to feel harder instead of easier. At that stage, adding another salesperson, upgrading software, or tweaking benefits rarely solves the real problem. What separates companies that push through this phase from those that stall is leadership training. Leadership capability—not headcount, not tools, not even strategy—is the single biggest factor that determines whether a business can scale sustainably. The Founder’s Plateau: A Hidden Growth Barrier In early stages, growth often comes from hustle and proximity. Founders hire people they trust, make quick decisions, and solve problems directly. That approach works—until it doesn’t. As teams grow, informal leadership breaks down: Managers are promoted for performance, not people skills Expectations are unclear or inconsistently enforced Feedback only happens when something goes wrong Employees don’t see a path for growth This is the “founder’s plateau”—a phase where the business has outgrown instinct-based leadership but hasn’t yet built leadership systems. Leadership training is how companies cross that gap. Leadership Training Turns Managers Into Multipliers Untrained managers often become bottlenecks. Every issue flows upward. Every decision waits for approval. Every conflict lingers longer than it should. Trained leaders, on the other hand, multiply capacity. They know how to: Set clear expectations and goals Coach performance instead of policing it Address issues early and constructively Develop others, not just manage tasks The result is leverage. One strong leader... - Categories: Payroll Delivering payroll is the final and most visible step in the payroll process. After collecting employee information, calculating wages, filing taxes, and managing deductions, payroll delivery is where everything comes together. It’s also the moment employees notice most. A paycheck that arrives late, in the wrong amount, or through an inconvenient method can quickly undermine trust—no matter how well the rest of payroll is managed. The Ultimate Payroll Handbook frames payroll delivery as more than a transaction; it’s a critical part of the employee experience. How and when employees are paid has a direct impact on morale, financial stability, and confidence in the employer. For business owners, delivering payroll effectively means balancing accuracy, security, compliance, and flexibility. Why Payroll Delivery Matters More Than Ever Today’s workforce expects reliability and convenience. Employees plan their bills, savings, and personal finances around payday. When payroll is delayed or inconsistent, even by a single day, it can create real financial stress. For employers, payroll delivery is not just about issuing pay—it’s about meeting a commitment. Payroll delivery also carries compliance implications. Many states have strict rules governing: Pay frequency Payment deadlines Acceptable delivery methods Employee consent for certain payment options Failing to comply can expose businesses to penalties, wage claims, or regulatory scrutiny. Common Payroll Delivery Methods Most employers offer one or more of the following payroll delivery options. Each has benefits and considerations. Paper Checks Paper checks are the most traditional payroll method and still used by some businesses, particularly smaller organizations or... - Categories: 401k After discussion and delay, New York State has officially put dates on the calendar for its retirement plan mandate. The New York Secure Choice Savings Program launched in October 2025, and 2026 is the year when retirement plan compliance becomes mandatory for many private-sector employers across the state. For business owners—especially those with 10 to 50 employees—this isn’t just another HR headline. These deadlines require action, whether that means enrolling in the state program or confirming that you already offer a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k). Below is what New York employers need to know, key deadlines to track, and why many small businesses may want to consider a private 401(k) plan instead of defaulting to the state option. New York’s Retirement Mandate: A Quick Overview New York’s Secure Choice Savings Program is designed to expand access to retirement savings for workers who don’t currently have an employer-sponsored plan. If your business meets the eligibility criteria and does not already offer a qualified retirement plan, participation is no longer optional. Who is affected? You are subject to the mandate if you: Are a private-sector employer Have at least 10 employees Have been in business for two or more years Do not currently offer a qualified retirement plan (such as a 401(k), 403(b), or similar) If you already offer a qualified plan, you are not required to enroll, but you must certify an exemption with the state. Official Compliance Deadlines for 2026 New York has adopted a staggered compliance... - Categories: Payroll Managing employee benefits and payroll deductions is one of the most important components of running an accurate, compliant, and trusted payroll process. For many small business owners, this is also one of the most complex pieces of payroll because it involves a mix of tax rules, employee elections, legal requirements, and strict administrative processes. The Ultimate Payroll Handbook introduces this section as a critical building block of payroll accuracy, and for good reason: deductions impact everything from employee finances to employer tax obligations to year-end reporting. Because benefits and deductions affect every paycheck, getting them right requires clarity, consistency, and strong internal systems. Below is a comprehensive guide to help business owners understand and confidently manage this essential part of payroll. Why Benefits & Deductions Matter More Than You Might Think Benefits and deductions influence an employee’s financial well-being, tax liability, and overall perception of the company. Employees want predictable, accurate paychecks. Employers want compliance, efficiency, and alignment with their benefits strategy. When deductions are mishandled—even by small amounts—employees lose trust, internal teams face operational headaches, and the business risks non-compliance with federal and state regulations. Benefits administration used to be a simple, manual process for many small businesses. But as benefit offerings have expanded and tax rules have grown more complex, payroll deductions have become a much more technical discipline. Whether you offer a full suite of health benefits, retirement plans, supplemental insurance, or pre-tax savings accounts, each deduction type must be applied accurately and consistently. Understanding Pre-Tax vs.... - Categories: Uncategorized Filing payroll taxes is one of the most important—and often most intimidating—responsibilities business owners face. Unlike other operational tasks, payroll taxes leave zero room for error. Rates change frequently, deadlines are strict, and mistakes can lead to costly penalties. Yet, when handled properly, payroll tax management becomes a predictable, manageable part of running your business. In The Ultimate Payroll Handbook, payroll tax compliance is described as “one of the most intricate parts of payroll management,” requiring employers to calculate, withhold, and pay taxes on multiple levels. With more than 15,000 tax codes in the U. S. —many updated annually—staying compliant demands structure, attention to detail, and the right tools. 1. What Payroll Taxes Are and Why They Matter Payroll taxes fund essential federal and state programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits. Business owners are responsible not just for subtracting the right amount from employee paychecks but also for paying employer contributions, filing required documentation, and submitting taxes on time. Missing deadlines or miscalculating amounts can result in: IRS penalties Interest charges State compliance actions Employee dissatisfaction Delays in year-end reporting Meticulous accuracy is necessary to avoid these risks. 2. Federal Payroll Taxes Every Employer Must Withhold Federal taxes apply to all employees and fall into several categories: Federal Income Tax Withheld based on employee Form W-4 elections. Employees’ marital status, dependents, and adjustments directly affect withholding. FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) Social Security: 6. 2% employee + 6. 2% employer Medicare: 1. 45% employee + 1.... - Categories: Payroll When most small and midsize businesses start shopping for payroll solutions, they’re usually focused on software features: automated payroll runs, tax calculations, time tracking integrations, employee self-service portals, and direct deposit. And yes—modern HR technology matters. But increasingly, business owners are discovering something else: The right payroll partner is just as important as the payroll software itself. In today’s compliance-heavy environment, relying on software alone isn’t enough to keep your business protected or your people paid accurately and on time. A true payroll partner provides expertise, hands-on support, and strategic guidance that technology can’t replace. Here’s why the right partner delivers more value than software ever could. Compliance Is Too Risky to Leave to Software Alone Payroll touches federal, state, and local regulations—including wage and hour rules, overtime laws, garnishments, new tax requirements, and the growing complexity of multi-state payroll compliance. Software can automate calculations, but it cannot replace human expertise when: a new state wage law goes into effect you must classify a contractor vs. employee correctly a Department of Labor audit notice arrives an employee works across state lines payroll tax questions threaten penalties A strong payroll partner gives you access to HR compliance experts, real-time guidance, and ongoing support—something a software-only solution simply cannot provide. Payroll Accuracy Requires People + Technology The U. S. Department of Labor recovered hundreds of millions in back wages last year due to employer payroll errors. Small mistakes in hours worked, pay codes, overtime, or tax withholding can lead to big financial... - Categories: Payroll, Payroll Taxes Calculating employee pay may sound straightforward, but for many business owners, it becomes one of the most complex and high-risk parts of running a company. Payroll calculation touches everything—compliance, employee satisfaction, cash flow, benefits, taxes, and reporting. A single misstep can result in underpayments, overpayments, legal penalties, or unhappy employees. In The Ultimate Payroll Handbook, this step is described as a “multifaceted process influenced by classification, hours worked, benefits, and legal requirements”. Understanding how pay should be calculated—and what can go wrong—is essential for any small business aiming to run payroll accurately and on time. Understand Employee Classification Before You Calculate Anything Before you ever calculate a paycheck, you must know what type of employee you're paying. That means ensuring proper classification under federal and state law: Hourly vs. Salaried Hourly employees are paid for the exact hours worked, including overtime when applicable. Salaried employees receive a fixed amount per pay period regardless of hours worked. Time tracking is especially important for hourly employees. Errors here spill directly into pay accuracy issues and potential wage claims. Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Under FLSA The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) determines who must be paid overtime: Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime. Non-exempt employees must be paid 1. 5× their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. The handbook emphasizes how misclassification can lead to fines, penalties, and legal disputes (page 5) . For small businesses, classification errors are among the most common—and the most expensive—to correct. Calculate Regular Pay... - Categories: Time Tracking As small and mid-sized businesses continue modernizing their HR and payroll systems, biometric time clocks are rapidly becoming a go-to solution for accurate time tracking, improved security, and streamlined wage & hour compliance. For companies managing hourly workers, multiple locations, or complex schedules, biometrics promise a powerful upgrade from outdated timecards or manual processes that drive payroll errors and labor-cost leakage. But like any rapidly evolving HR technology, biometric systems bring important considerations around privacy, data security, and employer responsibilities. This article breaks down the benefits, potential risks, and best practices so SMB leaders can make informed decisions about whether biometric time clocks are right for their organization. Why Biometric Time Clocks Are Surging in Popularity Biometric time clocks use a unique physical trait—such as a fingerprint, facial scan, or iris pattern—to verify an employee's identity. Compared to swipe cards, PINs, or paper sheets, biometrics solve several persistent challenges that frustrate both HR teams and employees. 1. Biometric accuracy reduces payroll errors Traditional timekeeping errors are a major contributor to labor cost overruns. Missed punches, buddy punching, and mismatched timesheets often lead to payroll corrections, adjustments, and—in the worst cases—non-compliance with wage laws. Biometrics help eliminate: Buddy punching Time theft Mis-keyed entries Lost or shared badges Duplicate employee profiles This improves payroll accuracy and ensures hours sent to payroll match reality—something growing businesses need as they scale. 2. Stronger security for workforce management Because biometric identifiers are unique to each employee, they create a higher standard of identity verification. This... - Categories: Payroll Collecting employee information may feel like simple paperwork, but it’s actually the foundation of every accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll process. As a business owner, especially in the small-to-mid-sized category, the way you gather, verify, and store employee details determines how smoothly payroll runs—not just today, but every pay period that follows. Accurate payroll “begins with collecting comprehensive employee information,” because missing or incorrect data can lead to tax errors, mispayments, and compliance breakdowns. Getting this step right shields your business from operational stress and potential penalties. 1. Start With Core Identification Details Every employee should be set up in your payroll system with essential personal information, including: Legal full name Social Security Number (SSN) Current home address Date of birth Contact information Verify SSN and identity documentation using secure processes. Identity errors slow down tax reporting and may trigger mismatched records with the IRS or Social Security Administration. 2. Collect Required Tax Forms (Federal & State) A complete tax-withholding profile is critical. Employees must submit: Federal Form W-4 — determines federal income tax withholding. State withholding forms — required in most states and often overlooked by new employers. These forms outline an employee’s filing status, dependents, elective withholding adjustments, and personal allowances. A single incorrect entry here can result in consistent paycheck errors until corrected. 3. Gather Direct Deposit Information Direct deposit is the most efficient and secure way to pay your employees. To activate it, collect: Bank name Routing number Account number Account type (checking or savings) Employees... - Categories: HRIS, Human Resources, Payroll, Payroll & Taxes As businesses scale, one of the most overlooked—but most important—systems to modernize is your Payroll & HR tech stack. Early-stage companies often get by with spreadsheets, manual processes, or disconnected tools. But as you hire more people, expand to new states, or add complexity in areas like benefits, compliance, and time tracking, those workarounds start breaking down. A scalable HR tech stack isn’t just an efficiency play—it’s a growth strategy. When your payroll, compliance, and people operations run smoothly behind the scenes, you reduce risk, save time, and create a better experience for both employees and administrators. Here are six essential tips for building a payroll and HR tech stack that will grow with your business—not against it. 1. Choose Cloud-Based, Integrated Systems—Not One-Off Tools Growing businesses often adopt HR technology in pieces: a time clock here, a payroll system there, a stand-alone onboarding tool when hiring picks up. While this works short-term, it creates long-term problems: Duplicate data entry Risk of errors Lost time moving between systems Inconsistent employee records Reporting that’s incomplete or unreliable A modern HR tech stack should be cloud-based, unified, and designed to integrate cleanly across core functions like payroll, time & attendance, benefits, tax management, and compliance. Integrated systems reduce friction as you grow—letting you add new modules or capabilities without rebuilding everything. 2. Prioritize Payroll Accuracy and Compliance First Your payroll engine is the heart of your HR tech stack. Before adding bells and whistles, focus on the fundamentals: Tax rates that update... - Categories: Compliance, Employee management, HR Management, Human Resources Retaliation is one of the most serious—and most common—employment law risks for small and mid-sized businesses. In fact, retaliation remains the #1 most frequently cited claim in EEOC complaints, appearing in more than half of all charges filed each year. For employers, the danger isn’t always intentional wrongdoing. Often, retaliation stems from misunderstandings, inconsistent actions, or managers reacting emotionally instead of following a proper process. The good news: with the right policies, training, and documentation, retaliation is entirely preventable. This guide breaks down what retaliation is, what it looks like in everyday work situations, and how employers can build safe, compliant workplaces where employees feel protected when speaking up. What Is Workplace Retaliation? Retaliation occurs when an employer punishes or takes negative action against an employee for engaging in a legally protected activity. These activities include things like: Filing a complaint about harassment, discrimination, or safety issues Participating in an investigation Requesting a reasonable accommodation Reporting wage or overtime violations Supporting another employee’s complaint In short: if an employee raises a concern or asserts their legal rights, you cannot take action against them because of it. Retaliation is not limited to termination. It can include subtle or indirect actions such as: Cutting hours or changing shifts Removing responsibilities Excluding someone from meetings Poor performance reviews not supported by documentation Denying training or promotion opportunities Changing work conditions in a way that harms the employee Because retaliation can be subtle, it’s one of the easiest violations for managers to commit accidentally—and... - Categories: HRIS, Human Resources, Payroll, Payroll & Taxes, Small Business If you lead a business today, one thing is clear: payroll and HR have officially become strategic functions—not back-office tasks. From rising compliance demands to new expectations around pay, flexibility, and technology, the landscape is shifting fast. And the companies that adapt first benefit the most. Here are three HR and payroll trends every business leader should be watching as we head into 2026. 1. Compliance Is Moving from Reactive to Proactive For years, SMBs focused on compliance only when something went wrong—an audit, a wage claim, a missed deadline. But today’s regulatory environment is too complex to rely on after-the-fact fixes. Small and mid-sized businesses are now juggling: Rapid minimum wage changes New state-level leave laws Multistate payroll obligations Evolving overtime thresholds Stricter I-9 and hiring enforcement Instead of scrambling, growing companies are systematizing compliance. They’re using tools and HR advisors to automate rule changes, standardize procedures, and create documentation trails that stand up to audits. The result? Fewer surprises. Fewer penalties. More confidence. Where leaders should focus: Automated payroll tax filing Modern time tracking that enforces rules in real time Regular HR policy reviews Support from certified HR consultants who can flag risks early 2. Payroll Automation Is No Longer Optional Payroll errors are one of the most costly—and preventable—issues SMBs face. But error rates spike when employers rely on spreadsheets, manual entry, or outdated systems. Automation is changing the game. Today’s payroll systems do far more than cut checks. They help leaders: Eliminate duplicate data entry Calculate... - Categories: Human Resources When small and midsized businesses build out their HR tech stack, they often start with things like time tracking, performance reviews, or engagement tools. But according to Asure’s 2025 HR Benchmark Report, the real differentiator between growing and shrinking companies starts somewhere more fundamental: compliance. The Data Is Clear: Compliance Predicts Growth Asure’s 2025 survey of more than 1,000 U. S. business leaders found a 12. 1-point average gap in compliance adoption between growing and shrinking companies. While compliance is the one area that should be universal—after all, it’s the law—many organizations still treat it as a reactive chore rather than a system to manage proactively. The difference shows up in the data: +16. 6 points — Growing companies are more likely to conduct regular compliance audits. +15. 2 points — They are more likely to provide sexual harassment prevention training. +13. 2 points — They are more likely to deliver formal workplace safety training. +21. 2 points — Growing companies are significantly more likely to train managers on HR laws such as equal pay, ADA, and overtime. These aren’t abstract percentages—they represent real practices that protect productivity, morale, and reputation. The takeaway? Growth companies systematize compliance; shrinking ones improvise it. “Compliance isn’t a ‘nice to have. ’ It’s the law. Every company, regardless of size or growth, is required to pay employees correctly, follow workplace regulations, and maintain accurate records. ”— 2025 Asure HR Benchmark Report Why Compliance Belongs at the Core of Your HR Tech Stack 1. It... - Categories: Human Resources How to Protect Your Business While Managing Employee Performance Terminations and disciplinary actions are some of the most legally sensitive moments in the employment lifecycle. Handle them the wrong way, and even a justified firing can lead to costly claims of discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination. Handle them correctly, and you not only protect your business—but reinforce a culture of fairness and accountability. So how can small and mid-sized employers discipline or dismiss employees without breaking the law? It starts with consistency, documentation, and a clear understanding of federal and state regulations. 1. Document, Document, Document When it comes to discipline and termination, documentation is your best defense. Every verbal warning, attendance issue, and performance review should be clearly recorded and signed by both the manager and the employee when possible. Courts and agencies like the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) look for patterns. If your files show consistent feedback, fair expectations, and opportunities for improvement, you’re far less likely to face successful claims. Tip: Use a centralized HR system to timestamp records and attach supporting data like timecards, emails, and notes. 2. Apply Policies Consistently Inconsistent discipline is one of the fastest ways to invite legal trouble. If two employees violate the same rule but only one is written up—or worse, fired—it can create grounds for discrimination claims. Make sure your employee handbook is up to date and that managers are trained to apply policies evenly across teams. A regular HR compliance review can catch outdated policies before they... - Categories: Compliance, Human Resources Hiring the right people is critical to your company’s success—but asking the wrong questions during interviews can lead to serious legal trouble. Many employers don’t realize that certain topics are off-limits under federal and state employment laws. Even well-intentioned questions about an applicant’s background, family, or health can expose your organization to claims of discrimination. To stay compliant and protect your business, hiring managers and HR professionals must know exactly what not to ask—and what to ask instead. Why Hiring Compliance Matters The hiring process is governed by several key federal laws designed to prevent discrimination, including: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act – Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) – Protects individuals age 40 and older. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. The Equal Pay Act (EPA) – Requires equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) – Bars employers from asking about family medical history or genetic information. Together, these laws define what hiring questions are off-limits—and every interviewer, recruiter, and hiring manager needs to be trained to avoid them. Questions You Cannot Ask During Interviews Let’s break down the most common prohibited areas and the kinds of questions that could land your company in hot water. 1. Age and Birth Date It’s illegal to ask any question that could reveal a candidate’s age if it’s not directly related to the... - Categories: Payroll, Payroll Taxes Payroll errors are more than an accounting issue—they’re a serious business risk. A missed overtime payment, an incorrect tax withholding, or a simple data entry mistake can quickly snowball into compliance violations, government penalties, and frustrated employees. For small and mid-sized businesses, where every dollar and every team member counts, accuracy in payroll isn’t optional—it’s essential. Why Payroll Errors Happen Even with the best intentions, payroll mistakes are common. Many stem from manual processes and disconnected systems that rely too heavily on human input. Here are some of the most frequent culprits behind payroll errors: Manual data entry: Transferring hours, rates, or deductions by hand creates endless opportunities for typos. Inconsistent time tracking: When time clocks and payroll don’t align, overtime, breaks, or differentials can easily be miscalculated. Incorrect employee classification: Misidentifying an employee as exempt or independent can trigger wage violations and back pay. Changing tax laws: Federal, state, and local tax rates are constantly shifting—manual updates often lead to missed or late filings. Complex benefits and deductions: Health insurance, retirement, garnishments, and bonuses all add layers of complexity that increase the likelihood of error. The results can be expensive. The U. S. Department of Labor recovers hundreds of millions in back wages each year, and many cases begin with simple payroll mistakes. Even one error can cost a business thousands of dollars in fines—not to mention the loss of employee trust. The Hidden Costs of Payroll Mistakes Beyond compliance penalties, payroll errors hurt your business in ways that... - Categories: Time Tracking The Cost of a Few Extra Minutes A few extra minutes here. A favor for a coworker there. It doesn’t seem like much—until you multiply it across dozens or hundreds of employees. Buddy punching—when one employee clocks in or out for another—is one of the most common forms of time theft, and it costs U. S. employers an estimated $373 million every year, according to recent industry studies. But beyond payroll costs, time theft damages trust, erodes productivity, and creates compliance risks that can trigger audits or lawsuits. The 2025 HR Benchmark Report confirms the scope of the issue: 46% of small and mid-sized businesses admit they’ve caught at least one instance of time theft or falsified timesheets in the past 12 months. Yet fewer than half have systems in place to prevent it. If your business still relies on paper timesheets, honor systems, or outdated punch clocks, you could be losing more than time—you could be losing profitability. What Exactly Is Buddy Punching and Time Theft? Time theft takes many forms, but it all comes down to one thing: being paid for time not actually worked. Common examples include: Buddy punching: An employee clocks in or out for a coworker who’s late, absent, or leaving early. Falsifying hours: Manually rounding up hours on a timesheet or adjusting digital entries. Extended breaks or personal time: Employees using paid time for personal errands or social media. Off-the-clock work: Unrecorded overtime that can violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While buddy... - Categories: Compliance Few things unsettle an HR leader or business owner faster than receiving a letter from the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The official document, called a Charge of Discrimination, means that a current or former employee—or even an applicant—has alleged your company violated federal anti-discrimination laws. But here’s what many employers don’t realize: receiving a charge doesn’t mean your organization has done something wrong. It simply triggers a fact-finding process. How you respond in the first few weeks can strongly influence the outcome. The 2025 HR Benchmark Report found that 48% of SMBs faced an employee complaint requiring legal or regulatory review in the past two years—yet nearly half admitted they had no formal process to handle EEOC or state agency charges. That lack of preparation can lead to costly missteps. Step 1: Review the Charge Carefully When you receive a charge, read it thoroughly to understand: Who filed it (employee, applicant, or former worker) Which law is cited (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, Equal Pay Act, etc. ) What type of discrimination is alleged (race, sex, age, disability, retaliation, etc. ) The relevant dates or incidents The EEOC’s notice will also tell you which of your locations is involved, the response deadline (often 30 days), and whether the agency is requesting mediation or a written position statement. Make note of every detail and immediately preserve all relevant records—emails, performance notes, pay data, and witness statements. Deleting or altering records after receiving a charge can be considered retaliation or... - Categories: Payroll Choosing the right HR and payroll provider isn’t just about cutting paychecks—it’s about building a foundation for compliance, growth, and employee satisfaction. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), a reliable partner can save time, reduce risk, and simplify everything from onboarding to taxes. But with so many vendors claiming to “do it all,” how do you separate marketing promises from real value? Before signing a contract, ask these five questions to ensure your HR and payroll partner truly fits your business. 1. Can the system grow with my business? The needs of a 10-person startup are vastly different from those of a 200-person company. A good payroll and HR partner should scale with you—not hold you back. Ask potential vendors: How many employees can the system support? Can I add new services, like time tracking, benefits administration, or recruiting, as we grow? Will I have to migrate to a new system once we hit a certain size? Look for a provider that offers a modular, cloud-based platform where you can activate new features as needed. Solutions like Asure’s all-in-one HR and payroll suite give SMBs the flexibility to start small and scale effortlessly. 2. How does your system ensure compliance with changing laws? Payroll mistakes can lead to fines, penalties, or worse—loss of employee trust. Labor laws and tax regulations change constantly, especially across multiple states. You need a partner who doesn’t just process payroll but keeps you ahead of compliance risk. Ask about: Automatic tax updates for federal, state,... - Categories: Time & Attendance The Employee Experience Has Evolved—Has Your Time Tracking Kept Up? In today’s workplace, employee experience (EX) has become a business-critical priority. From flexible schedules to digital onboarding, workers now expect technology that makes their day easier—not more complicated. Yet, one area where many organizations fall behind is time tracking. Clunky time clocks, manual punch cards, and error-prone spreadsheets may seem like small annoyances, but they send a big message: “We’re behind the times. ” In contrast, modern, cloud-based time tracking solutions reflect trust, transparency, and respect for employees’ time—the very foundations of a great workplace experience. According to the 2025 HR Benchmark Report, 72% of high-growth companies have already modernized their time and labor management systems. Why? Because today’s workers—and their employers—demand accuracy, mobility, and flexibility. Why Time Tracking Impacts Employee Experience 1. It Shapes Everyday Interactions Time tracking is one of the few systems employees use daily. When it’s slow or unreliable, frustration builds quickly. Modern solutions simplify clock-ins, automate approvals, and sync across devices—no more waiting in line at a wall-mounted terminal. For employees, this means less friction and more control. For managers, it means fewer disputes, faster payroll processing, and real-time visibility into labor costs. It’s a win-win that improves satisfaction on both sides of the time clock. 2. It Reduces Errors—and Builds Trust Manual time entry errors are among the top causes of payroll discrepancies, which directly affect employee trust and retention. The Benchmark Report found that businesses using automated time tracking reduced payroll corrections by... - Categories: Payroll, Payroll & Taxes Running a business is more complex than ever. Between multi-state compliance, remote work, tax filings, and employee self-service expectations, many growing businesses find that their old payroll or HR system just can’t keep up. That’s why companies of all sizes—from startups to expanding mid-market employers—are turning to cloud payroll and HR software. These modern solutions help businesses save time, stay compliant, and create a better employee experience. Let’s explore the top nine reasons growing businesses are making the switch—and how cloud payroll and HR solutions deliver measurable value. 1. Unified Payroll, HR, and Time Tracking in One System In many small businesses, payroll, HR, and time tracking live in separate systems—or worse, on spreadsheets. That creates data silos, duplicate entries, and endless back-and-forth between HR and accounting. Cloud-based platforms bring it all together. With integrated payroll services for small businesses, you can manage hiring, onboarding, time and attendance, and benefits administration from a single dashboard. When an employee gets a raise or changes departments, those updates automatically sync across payroll and HR, reducing errors and saving hours of manual work. 2. Anytime, Anywhere Access for a Modern Workforce The modern workplace isn’t limited to one office—or even one state. With cloud payroll software, you can run payroll or approve timecards from anywhere, on any device. Managers can review schedules or approve PTO from a tablet. Employees can view pay stubs, update personal details, or download W-2s from their mobile phones. For hybrid and remote teams, that flexibility is essential. Businesses... - Categories: Compliance When small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) think about compliance, payroll accuracy, and workplace culture, it’s easy to focus on processes and systems. But at the heart of many compliance requirements is one deceptively simple question: who actually counts as an “employee”? This question matters because federal anti-discrimination laws—like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—apply specifically to employees, not independent contractors. If you misclassify workers or misunderstand who is covered, your business could face compliance audits, legal liability, and reputation risk. In this blog, we’ll break down how federal discrimination laws define “employee,” why that definition is more complex than it seems, and how SMB leaders can protect their organizations by staying proactive. Why the Definition of “Employee” Matters Compliance with workplace discrimination laws isn’t optional—it’s a baseline expectation that can drive growth or cause setbacks. Missteps often come from misclassifying workers or overlooking who is covered under federal protections. Consider these risks: Lawsuits and fines: If you treat an independent contractor like an employee and then fail to comply with Title VII protections, your business could face costly litigation. Payroll and benefits errors: Misclassification creates errors in payroll tax compliance, benefits eligibility, and overtime rules, all of which tie directly to discrimination law enforcement. Reputation damage: Today’s job seekers value equity, diversity, and fairness. Businesses that miss the mark risk losing both talent and customers. For growing SMBs, understanding who counts as an employee is... - Categories: Compliance, HR Services, Human Resources, Uncategorized For most small and mid-sized businesses, the word compliance triggers a familiar set of emotions: stress, cost, and risk. It’s often seen as a checklist item—a necessary but tedious part of doing business. You make sure payroll taxes are filed, your wage and hour practices are aligned with the law, and your employee files are in order. Get it wrong, and the consequences can be steep: fines, lawsuits, audits, and reputational harm. But here’s the shift: according to the 2025 HR Benchmark Report, high-growth companies are redefining what compliance means. Rather than treating it as a burden, they are turning compliance into a strategic business advantage. They use it not only to protect their organizations but to scale faster, retain talent, and strengthen their culture. This shift is more than philosophical. The data shows a measurable gap between how shrinking companies and high-growth firms approach compliance. And the lessons are clear: when businesses move from reactive to proactive compliance, they unlock opportunities that competitors often overlook. The Compliance Divide The 2025 HR Benchmark Report revealed several striking differences: Reactive vs. proactive: Shrinking businesses are 22% more likely to address compliance reactively—waiting until issues arise to act. High-growth companies, on the other hand, put proactive systems in place that keep them audit-ready year-round. Technology adoption: High-growth organizations are 31% more likely to use online payroll services and integrated HR platforms to reduce human error and streamline compliance. Employee trust: Employees in high-growth firms are 25% more likely to believe their employer... - Categories: Time Tracking For over a century, time clocks have been the cornerstone of workforce management. They were simple, physical devices that answered a straightforward question: What time did you arrive, and what time did you leave? But the nature of work has changed. Hybrid schedules, flexible shifts, compliance regulations, and employee expectations have pushed organizations to rethink how they manage time and labor. The punch clock isn’t enough anymore. The future lies in systems that deliver accuracy, insight, and flexibility—not just hours on a timesheet. From Punch Cards to Cloud Platforms The earliest punch clocks were mechanical devices designed to prevent disputes over hours worked. Today’s time tracking is increasingly digital, cloud-based, and integrated with broader HR systems. This evolution reflects the shift from tracking time to managing time—where technology ensures accuracy, reduces errors, and provides transparency across an organization. Compliance Takes Center Stage Workforce compliance is no longer a back-office concern. With wage and hour lawsuits on the rise, employers face higher stakes when it comes to timekeeping. Automated systems that track breaks, overtime, and scheduling not only reduce the risk of costly disputes, they also provide a digital record that can stand up under audit. Data as a Strategic Resource In the past, time tracking data existed mainly to run payroll. Now, it’s a source of strategic intelligence. Leaders can analyze patterns in absenteeism, overtime, and scheduling to forecast labor needs, identify inefficiencies, and improve project costing. Time data is becoming less of a recordkeeping function and more of a... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management, HR Services Running a small or mid-sized business (SMB) means juggling many roles at once. Leaders are expected to drive growth, keep costs under control, and manage teams effectively. But one responsibility that cannot be overlooked — and one that often gets less attention until a problem arises — is compliance with federal employment discrimination laws. For most SMBs, managers are the first line of defense against risk. They make daily decisions about hiring, promotions, training, and employee discipline. Each of those decisions carries compliance implications. If managers don’t understand their responsibilities under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the entire organization is exposed to lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage. In this blog, we’ll break down what every manager needs to know about EEOC compliance, why it matters for SMBs, and how HR and payroll outsourcing can help protect your business while enabling leaders to focus on growth. What the EEOC Does — and Why It Matters for SMBs The EEOC enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on: Race Color Religion Sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity) National origin Age (40 and older) Disability Genetic information These laws apply to most employers with 15 or more employees (20 in the case of age discrimination), but even smaller businesses benefit from adopting compliant practices. Why? Because fairness and inclusion aren’t just legal requirements — they’re also drivers of employee engagement, retention, and growth. A single EEOC violation can cost a small business... - Categories: HRIS, Human Resources, Payroll, Payroll & Taxes When it comes to running a growing business, payroll and HR are often the backbone of daily operations. Paychecks need to be accurate, taxes must be filed on time, employees expect quick access to their information, and compliance requirements never stop shifting. For many leaders, the search for payroll and HR software feels like shopping for yet another tool. But the truth is, it’s not just about buying software. It’s about finding a long-term partner who can streamline your processes, keep you compliant, and scale with your business. So how do you choose wisely? Here’s a deeper look at the critical areas you should evaluate before making your investment. Deployment Model: Cloud is the New Standard The days of installing bulky software on your own servers are long gone. Today’s payroll and HR solutions are overwhelmingly cloud-based, and for good reason. Cloud deployment offers: Scalability: You only pay for what you need, and you can easily add users or functionality as your business grows. Automatic updates: No more downloading patches or worrying about compliance updates—your vendor manages it all behind the scenes. Lower upfront costs: Cloud solutions typically follow a subscription model, so you can avoid heavy capital expenditures. Accessibility: With single sign-on and role-based access, your HR system becomes a unified platform employees, managers, and administrators can all use seamlessly. For small and midsized businesses in particular, the cloud provides enterprise-grade functionality without the IT headaches. Core Functional Requirements: Cover the Essentials Every payroll and HR system should deliver... - Categories: HR Services, Human Resource, Human Resources Running a small or mid-sized business is no small feat. Leaders must juggle recruiting, payroll, compliance, benefits, and employee development — often without a dedicated HR team. That’s why more SMBs are turning to HR and payroll outsourcing to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and scale for growth. Here are six compelling reasons why outsourcing HR makes sense for your businesses. 1. Reduce Costs Without Sacrificing Quality HR is essential, but it’s not a profit center. Staffing an in-house HR team, managing payroll tax filings, and keeping up with compliance changes all add to overhead. By outsourcing HR, you can reduce fixed costs and pay only for the services you need. Outsourced providers offer online payroll services and integrated technology that automate payroll calculations, benefits tracking, and time management. This frees up internal staff to focus on strategy and revenue-driving initiatives. For SMBs, outsourcing provides the best of both worlds — cost savings and high-quality support. 2. Access Certified Expertise HR laws are complex and constantly changing. From new overtime thresholds to I-9 verification updates, it’s difficult for small business owners to keep up. Mistakes can be costly, leading to fines or employee claims. With human resources consulting through an outsourced provider, you gain access to certified HR professionals who understand both federal and state-level requirements. These experts help you stay compliant with employment laws, avoid common errors, and support a healthy, engaged workforce. 3. Ensure Compliance in a Shifting Regulatory Landscape Compliance is one of the biggest challenges SMBs face.... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management, HR Services, Human Resources Why do some small and midsize businesses grow year after year while others stall or shrink? According to Asure’s newly released 2025 HR Benchmark Report, the difference isn’t luck — it’s design. Our analysis of more than 1,000 U. S. business leaders revealed a clear pattern: companies that achieve sustainable growth treat people practices as business-critical systems, not as administrative tasks. By building intentional processes across the employee lifecycle — from recruiting through post-employment — these businesses create stronger foundations for retention, productivity, and scalability. Retention Is the #1 Growth Differentiator Growing companies are 2. 5 times more likely to implement formal recognition programs. Why does that matter? Because organizations with recognition cultures see 31% lower voluntary turnover. In today’s tight labor market, retention is not just an HR issue — it’s a growth strategy. Development Unlocks Productivity One of the largest gaps in this year’s data is leadership training. Growing companies consistently invest in manager and employee development, and as a result, they outperform peers on productivity, engagement, and performance. Performance Management Pays Off Regular, documented performance reviews are a hallmark of thriving companies. Nearly three-quarters of growing firms follow this practice, compared to only 38% of shrinking ones. Ongoing coaching creates alignment, accountability, and measurable results. Benefits Are No Longer Optional With states mandating retirement plans, paid leave, and wellness programs, benefits are the new baseline. Top-performing companies don’t just comply — they package and communicate these offerings to attract and retain talent, turning requirements into competitive advantages.... - Categories: Blog, Events On September 3, 2025, Asure brought together some of the nation’s most inspiring small businesses at The Downright Hotel in Austin, Texas for the first-ever Asure50 Awards. This new program was created to recognize the top 0. 1% of U. S. small businesses—the true innovators, community builders, and growth leaders shaping the future of work. Honoring the Best of the Best The Asure50 Awards celebrated winners across three categories: Community Impact, Team Culture, and 2-Year Growth. These businesses represent the heart of entrepreneurship—balancing passion with perseverance and driving positive change in their industries and communities. From companies giving back in meaningful ways, to workplaces fostering exceptional team culture, to organizations experiencing remarkable growth, each honoree showcased what it means to thrive as a small business in today’s competitive environment. An Inspiring Evening in Austin Winners gathered in downtown Austin for a night of recognition, networking, and celebration. Hosted by Asure leadership, the event featured a keynote from Super Bowl Champion Coach Jon Gruden, who spoke about teamwork, resilience, and leadership—values that resonate deeply with small business owners. The atmosphere was electric as business leaders shared their stories, celebrated their achievements, and connected with peers who share the same commitment to excellence. Why Asure50 Matters Small businesses make up 99. 9% of all U. S. businesses and are vital to local economies and communities. The Asure50 Awards shine a spotlight on these companies, offering them the recognition they deserve for their dedication, creativity, and impact. At Asure, we believe in empowering... - Categories: Uncategorized FMLA protects employees who need time away—but small mistakes can trigger audits and claims. This quick guide spotlights the top violations and fast fixes: eligibility (must meet 12 months, 1,250 hours, 50/75 rule), leave calculations (pick one 12-month method, track intermittent leave, align PTO/STD), reinstatement (return to an equivalent job—same pay, benefits, status), notice & documentation (send Eligibility + Rights within 5 business days; avoid over-asking for medical info), and recordkeeping (retain 3 years, track hours precisely, keep medical files separate). The payoff: fewer compliance headaches, stronger trust, and smoother returns to work. Need help implementing? Asure’s HR Compliance Services can standardize processes, train managers, and configure tracking so you stay compliant—and focus on growth. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is designed to protect employees who need time away from work for serious health conditions, family care, or certain military-related reasons. But for employers, the rules can be complex—and even small missteps can lead to costly compliance issues, employee grievances, or Department of Labor (DOL) audits. Understanding the most common FMLA violations is the first step in protecting your business and your workforce. Mishandling Employee Eligibility One of the most frequent violations occurs when employers misapply the eligibility rules. Under FMLA, employees qualify for leave if they: Have worked for the employer for at least 12 months, Logged at least 1,250 hours during the prior 12 months, and Work at a location where the employer has 50 or more employees within 75 miles. Common mistakes include: Assuming part-time employees don’t qualify. Miscounting service hours or misinterpreting seasonal or temporary work. Failing to recognize when multiple worksites must be considered together to reach the 50-employee threshold. Miscalculating Leave Entitlements FMLA guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave (or 26 weeks for military caregiver leave). Missteps often happen in how that leave is tracked. Common mistakes include: Incorrectly applying a “calendar year” rather than a rolling 12-month look-back period. Failing to coordinate overlapping FMLA leave with other leave policies, such as paid time off (PTO) or short-term disability. Not accounting properly for intermittent leave, which allows employees to take FMLA in smaller blocks of time. Even a simple recordkeeping error can lead to... - Categories: Compliance, Employee management, HR Management, Human Resources In July 2025, the DOL relaunched the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. With the DOL recently expanded self-audit program, business owners now have a strategic opportunity to proactively address potential FMLA violations, reduce liability, and demonstrate a culture of compliance. Think “FMLA audit” only involves Government investigations? Think again. With the Department of Labor’s (DOL) recently expanded self-audit program, business owners now have a strategic opportunity to proactively address potential Family and Medical Leave Act violations, reduce liability, and demonstrate a culture of compliance. According to the DOL, under PAID, employers are encouraged to conduct audits and, if they discover FLSA or FMLA violations, to self-report those violations. Employers may then work in good faith with WHD to correct their mistakes and to quickly provide 100% of the back wages due or other remedies to their affected employees. What’s Changing? The Return—and Expansion—of the PAID Program In July 2025, the DOL relaunched the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which now includes FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) violations—something never offered before. Originally introduced in 2018 for FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) infractions, it was suspended in early 2021 but restored in mid-2025 with expanded scope and updated safeguards. How the PAID Process Works for FMLA Preparation & Self-Audit Start by building an overall understanding of FMLA requirements and the most common violation types—such as mishandling employee eligibility, miscalculating leave entitlements, or failing to restore employees to their positions after leave. From there, tap into trusted compliance resources and guides to deepen your knowledge. The Department of Labor offers toolkits, notices, training checklists, and FAQs that cover the basics. For a more comprehensive approach, resources like Asure’s online HR Compliance Library provide in-depth guidance and practical tools tailored to small... - Categories: Employee management How to Deny PTO Requests Fairly—Without Hurting Morale or Breaking the Law Denying a PTO request is never ideal—but sometimes it’s necessary to maintain operations or stay compliant with company policies and labor laws. The key is to handle it with fairness, transparency, and empathy. Start by reviewing your PTO policy and legal obligations to ensure the denial is justified and nondiscriminatory. Consider whether alternative solutions—like split time off or adjusted dates—are possible. When communicating a denial, be prompt and clear. Reference the relevant policy, explain the business rationale, and offer alternative options when possible. Always document your decision to ensure consistency and legal protection. An outsourced HR partner can help simplify this process by providing policy support, communication templates, and expert guidance—ensuring your managers stay compliant and employees feel respected. With the right approach, denying time off doesn’t have to damage morale—it can reinforce trust in your leadership and show that fairness drives decisions. Paid-time-off (PTO) requests arrive year-round, but what happens when approving a vacation would leave you short-staffed—or open you to compliance risk? Denying PTO is sometimes necessary, yet if it’s handled poorly you can damage trust, trigger legal issues, or even lose employees. Below is a framework for making (and communicating) a “no” decision the right way, along with ways an outsourced HR partner can shoulder much of the burden. --- Start With the Big Picture: Why Might You Need to Say “No”? Operational coverage – Critical deadlines, seasonal spikes, or multiple requests for the same dates can create genuine business hardship. Policy conflicts – Company rules may restrict PTO during month-end closes, audit periods, or black-out dates. Legal limits – Some jurisdictions require specific PTO accruals, notice periods, or a “reasonableness” standard for denials. A well-written PTO policy should spell out these circumstances, so employees aren’t surprised when a request is turned down. --- Ask Three Key Questions Before Denying PTO Is another employee requesting the same time off? Balancing overlapping requests is essential to avoid favoritism. Does the decision align with established policies? Inconsistent application is a fast track to morale problems and discrimination claims. Could the denial be perceived as based on a protected characteristic (e. g. , race, gender, disability, or leave-related status)? A compliance check can prevent costly litigation. If you can answer each question confidently—and document your reasoning—you’re on firmer legal and cultural ground. --- Best-Practice Denial Process Review Policy &Law - Confirm the request... - Categories: Payroll Earned Wage Access (EWA) allows employees to access their earned wages before payday—without loans, interest, or changes to your payroll schedule. Through solutions like AsurePay™, businesses can offer this benefit at no cost, with no disruption to operations. For employers, the payoff is clear: companies offering EWA report up to 29% lower turnover, fewer callouts, and stronger hiring outcomes—especially in hourly and shift-based roles. It’s a high-impact, low-effort benefit that supports employee well-being while driving operational efficiency. AsurePay makes implementation seamless, offering real-time pay access, digital banking tools, and support for both employers and employees. It’s not just a perk—it’s a strategic move. In a tight labor market, EWA helps small and mid-sized businesses compete with larger employers without increasing overhead. If you're looking to improve retention, attract top talent, and support financial wellness, EWA is a simple, scalable solution worth serious consideration. In today’s competitive labor market, offering flexible financial benefits like Earned Wage Access (EWA) can be a game-changer. It’s a benefit that gives employees instant access to the money they’ve already earned—before payday. And with solutions like AsurePay™, implementing EWA is now easier, safer, and more affordable than ever (in fact, it’s free for employers using Asure Payroll). But how do you know if EWA is the right fit for your business? If you’re thinking about offering this benefit to your workforce, here are five key questions to help you evaluate whether Earned Wage Access is a smart move for your team—and your bottom line. --- 1. Do you rely on hourly workers or shift-based employees? Why it matters: Hourly workers are often more vulnerable to income timing challenges than salaried employees. A single unexpected bill between paychecks—like a flat tire or a medical co-pay—can create financial strain. EWA provides a lifeline, offering workers more stability and control. If you answered yes: You’re in a prime position to benefit from EWA. On-demand pay helps hourly employees better manage cash flow, reduces turnover, and increases shift acceptance and attendance. Industries like retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and healthcare have seen major gains from adopting earned wage access. Real-world result: Employers offering EWA report up to 29% lower turnover in hourly roles and improved staffing during peak hours. --- 2. Are you looking for ways to stand out in hiring? Why it matters: The labor market remains tight, especially for hourly and frontline roles.... - Categories: Benefits, Employee management, HR Management, HR Services - Tags: PEO Alternatives PEOs are not a forever solution for SMBs. At a certain size, the cost of convenience outweighs the benefits, and companies find themselves paying more than necessary for services they could manage internally or through specialized vendors. For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), outsourcing HR to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can be a game-changer in the early stages. Providers like ADP TotalSource, TriNet, and Insperity bundle HR services, payroll, compliance, and benefits into a single solution, allowing businesses to focus on growth. But as companies scale, the very convenience that made a PEO attractive can become an expensive constraint. That’s when it’s worth evaluating whether switching to an a la carte Human Capital Management (HCM) or Administrative Services Organization (ASO) model could save money and provide greater flexibility. In this blog, we explore the cost savings opportunity and the key inflection points when SMBs typically outgrow a PEO. We’ll also examine why switching can drive financial, operational, and compliance benefits. What’s the Difference Between a PEO and an HCM/ASO Model? A PEO operates on a co-employment model. The PEO becomes the employer of record for tax purposes, handles HR compliance, manages payroll, and offers access to its group health plans. The pricing is usually either a percentage of payroll or a flat per-employee-per-month (PEPM) fee. By contrast, an HCM/ASO model unbundles these services. You stay the sole employer of record and pay only for the services you need—like payroll software, a benefits broker, or HR compliance support. Utilizing an HCM or ASO model that offers a one stop shop for these services also gives businesses more control, transparency, and leverage over their costs. The Cost Savings Opportunity PEO fees generally range from $100 to $200 per... - Categories: Payroll & Taxes, Payroll Taxes Meta: To avoid stress and costly mistakes, your company needs to stay on top of its payroll tax reconciliation throughout the year. When it comes to your company’s financial security, it pays to focus on your payroll systems. At many businesses, payroll can easily add up to a third of the company’s costs. If your payroll calculations are inaccurate, it can lead to incorrect tax withholding, fines, and interest. By conducting payroll tax reconciliation throughout the year, you can ensure you are withholding the right amount and avoid costly penalties. Why Your Payroll Tax Reconciliation Should Be a Year-Round Effort Whether you’re a multinational corporation or a local brand, your best defense against expensive audits, penalties, and errors is year-round payroll tax reconciliation. Through regular payroll tax reconciliation, you can enjoy a few key benefits. Ensure You’re Paying the Right Amount in Taxes: Through frequent reconciliation, you can make sure your company is paying and withholding the right amount in taxes. Make Deposits on Time: Your organization needs to be fully confident that it is making all of its tax deposits accurately and on time. Avoid Penalties: If you don’t submit payroll taxes on time, you may end up with Trust Fund Recovery Penalties (TFRP), failure-to-file penalties, late deposit penalties, and interest. Maintain Legal Compliance: In addition to facing financial penalties, your company could even face criminal charges if it doesn’t comply with payroll tax requirements. Detect Fraudulent Activities: Through meticulous payroll tax reconciliation, you can detect and stop fraudulent activities, such as ghost employees, timesheet fraud, and unauthorized payments. Catch Tax Deduction Errors: According to one survey, payroll accuracy hovers around... - Categories: HR Management, HR Services, Human Resource, Human Resources, Uncategorized When the integrity of a company’s Human Resource (HR) department is compromised—whether through misconduct, breaches of trust, or failure to uphold core values—the aftershocks can impact every facet of the organization. Employee trust erodes, company culture falters, and alignment with the business’s mission and goals can quickly unravel.   Rebuilding After a Breach of HR Integrity The initial step for any employer facing compromised HR integrity is to acknowledge the issue openly and transparently with staff. Restoring trust means taking swift, decisive action: investigating the breach, holding those responsible accountable, and reinforcing ethical standards. Yet, beyond crisis response, companies must lay a new foundation for sustainable, values-driven HR practices. Often, regaining employee confidence in internal HR can prove challenging, particularly if the damage to trust is severe. In such situations, many organizations turn to an outsourced Human Resource Consultant to assist in realignment and credibility rebuilding. The Strategic Advantage of Asure HR Consultants Engaging an external HR consultant or outsourcing partner provides access to specialized expertise and fresh perspective that may be missing internally—especially after a disruption. These professionals can efficiently implement critical HR functions like compliance management, payroll, benefits administration, and policy development, ensuring these processes are handled with integrity and independence.   Key benefits include: Objective, Third-Party Oversight: An Asure HR consultant operates independently, free of legacy loyalties or internal politics, providing impartial oversight and investigations to restore fairness and transparency. Goal and Mission Alignment: Effective outsourced consultants immerse themselves in the company’s values, mission, and unique culture,... - Categories: Benefits, Digital Workplace, Earned Wage Access, on-demand pay, Payroll Imagine this: it’s a Wednesday morning and one of your team members walks in visibly stressed. Their car broke down the night before, and the repair cost is more than they have in their bank account. Payday isn’t until Friday. They’re worried about getting to work the rest of the week—and you’re now wondering if you’ll be short-staffed. It’s a common situation. For millions of workers, unexpected expenses hit hard between paychecks. But what if there was a way for them to access the money they’ve already earned—instantly? That’s the promise of Earned Wage Access (EWA). It empowers employees to tap into their accrued wages before payday—without loans, interest, or disruption to employer payroll. And when paired with the AsurePay™ Visa® debit card, it becomes a seamless, zero-cost solution that benefits both the employee and the business. Let’s take a closer look at three real-life scenarios where Earned Wage Access makes a meaningful difference for employees—and a measurable impact on employers. Scenario 1: Covering an Emergency Expense Between Paychecks Employee: Brianna, Frontline Retail Associate Pay Schedule: Bi-weekly The Situation: Brianna’s 6-year-old daughter develops a fever and needs a last-minute doctor visit. Her insurance covers the visit, but she has to pay a $75 co-pay up front. Payday is three days away, and her checking account is nearly empty. Without EWA: Brianna considers delaying the appointment or using a high-interest payday loan to bridge the gap. She’s stressed, distracted, and unsure how to cover essentials until Friday. She even considers calling... - Categories: Compliance FEDERAL UPDATES EEOC Enforcement Priorities. The Acting Chair of the EEOC identified four areas that will be the focus of its enforcement activities to “prevent and remedy” systemic discrimination in the workplace: unlawful race discrimination in DEI programs, policies, and practices unlawful national origin discrimination involving preferences for foreign workers defending the immutable binary nature of biological sex and women’s rights to single – sex spaces at work, and protecting workers from religious bias and harassment, including anti-Semitism and anti-Christian bias, as well as defending the right to religious accommodations at work. The EEOC is expected to rely on whistleblowers, EEO-1 reports, cases regarding religious exemptions (especially based on Covid or flu vaccine mandates), and shared data with other agencies (including past AAP reports). Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. This Supreme Court case is based on a heterosexual woman who claimed “reverse discrimination” when she was denied a promotion that went to a lesbian woman, and was then demoted and her position filled by a gay man. Lower courts required that, as part of a majority group, she provide additional evidence (“background circumstances”) showing discrimination. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that “Title VII’s disparate-treatment provision draws no distinctions between majority-group plaintiffs and minority-group plaintiffs. ” This is widely expected to open the for more “reverse discrimination” lawsuits and is a warning to employers to ensure that they have strong, documented business-related reasons for any adverse employment action regardless of whether the employee is part of a protected class.... - Categories: Compliance FEDERAL UPDATES EEOC Enforcement Priorities. The Acting Chair of the EEOC identified four areas that will be the focus of its enforcement activities to “prevent and remedy” systemic discrimination in the workplace: unlawful race discrimination in DEI programs, policies, and practices unlawful national origin discrimination involving preferences for foreign workers defending the immutable binary nature of biological sex and women’s rights to single – sex spaces at work, and protecting workers from religious bias and harassment, including anti-Semitism and anti-Christian bias, as well as defending the right to religious accommodations at work. The EEOC is expected to rely on whistleblowers, EEO-1 reports, cases regarding religious exemptions (especially based on Covid or flu vaccine mandates), and shared data with other agencies (including past AAP reports). Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. This Supreme Court case is based on a heterosexual woman who claimed “reverse discrimination” when she was denied a promotion that went to a lesbian woman, and was then demoted and her position filled by a gay man. Lower courts required that, as part of a majority group, she provide additional evidence (“background circumstances”) showing discrimination. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that “Title VII’s disparate-treatment provision draws no distinctions between majority-group plaintiffs and minority-group plaintiffs. ” This is widely expected to open the for more “reverse discrimination” lawsuits and is a warning to employers to ensure that they have strong, documented business-related reasons for any adverse employment action regardless of whether the employee is part of a protected class.... - Categories: Employee management, Payroll, Payroll & Taxes, Payroll Taxes As you gear up for your company’s next expansion, take advantage of a few key strategies for seamlessly scaling your payroll tax compliance operations. When you leverage advanced payroll technology, you can scale your company’s payroll tax compliance with ease. As a large business, you must follow state, federal, and local tax codes. Once you start adding extra employees and expanding into new jurisdictions, the complexity of tax compliance escalates quickly. To ensure you avoid major penalties, you need to adopt the right strategies for managing your growth. Strategies for Seamlessly Managing Tax Obligations During Periods of Expansion While the average payroll error costs $291, tax-related errors often involve heftier penalties. For instance, a W-4 setup error costs an average of $539. Because of this, your payroll tax compliance needs to be as seamless as possible. By adopting the following measures, you can be proactive about your legal compliance and expand effortlessly. Create Consistent Procedures In a small company, one person may be responsible for handling all of the payroll tax deposits and monthly payroll processing. This person knows exactly what to do, so they don’t need explicit directions. Once the company grows, it needs to create consistent standard operating procedures (SOP) for payroll. You need to be sure that your company can still process payroll taxes correctly if a payroll worker quits or takes leave. Additionally, creating a consistent SOP helps to reduce the likelihood of errors. Organize and Store Your Records Before you try to scale your business, create an effective method for organizing and storing your records. If you’re ever audited, you may need this information to avoid hefty penalties. You’ll... - Categories: Payroll, Payroll & Taxes, Payroll Taxes Understanding the New Federal Tax Law on Tips and Overtime: What Employers Need to Know and How to Prepare The federal income tax exemption for tips and overtime pay—part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passedon July 3, 2025—is not just a policy change; it’s a payroll mandate. Because it directly affects federal incometax withholding, compliance with this law falls squarely within the payroll function. Unlike many workplacelaws that primarily place the burden on the employer, this change will be highly visible to employees as well. News coverage has already popularized the idea that workers won’t owe federal tax on their overtime ortips, and many employees are likely to ask their employers about it immediately. Although the IRS and Treasury Department have not yet issued detailed implementation guidance,employers must be prepared to answer questions and begin planning. This article outlines the details of thenew law, what it means for employers from both a compliance and workforce planning standpoint, and howorganizations can begin preparing now. What the Law Does Effective for wages earned on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2029, the new law exemptsqualifying tip and overtime pay from federal income tax for eligible workers. The key provisions include: Overtime pay: Up to $12,500 of overtime wages per employee per year is exempt from federalincome tax. Tip income: Up to $25,000 in tips annually per employee is also exempt from federal income tax. These limits are expected to be indexed for inflation beginning in 2026. The... - Categories: Benefits, Earned Wage Access, on-demand pay Why supporting employee financial wellness isn’t just good for people—it’s good for business. Financial stress is no longer a personal issue—it’s a workplace issue. When employees are worried about money, it impacts more than their peace of mind. It affects your bottom line. In today’s economy, even full-time workers are struggling to make ends meet. Rising costs of living, student loan debt, and limited savings mean many employees—especially hourly workers—are just one unexpected expense away from financial crisis. And those crises don’t stay at home. They show up at work in the form of absenteeism, presenteeism, reduced productivity, and ultimately, higher turnover. But there’s good news: forward-thinking employers are stepping up with practical, affordable solutions. One of the most effective is Earned Wage Access (EWA)—a benefit that gives employees access to wages they’ve already earned before the standard payday. When offered through a streamlined platform like AsurePay™, it delivers measurable impact without adding cost or complexity for the employer. Let’s explore how financial stress is silently costing your business—and how EWA can help. The Financial Reality Facing Today’s Workers For millions of Americans, living paycheck to paycheck isn’t a temporary phase—it’s a way of life. 63% of Americans say they don’t have enough savings to cover a $500 emergency. Nearly 60% report that financial stress has increased over the past year. According to PwC, 1 in 3 workers say money worries affect their job performance. Even among full-time employees, inflation and stagnant wages have put basic financial stability out of... - Categories: Payroll The Growing Challenge of Local & Industry Minimum Wage Ordinances As the labor landscape continues to evolve, employers face increasing complexity in setting wages correctly. Beyond state and federal thresholds, local and industry-specific ordinances are multiplying—each with its own effective dates, rates, and posting requirements. Failure to comply isn’t just costly—it can spark legal action, fines, and employee mistrust. July 1, 2025: California’s Mid‑Year Minimum Wage Shifts California is a prime example of this challenge. On July 1, 2025, several cities and counties will raise their local minimum wage rates, not always in sync with state changes: Alameda: $17. 46/hr Berkeley: $19. 18/hr Emeryville: $19. 90/hr Fremont: $17. 75/hr Los Angeles (City): $17. 87/hr Los Angeles County (unincorporated): $17. 81/hr Milpitas: $18. 20/hr Pasadena: $18. 04/hr San Francisco: $19. 18/hr Santa Monica: $17. 81/hr (Malibu has suspended its usual increase—this year it remains at $17. 27/hr. ) Industry-specific increases also kick in mid‑year: hotel and airport workers in Los Angeles City/Santa Monica now earn $22. 50/hr, while West Hollywood hotel staff receive $20. 22/hr. Plus, healthcare facilities across the state are seeing minimum wage increases tied to Senate Bill 525—for example, large systems, dialysis clinics, and major county-run facilities will move from $23 to $24/hr starting July 1. Why Staying Compliant Is Becoming A Full-Time Job Geographic granularity – Employers with remote or multi‑site staff must track wages at a ZIP‑code level. Sector-specific rules – Industries like hotels and healthcare are seeing separate, higher minimums. Notice & posting obligations –... - Categories: Payroll & Taxes, Payroll Taxes To ensure your workers are paid on time and your business is in compliance, you need to follow major tax filing deadlines. By using a checklist, you can easily track important due dates. As a corporation, it’s important to stay on top of payroll tax filing deadlines. Besides carrying major penalties, your company’s delayed payments and tax mistakes can impact employee engagement and satisfaction levels. To protect your company’s long-term success and brand reputation, you need to be in 100% compliance with major payroll tax filing deadlines. Major Payroll Tax Deposit and Filing Dates in 2025 What is the deadline for employers to send tax documents? The answer depends on the tax document in question. To ensure your business follows payroll-related laws, you need to keep track of your important filing and deposit due deadlines. Missed deadlines can result in major fines and penalties, so it pays to be proactive. The following due dates are some of the most important federal deadlines for payroll tax forms and deposits. Depending on your state and local payroll tax regulations, there may be additional requirements and due dates that you have to meet as well. January 31: FUTA tax deposits, Form 940, Form 943, Form 944, Form 945, Form 1099-NEC April 30: FUTA tax deposits, Form 941, Form W-2, July 31: FUTA tax deposits October 31: FUTA tax deposits However, it’s important to note that there may be extension options for some of these forms. For instance, Form 940, 943, 944, 945 can be turned in as late as February 10 if you have already deposited your entire FUTA tax liability. Key Payroll Tax Forms As an employer, you have a lot of different due dates... - Categories: Payroll, Security, Uncategorized Preventing direct deposit fraud requires a proactive approach from both employers and employees. By implementing strong security measures and fostering awareness, you can significantly reduce the risk of payroll fraud. Best Practices for Employees Direct deposit fraud can happen to anyone, but taking proactive steps can significantly reduce your risk. By staying vigilant and following these best practices, you can help ensure your payroll information and hard-earned money remain secure. Here's what every employee should know to safeguard their direct deposits. Be Cautious with Emails and Links Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or texts. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a message, contact your HR or payroll department directly. Use Strong Passwords Create unique, complex passwords for your payroll accounts. Avoid reusing passwords from other sites. Access Important Information via ESS Tools Use your company's payroll Employee Self Service application to manage your payroll information securely. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Whenever possible, activate 2FA for your payroll account. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification. Monitor Your Bank Statements Regularly review your bank statements to ensure all deposits match your payroll schedule. Best Practices for Employers Direct deposit fraud doesn’t just affect employees—it can also create significant risks for employers. By implementing strong security measures and fostering a culture of vigilance, you can protect your organization and your team from potential threats. Here are key strategies to help employers secure their payroll systems and prevent fraud. Educate Your Team Introduce... - Categories: Earned Wage Access In today’s fast-moving labor market, attracting and keeping reliable hourly workers is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses. Whether you run a restaurant, retail store, warehouse, or healthcare facility, the struggle is the same: high turnover, missed shifts, and fierce competition for dependable talent. But there’s one benefit that’s changing the game—and it’s easier to implement than you might think. Earned Wage Access (EWA), also known as on-demand pay, gives employees the option to access their wages as they earn them, instead of waiting for payday. Through solutions like the AsurePay™ Platinum Visa® card, employers can offer this high-impact benefit without altering their payroll process or adding overhead costs. In this post, we’ll explore how EWA helps solve key workforce challenges and why small businesses are increasingly using on-demand pay as a strategic edge. The Hourly Hiring Problem: High Turnover and Low Loyalty Let’s start with the facts: Hourly jobs have the highest turnover rates in the workforce—often exceeding 100% annually in industries like hospitality and retail. The cost of replacing an hourly worker can range from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on training, lost productivity, and hiring efforts. Many employees cite pay timing and financial stress as reasons for quitting—even if they like the job. For small business owners, this means that every missed shift or resignation is a blow to team morale and bottom-line performance. Why Traditional Pay Cycles No Longer Work The standard two-week pay cycle was designed for a different era—one where most workers had... - Categories: Payroll Taxes Thanks to new developments in automation, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, a revolution is underway in how large employers handle payroll tax management. Learn more now. From the advent of AI to recent updates to payroll tax software, technology is rapidly transforming how businesses operate. As a large corporation, your ability to harness this technology can significantly impact your payroll tax efficiency. With all of the differences among federal, state, and local tax systems, this type of technology is integral for navigating a web of varying payroll tax requirements. Learn more about how payroll tax management (PTM) tools can affect your company’s efficiency and profitability. What Are Common Pitfalls with Traditional Payroll Tax Management? When you run a large corporation, managing payroll taxes often involves some common pain points. Time Costs: Managing the wages, taxes, and withholdings of every employee can eat up many labor hours. Compliance Across Jurisdictions: International, federal, state, and local tax codes are constantly changing. Keeping up with these new rules can be challenging. Human Errors: Any employee-entered data can contain human errors, leading to potential penalties and costly mistakes. Limited Analytics: Traditional payroll systems have limited reporting and analytics features, leaving your team blind to the costs and benefits of major changes that impact payroll taxes. Employee Disputes: On an organizational level, workplaces can end up devoting significant resources to handling employee disputes, payroll issues, and questions. Cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics, automated payroll tax calculations, and state-of-the-art technologies can alleviate these pain points and help you achieve more efficient payroll tax management. How Payroll Tax Management Technology Benefits Your Business Rather than rely on outdated software programs or manual entry, your... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management A mid-year HR compliance review allows growing businesses to proactively identify gaps and make necessary adjustments before year-end audits or unplanned inspections As your business grows, so do your compliance responsibilities. Managing human resources in a constantly shifting legal landscape requires more than just good intentions—it demands timely reviews, updated practices, and proactive planning. One of the smartest steps your business can take right now? Conducting a mid-year HR compliance check. More than a box-checking exercise, a mid-year review is a strategic opportunity to assess your risk, reinforce your processes, and ensure your HR practices are aligned with current laws and regulations. It’s also the perfect time to evaluate your internal performance management practices—whether you're implementing a formal performance review process for the first time or checking in on mid-year goals. Below, we’ll walk through the key benefits of conducting a mid-year HR compliance review and how outsourcing this task can save your team time, stress, and potential legal trouble. Why Schedule a Mid-Year HR Compliance Review? 1. Stay Ahead of Regulatory Updates Employment laws, wage rules, and payroll tax regulations can change at the federal, state, and even local levels—and they often do so mid-year. If you’re not keeping up, you may already be out of compliance without realizing it. A mid-year check gives your business the chance to proactively adjust HR practices based on new mandates or interpretations. 2. Prepare for Year-End Audits Now Waiting until the end of the year to uncover compliance issues can lead to costly mistakes and last-minute scrambles. A mid-year review gives you time to fix problems before they snowball. Whether it’s an internal audit... - Categories: Employee Onboarding Better onboarding increases employee engagement and retention. Discover the four phases of onboarding and the best tips for boosting your employees’ experience. Whether you are hiring remote workers or need to train new hires at a factory, your onboarding process will determine how successful your employees are in their future roles. At its heart, the onboarding process goes through four essential phases. By carefully designing the entire program, you can effectively boost your employee retention rates, worker confidence, team communication, and engagement levels. Why Is High-Quality Onboarding Important? Each employee has a life cycle at your company. This life cycle begins with attracting and onboarding new hires before transitioning through their initial development, ongoing development, retention, and separation. Through a well-designed onboarding program, you can help your organization enjoy a few important benefits. Increase Employee Satisfaction When workers experience a good onboarding process, they are 2. 3 times more likely to say their job is at least as good as they expected it to be. A solid onboarding process introduces new hires to your company’s mission, vision, and values. It helps them feel like they fit in and are a part of the team, erasing some of their new job jitters. Improve Productivity High-quality onboarding processes set workers up for success and help them tackle their job duties sooner. In fact, 49% of workers who went through an effective onboarding process were able to contribute to their teams in just the first week of work. During onboarding, employees learn what their job duties are, which key personnel they can turn to for questions, and the major expectations they are required to meet.... - Categories: Payroll Taxes, Tax Articles Large corporations are bound by many different payroll compliance and tax rules. To prevent expensive penalties, learn more about the most common payroll tax mistakes to watch out for. As a major employer, you can’t afford to make costly payroll mistakes. A single tax filing error can result in IRS penalties, costly audits, and countless hours spent trying to fix the problem. It can also lead to employee dissatisfaction and frustration because your workers expect to be paid properly. By learning about the most frequent payroll tax mistakes employers make, you can be proactive and prevent these common pitfalls. Top 7 Payroll Tax Mistakes Large Employers Make Each year, employers spend an estimated $119 billion trying to comply with corporate income tax returns. Depreciation schedules and quarterly tax schedules entail an additional $70 billion in costs every year. American companies already spend a significant amount on their annual and quarterly tax compliance. Unfortunately, your compliance costs can quickly snowball if you make a few common payroll tax mistakes. The cost of dealing with audits, paying penalties, and fixing mistakes can eat into your bottom line, which is why prevention is so important. 1. Making Data-Entry Errors Entering payroll data by hand increases the odds of data-entry mistakes. For example, a single Form I-9 mistake can cost $216 to $2,226 per mistake. Prevention Technique: Double-Check Everything When adding new information, you should always double-check what gets entered into the system. Ideally, you should invest in automated systems and integrated software. By doing this, you can ensure that you’re only entering data once, limiting the possibility of new data-entry mistakes. 2. Forgetting To File Obligatory Tax Forms As a big business,... - Categories: Compliance, Employee management, Payroll Many states have specific legal regulations about when and how to give a former employee their final paycheck. Read on to find out if your payroll practices are in compliance. Whether your employee quits or you have to let them go, you are legally obligated to give them a final paycheck. However, the termination paycheck rules vary from one state to another. While some states require you to issue a paycheck as soon as you discharge the employee, others states give you a few weeks to pay your former workers. Because there can be penalties involved in non-payment or late payment, it’s important to learn as much as you can about state-by-state final paycheck laws. What Are the Federal Termination Pay Rules? While the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) details many wage-and-hour rules, it does not specifically say when an employee must be given their final paycheck. On a federal level, the United States simply requires workers to be paid on their regular pay dates for the hours worked. What Are the State-by-State Termination Pay Rules for Final Paychecks? Although the federal government doesn’t have special final termination paycheck laws, many states do. For example, California generally requires employers to provide workers with their final paycheck at the time they are fired or laid off. In New York, employers just have to pay terminated employees on or before the scheduled payday. To see what the basic termination pay requirements are for your area, find your state on the list below. Final Wages Deadline If They Are Terminated Final Wages Deadline If They Quit Alabama None. None. Alaska 3 working days after their termination day. The next payday that’s at least... - Categories: Payroll Taxes A single payroll mistake can end up costing your company significantly. Learn more about the top payroll tax errors and how to prevent them at your corporation. In a typical year, the federal government brings in around $1. 3 trillion in payroll taxes. These taxes make up 32. 5% of federal revenue. As a corporation, you play a key role in making sure these funds reach the federal government throughout the year. Unfortunately, calculating and withholding payroll taxes isn’t always easy. If you make one of the most common payroll tax errors, it can end up costing your business significantly. Read on to learn more about the most common mistakes, how these errors cost your business, and what you can do to prevent them. How Can Payroll Tax Errors Cost Your Business? State, local, and federal laws are constantly evolving, which makes staying on top of payroll compliance especially challenging for businesses. If you miss a regulatory update, it can result in penalties, increased labor costs, and potential audits. By avoiding the most frequent payroll tax errors, you can prevent the following consequences. Penalties and Interest The IRS, federal agencies, the state government, and local municipalities can charge penalties for filing late or paying the wrong tax amount. Additionally, if you haven’t paid your payroll taxes on time, you may be charged interest for making late payments. You can get fines for not paying FICA taxes or be charged a percentage of the misclassified employee’s wages. If you don’t submit important tax forms, you may also be penalized. Back Employment Taxes Once you realize that your payroll taxes weren’t calculated or submitted properly, you’ll have to pay... - Categories: Benefits By ensuring the proper management of your employee benefits, you can boost your employee satisfaction levels and make sure your team gets the support they deserve. Today, one out of six employees reports staying in their current position entirely for their health benefits. This trend is particularly pronounced among workers who earn $48,000. For employers, this type of statistic demonstrates an important point. Workers want benefits, and they prefer working for employers who have them. By selecting the right benefits and improving your approach to benefits administration, you can achieve a happier workforce, better retention, and improved talent acquisition. What Is Benefit Plan Administration? At its heart, benefit plan administration refers to the way you manage and organize your company’s benefits. Often, this is done by a part of your HR department or outsourced to another company. One of the most important parts of your employee benefits administration is finding the right benefits and making sure that employees get the benefits they deserve. According to one survey, around 85% of employees don’t understand their benefits. It’s the job of the benefits administrator to make sure employees are educated about their options and set up to get exactly what they need. An employee doesn’t understand the nuances of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) or that the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) can even cover former spouses. It is up to the benefits administrator to know what these laws are, when the employee is eligible for benefits, and the best way to help each worker. Employees Benefits Administration 101: Types of Benefits Administration When setting up your employee benefits, you first need to... - Categories: Benefits If you’re looking for ways to increase employee retention and spend less, improving your benefits management processes can help. With simplified, streamlined processes, you can quickly boost employee satisfaction and lower your turnover. With the employment rate hovering around 4. 2%, finding skilled workers can be a challenge. By offering better benefits, you can entice new hires, reward current workers, and raise your retention rates. However, for your benefits to be successful, you need the right approach to managing them. Through better benefits management, you can reduce costs and boost your overall productivity. What Is Benefits Management? At its heart, benefits management involves all of the processes involved in giving your employees their benefits. It includes all of the ways you design, select, implement, educate, and administer your employees’ benefits throughout each employee’s lifecycle. Selection of Benefits: First, you have to determine your budget. Then, you can compare your company’s budget to the list of desired benefits and decide which ones you can implement. Program Design: Afterward, your company can pick benefits providers and design the details of the plan. Researching different benefits providers can be confusing, which is why many companies use a benefit services provider for choosing and managing their employee benefits. Implementation: Once you’ve figured out the benefits your company needs, it’s time to set up the different plans and put them into action. Ideally, you should find a single platform or software provider, so you can set up and access all of the plan-related information and forms from one location. Employee Education: Even if you offer the best benefits in the world, it won’t help if the employees don’t know how to sign up and use them. In addition... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management, Human Resources Each state has different overtime laws. To ensure your company is compliant as you expand into new regions, brush up on the overtime laws in each state. No matter which state you are in, you must follow federal overtime laws. However, many states have overtime regulations that are stricter than the federal rules. Because there are costly penalties for violating these regulations, it’s important to become aware of the overtime laws in each state before you conduct business in a new area. To learn more about what to expect, read on. What Is the Federal Overtime Law? Federally, overtime is regulated through the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employees who are covered by the FLSA must receive time and a half once they have worked 40 hours in a workweek. This workweek must be a set time period of 168 hours. There are specific exemptions under the FLSA for executive, administrative, professional, and highly compensated workers. However, there are strict rules about which workers are classified in this group, so it’s a good idea to talk to an HR company or employee company about whether your workers are exempt or nonexempt. What Are the Overtime Laws in Each State in 2025? While some states stick to the federal overtime law, other states have more detailed overtime requirements for employers. The following list includes a general overview of what state-by-state overtime rules look like. However, it’s important to keep in mind that each state’s laws are generally more nuanced than this overview. Because of this, it’s a good idea to consult with one of our HR experts or an employment lawyer to learn more about what to expect... - Categories: Benefits If you want to attract top talent in today’s marketplace, you’ll need the best employee benefits. Learn more about the most popular benefits and easy benefits administration techniques now. From achieving a positive work-life balance to getting high-quality healthcare, there are many potential benefits workers look for when they’re searching for a job. As an employer, offering these benefits helps you stand out to potential applicants. It can also boost your retention rate and employee satisfaction. While offering benefits can sound daunting to new businesses, it doesn’t have to be. Once you know the type of employee benefits you want to provide, the next step is finding the right provider and incorporating them into your workplace. With a thoughtful approach, you can maximize the return on your investment and ensure your workers get the employee benefits plan they need. Types of Employee Benefits Once you have a general budget in mind, you can start figuring out which benefits make sense for your company. Some benefits, like health insurance or workers’ comp, may already be a requirement for your business size or location. For the non-required benefits, it pays to be strategic. You need to figure out what your ideal employee is looking for and do your best to offer it. The following list includes some of the most popular benefits plans. Health and Wellness Health and wellness benefits are one of the most common options. This benefits type includes everything from health insurance to Fitbits. Typically, health insurance includes medical, dental, and vision insurance. In total, 67% of employees report that health insurance is the most important benefit. Wellness programs can run the gamut from mental health therapy to... - Categories: Benefits As a small business, your employee benefits administration could end up saving you a significant amount of time and money. Learn more about the advantages of smarter benefits administration. When you run a business, you can’t afford to waste your labor and software spending on unproductive activities. Smarter benefits administration can reduce how much you spend setting up and administering benefits programs at your company. Through benefits software and outsourced administration, you can get better results with less effort. How Smarter Benefits Administration Saves You Time and Money Depending on the benefits involved, there can be many different regulations that apply. If you wanted to handle these requirements on your own, you would need a dedicated HR team member worker to stay on top of compliance updates and record keeping. Navigating paperwork, storing documents, and reading up on new regulatory changes would be time-consuming for someone to do, and it’d cost you extra money to train someone to manage this regulatory busywork. By developing smarter benefits administration, such as using software and outsourced solutions, you can spend less time and money on providing top-notch benefits to your workers. 1. Avoid Errors Every time an employee has to enter information by hand, it increases the risk of an error. One advantage of using a digital benefits platform is that information only has to be entered once. For example, once Asure Software has an employee’s health insurance information, that data doesn’t have to be reentered when it’s used to set up a prepaid FSA card. A benefits platform gives you a central repository of information, preventing redundancies and human mistakes. On a basic level, having fewer errors simply makes life easier.... - Categories: Company Culture, Compliance, Employee management, Payroll & Taxes Discover how Asure’s outsourced HR consultants helped a business owner boost their company’s value, ensure compliance, and achieve a smooth, successful sale. Selling a business is a major milestone—and often, it’s the behind-the-scenes work that makes or breaks a deal. One savvy business owner knew this and brought in an outsourced HR Consultant from Asure to help ensure a smooth, compliant, and attractive transition for potential buyers. Here’s how expert HR support helped drive a higher valuation and a seamless sale. Building a Strong Compliance Foundation The first step? Cleaning up and strengthening HR compliance. The Asure HR Consultant conducted a full audit of the company’s HR practices and documentation, drawing on deep expertise in federal, state, and local labor laws. They quickly identified compliance gaps and put corrective measures in place, including: Updating employee handbooks and workplace policies to reflect current regulations Reviewing and revising job descriptions, contracts, and compensation benchmarks Conducting exit and entrance interviews to document employment practices Providing ongoing compliance updates and management training By addressing potential risks upfront, the consultant minimized the chance of costly fines or legal disputes—both of which can be red flags for prospective buyers. Instead, the business could present clean, well-documented HR records, positioning it as a safer, smarter investment. Guiding Employees Through Change Employee morale can make or break a business sale. Knowing this, the Asure consultant worked closely with leadership to create a transparent communication plan that kept the team informed and engaged throughout the transition. This included: Advising on the timing and messaging for announcing the sale to staff Coaching managers on how to answer tough questions about job security... - Categories: Company Culture, Employee management, Employee Retention, HR Management, Payroll & Taxes Mentoring can deliver major benefits if your program is set up properly. To find out the best practices for your mentoring program, read on. Is your small business actively mentoring new hires and freshly promoted workers? If not, you could be missing out on an important employee development tool. By adopting mentorship programs in the workplace, you can welcome new mentees, provide useful feedback, and help them advance in their careers. Plus, mentorship programs for adults provide major benefits for mentors as well. In one five-year study by Sun Microsystems, 28% of mentors were given a raise. However, only 5% of control workers achieved the same pay increase. By helping other employees as a mentor, mentors were also able to help themselves. How To Create a Mentorship Program at Work For an effective mentorship program structure, you can’t simply partner up a mentor pair and send them off. You need to train mentors, set up program goals, and determine the needs of each worker. Additionally, you’ll need to think of which surveys and techniques you need to evaluate your program’s effectiveness. Design Your Program Template First, you need to design the workplace mentorship program template you will use. Besides figuring out who will be a mentor and how to train mentors, you’ll also need to determine the length and style of mentoring. For instance, an essential decision is whether you require situational mentoring or career mentoring. While situational mentoring focuses on a single goal or need, career mentoring extends over a longer time span and generally focuses on career advancement and the corporate ladder. Determine the Right Participants One key to having a successful... - Categories: Compliance, Employee management, HR Management, Human Resources I-9s are a legal requirement for all American businesses. By working with an HR provider, you can navigate your I-9 requirements and ensure you’re in compliance. Through employment eligibility verification forms, you can ensure your company is legally compliant and make accurate hiring decisions. While every business is required to complete Form I-9 for each worker, how it is used and turned in can vary. Some states have restrictions on using E-Verify, so it’s important to work with a professional HR company to determine the best way to fulfill your company’s legal obligations. What Is Employment Eligibility Verification? Employment eligibility verification is the process where you determine if an employee is eligible to be hired in the United States. This is done by filling out an I-9 form. While this form is free to fill out, it is important to make sure you have completed it correctly. If a single line is forgotten or incorrect, it can lead to stiff penalties. Intentional errors or a track record of hiring unauthorized workers can lead to more significant penalties. Form I-9 was first created through the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). From November 6, 1986 onward, all employees had to fill out an I-9 form when they were hired. If this form is not fully filled out within the first three days of the worker’s employment, the employer can end up getting penalized. Who Must File Form I-9? All business owners who hire workers in the United States must fill out Form I-9 for each employee. Before the employee can even start work, they must complete section 1. Then, the employer must finish the second... - Categories: 401k While CalSavers offers a convenient way to help employees invest in their retirement, there are some drawbacks to this program as well. Find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of using CalSavers at your company. In California, any business with five or more employees must offer a retirement plan. On December 31, 2025, this will change to any business that has at least one worker. If your company doesn’t have an existing retirement plan, California has set up CalSavers as an alternative option. Before you sign your workers up for this plan, it’s important to take a moment to consider all of the benefits and drawbacks of using CalSavers. How CalSavers Works CalSavers is California’s retirement plan for businesses that don’t already have their own retirement plan in place. It is a Roth individual retirement account (IRA), so contributions are made using post-tax dollars. For employees, it was designed to reduce the coverage gap and give workers more ways to save for retirement. Meanwhile, employers can benefit from having an easy, cost-effective way to comply with California’s retirement plan requirement. Once CalSavers is set up, workers are automatically signed up with a 5% contribution rate. CalSavers includes a 1% auto-escalation, with a maximum contribution rate of 8%. If workers don’t want to make contributions, they must opt-out within 30 days of their hiring or eligibility date. When Are You Required To Offer CalSavers to Your Employees? Employers are required to offer CalSavers or an alternative retirement plan after they have at least five employees. Starting at the end of 2025, employers will need to provide some type of retirement plan as soon as they have just one employee. However, employers aren’t specifically required to offer... - Categories: Employee management, Employee Retention Engagement, communication, and interpersonal connections can be challenging to foster among remote workers, making it harder for small businesses to improve retention rates and employee satisfaction. While offering remote work is attractive to employees, it carries its own unique challenges as well. With in-person workers, you can easily demonstrate employee recognition, provide training, support career development, and increase engagement. To boost remote retention rates, you need to be more deliberate about the type of programs, culture, and support you develop at your company. How Does Remote Work Affect Employee Retention? In one research study from Stanford University, hybrid work clearly improved job satisfaction and retention rates. At the same time, it had no negative impact on the employee’s performance reviews. A different study from China found similar results, with remote work improving retention rates and job satisfaction by a third. Many employees want to work remotely because of the lower commute time, easier childcare experience, and overall convenience. Unsurprisingly, this leads to better retention rates for companies. In turn, the improved retention rates help companies spend less on talent acquisition and onboarding. Although remote work can naturally lead to better retention rates, there are still ways you can improve retention even more. Traditional methods, like providing raises or giving employee recognition, are equally effective in a remote environment, but you must be thoughtful and deliberate about how you put these techniques into practice. What Are the Challenges of Remote Work for Employee Retention? Employers and employees often experience a few common challenges when they work remotely. Employee Burnout: When you are working from home, it’s much easier to work late. Many employees struggle to separate their... - Categories: Hiring While it is unlikely that AI will end up supplanting human workers on a broad scale in the near future, it has the capacity to reshape day-to-day activities in workplaces throughout the world. Your HR department can save time and become more effective at reaching out to potential applicants by using AI to support job postings. However, it’s important to remember that AI also carries limitations as well. By using a few best practices, you can ensure your job postings are legally compliant and relevant to the open position. For the best results, consider investing in an HR-specific AI tool that can create customized, compliant job postings for all of your hiring needs. How You Can Use AI for Your Job Posts AI is pervasive in modern life. It can be found in chatbots, fitness devices, and product recommendations. Currently, 27% of Americans report using AI multiple times a day. An additional 28% of Americans use AI at least once a day. HR professionals can use AI to significantly improve their ability to create job posts and attract new candidates. To ensure a seamless AI integration, use the following tips and best practices. Create a Specific Prompt The type of writing prompt you create will greatly determine the response you receive. A generic prompt will likely lead to a generic, run-of-the-mill job post. Instead, you should focus on creating a prompt that clearly says what type of job posting it is. You may want to clarify job tasks, add a... - Categories: ACA After the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in 2010, it quickly transformed the insurance requirements companies had to meet. Because of ACA requirements for employers, medium and large organizations are now required to offer health insurance. In addition, many small businesses are held to these ACA compliance requirements as well. If you must comply with this law, there are certain ACA filing requirements and eligibility rules you should know about. With payroll ACA services, you can get a head start on meeting all of your regulatory obligations. The Basic ACA Filing Requirements Each workplace must comply with ACA requirements for employers if they are considered an applicable large employer. These ACA filing requirements involve forms for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and internal ACA tracking. You should also use some type of calendar or agenda system to track when all of your forms and calculations must be carried out. 1095-C Forms for Applicable Employees and the IRS Form 1095-C is one of the two key ACA requirements for employers. In addition to giving a Form 1095-C for each employee to the IRS, you are also required to send Form 1095-C to your employees as well. On the employee side, this form is used to determine their eligibility for ACA tax credits. 1094-C Forms for the IRS Another one of the most important ACA compliance requirements is Form 1094-C. This form is essentially a summary of Form 1095-C, and it is only sent to the IRS. The due dates vary... - Categories: Hiring, HR Management Mobile job applications can transform the way you hire and recruit new workers. Learn more about the best practices and major benefits of this important tool. Today, there are more than 4. 6 billion smartphone users on the planet. Considering the world has a population of 8 billion, this means that a majority of adults have a smartphone. As a small business, the prevalence of mobile devices matters because it impacts how you market products, handle onboarding, and accept job applications. According to the recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 0. 9 job seekers for every open job. To compete in this type of job market as an employer you need to do more than edit your job posting and update your benefits. You need to make applying for a job at your company easier, so more prospects complete their job applications. Many of your applicants will use mobile devices to submit their job apps, so you need to make your company’s application process as accommodating as possible. Why Mobile Job Applications Are Important for Growing Businesses Today, 28% of all Americans and a whopping half of young adults use smartphones to apply for jobs. This means paper applications are simply not going to cut it if you want to access a broad pool of talented workers. You also need to go beyond a basic application on your website. If your job applications aren’t available in a mobile-friendly format, you’re going to miss out on potential applicants. By adopting a mobile-friendly job application, you can reach more people. It improves the candidate experience and gives them a positive first impression of your... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management A wage audit is a chance to review your pay practices, so you can ensure equitable, competitive salaries for every position. Learn more about how to audit your company's wage practices. With a wage-and-hour audit, you can ensure your company is in legal compliance. During a full wage-and-hour audit, you’ll look at your company’s employee classifications, overtime pay, minimum wage, and compliance history. While the U. S. Department of Labor handles external wage-and-hour audits, it’s a good idea to conduct internal audits to prevent and remedy compliance issues. What Is a Wage-and-Hour Audit? A wage-and-hour audit is an opportunity for your company to make sure it's in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage-and-hour laws. During the audit, you should use the following wage-and-hour checklist to make sure your company is in compliance. Any hours worked are accurately tracked and compensated. Employees are paid a minimum wage. Workers are correctly classified as overtime exempt or nonexempt based on their job description. All nonexempt employees are paid for the overtime hours that they work. Tax withholdings are calculated correctly. Child labor laws are followed appropriately. All required employee notices are appropriately displayed. Employment records are properly stored and maintained. During your internal audit, you may also want to do a compensation study. Besides checking to see if your compensation is comparable to other companies, you need to ensure that all of your workers are paid similarly if they have comparable roles, tenure, and talent. Do I Need a Wage-and-Hour Audit? There is no legal requirement to conduct a wage-and-hour audit. However, compliance becomes harder as your small business grows, making audits more important. Once you have 50 to... - Categories: HR Management Exit interviews are a powerful tool for successful businesses. To make the most of these interviews, you need the most effective questions possible. If you want to retain top talent, you need to implement exit interviews. In an exit interview, you can collect valuable data about why workers are leaving your company. Then, you can use this information to improve your company’s retention rates, productivity, and employee morale. By finding the right questions to ask during exit interviews, you can support your company’s long-term growth and productivity. What Is an Exit Interview? An exit interview is a candid conversation between your small business and someone who is about to leave your business. Typically, this conversation occurs with someone in your HR department. During this discussion, the HR staff member will have a standardized list of questions to ask. Later, they can compile answers and look for commonalities from different exit interviews. Why Are Exit Interviews Important? Recently, Mary Simmons, Asure’s vice president of HR compliance, spoke in the Mission to Grow episode on “HR Roadmap for Growth Series - Getting Serious About Compliance” (WATCH PODCAST) about the importance of collecting and using data at organizations for major HR functions. ”We utilize a tool so that we can collate that data, go back to the employer, and say, ‘Look, everybody's leaving because they don't like XYZ manager. We need to do management training or executive coaching with that manager. ’” Employees may leave because they want a higher salary, dislike the company culture, or struggle to work with a particular manager. Exit interviews allow you to spot patterns in why employees leave. By asking... - Categories: Compliance FEDERAL UPDATES OFCCP Workforce Reduction – Reports of a memorandum from OFCCP’s acting director suggest that the agency will lay off 90% of its workforce and reduce its offices from 55 to 4. It intends to retain a limited number of staff to review contractors for compliance with VEVRAA and Rehabilitation Act (disabilities) affirmative action plans. FTC – Protecting Competition in Labor Markets. The Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission announced a new “Joint Labor Task Force” that indicates a shift toward protecting competition in labor markets in addition to its usual focus on consumer protection. He specifically called out no-poach, non-solicitation, no-hire, and wage-fixing agreements, non-competes that impose “unnecessary, onerous, and often lengthy restrictions”, unjustified fees for terminating a contract, deceptive job advertising or job scams, “collusion or unlawful coordination on DEI metrics” that exclude certain individuals from job markets or training schools, and other similar practices. The Task Force is charged with coordinating activities across several bureaus and prioritizing the “investigation and prosecution” of these types of unfair labor practices. OSHA – Moving from COVID-19 to Infectious Disease Standard for Health Care. OSHA has terminated its rulemaking for a COVID-19 standard and instead will focus on rulemaking and a broader infectious disease standard for health care. It issued a memorandum stating that it will no longer enforce COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting requirements, and will instead prioritize a new, more comprehensive standard. ACA Forms 1095-B and 1095-C – The IRS issued guidance for employers taking advantage of the new... - Categories: Compliance From wage requirements to recording expectations, there are a few employer obligations you will need to fulfill for your tipped employees. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), there are specific requirements for minimum wages and overtime. As an employer, you must pay tipped workers a minimum wage. Because of the nature of tips, you also have special obligations when it comes to recordkeeping. If you correctly record tips and withhold taxes throughout the year, you can get some of your FICA payments back through a FICA tax credit. How Much Do Employers Have To Pay Tipped Workers? Tipped employees are unique because they don’t have to be paid the same federal minimum wage as everyone else. However, there are specific situations where you may need to pay workers more. Additionally, there are other overtime and state-based rules that may apply. The Federal Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers The FLSA requires you to pay your tipped workers at least $2. 13 per hour. However, this is only applicable if the employee brings in enough tips. They legally must earn the federal minimum wage of $5. 15 from tips and wages combined. If they don’t make enough tips to reach this level, you must pay the difference. It’s important to remember that the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $5. 15 and not $7. 25 per hour. While the overall minimum wage has increased over the years, the federal minimum for tipping has not. Overtime for Tipped Workers Like other employees, tipped workers must be paid overtime wages. Unlike the standard minimum wage, you cannot simply multiply $2. 13 by 1.... - Categories: Compliance While small businesses can hire independent contractors and employees, it’s essential to classify these two groups of workers with care to avoid audits and penalties. How you classify your workers will make a major difference in the employment taxes you pay and your company’s obligations to the worker. While employees must be paid overtime and given employment-related benefits, independent contractors do not. Because there are significant penalties and fines for misclassifying employees, it’s a good idea to consult with an employment lawyer and exercise caution about how you’re classifying your workers. What Is the Difference Between Independent Contractors and Employees? An independent contractor may be another business, person, or corporation that you hire to perform a service. When the independent contractor is an individual, they are considered self-employed. As such, they are responsible for their own employment taxes, health care, sick leave, and other employment benefits. Employers have more obligations for an employee than an independent contractor, which is why some companies try to aggressively classify workers as independent contractors. However, this can lead to penalties, fines, and back taxes. To avoid unwanted surprises in the future, employers need to correctly classify workers when they hire them. What Is an Employee? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) includes specific rules about paying overtime and a minimum wage to your employees. All employees must receive FLSA protections. Additionally, there are many state, federal, and municipal laws that apply to employees. Someone is an employee if you have control over when and how they work. Traditionally, this is often someone who is scheduled to come into the office at a certain time each day. However, a remote... - Categories: HR Services As your small business grows, an outsourced HR provider can help you scale effortlessly and ensure your legal compliance. Learn what to look for in an HR company. For small businesses, it can be challenging to achieve the same level of HR, payroll, and business management services as a larger company. Fortunately, outsourced HR services can help you reach the same quality of results for a fraction of the cost. To ensure your company enjoys the best HR outcomes possible, you need to select the best HR provider for your unique needs. How To Choose the Right HR Provider In order to find the best HR provider, you first need to understand what your company needs. Then, you should compare some of the providers in your price range to see if they have the services you’re looking for. You’ll also need to consider other factors, such as the provider’s experience and software integrations. Figure Out What You Need First, you should determine what types of services you may need. For example, you may need help training your managers on which interview questions they’re allowed to ask. Alternatively, you may want someone to review your job listings and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) classifications to ensure your company is legally compliant. When it comes to HR, it’s hard to know what you don’t know. There are so many different national, state, and municipal laws that it’s almost impossible for an average person to understand and navigate all of them. Because of this, it’s a good idea to get a professional HR consultation and assessment to determine where there are gaps in your processes. Then, you can create a concise... - Categories: Time Tracking As a small business, you can enjoy a few important benefits from time-tracking apps. From payroll integrations to time fraud prevention, learn more about this business technology If your small business doesn’t already use time-tracking and attendance software, you could be missing out. Time-tracking apps can enhance your time-keeping accuracy and make your workplace more efficient. Many payroll functions legally must be recorded and tracked, so the right software can make your compliance process much easier. The Top 10 Benefits of Using Time-Tracking Apps for Small Businesses While each time-tracking and attendance software is a little different, they can generally handle the following tasks. The start and end of shifts Breaks and lunches Tasks and productivity management Days requested off Exception reporting Streamlined time-off approvals In the long run, time-tracking software can save your company a significant amount of money. Buddy punching costs American workplaces $375 million per year, and it affects up to 20% of workers. Besides preventing timecard fraud, time-tracking apps can also boost your company’s productivity. It gives you better oversight of tasks and productivity in each department, so you can quickly modify how you deploy labor. From better progress tracking to improved morale, time-tracking software can benefit your company in a few important ways. 1. Better Compliance With time-tracking apps, you can easily see if employees are getting close to overtime or need to take a break. This type of oversight is especially important if you hire minors. Department of Labor (DOL) fines have added up to over $1 million for violating overtime regulations, so better compliance tools can potentially save your company a significant amount of money in the long run. 2.... - Categories: Payroll & Taxes Through the FICA tip credit, you may be able to reduce the amount your small business pays in taxes. Learn more information about how this important tax credit works. As a small business, you need all of the tax breaks you can get to boost your bottom line. If you’re a company that hires tipped workers, you may be able to spend less on your taxes by taking advantage of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tip credit. However, there are a few important rules about which FICA payments are eligible, so it’s a good idea to consult with your accountant or payroll expert before claiming this credit. What Is the FICA Tip Credit? Normally, employers pay a 7. 65% FICA tax on their employees’ wages. Out of this amount, 6. 2% is for Social Security taxes, and 1. 45% is for Medicare taxes. On top of the normal FICA taxes on wages, you are also expected to pay FICA taxes on the employee’s tips. Any worker who earns at least $20 in tips a month must report their tip earnings to their employer. Even though you don’t have control over how much the employee may make in tips, you are obligated to submit 7. 65% in FICA taxes to the government as their employer. Similarly, you must withhold 7. 65% of the employee’s paycheck to send in for employee FICA taxes. Originally, the FICA tip credit was enacted in 1993 with the goal of increasing income and employment tax compliance. With this objective in mind, it was intentionally designed to be a generous credit for employers. While you can’t get a credit for taxes paid on the first... - Categories: Benefits, Company Culture, Payroll & Taxes When your business reaches 15 to 50 employees, you have to be strategic about competing against other organizations for workers. While you may not be able to afford high-end pay, there are still many different benefits you can use to attract workers to your company. Often, small businesses don’t realize all of the existing advantages they already have, like a family-friendly environment or flexible schedules. By clarifying and communicating the things that make you unique, you can attract a better quality of talent. Cost-Effective Benefits for Small Businesses That Won’t Break the Bank From pet insurance to professional development opportunities, there are a number of cost-effective benefits your small business can use to compete with major corporations for top talent. Pet Insurance Considering the cost of medical care for pets, it’s unsurprising that pet insurance is one of the up-and-coming voluntary benefits for small businesses. 97% of pet owners say their pet is a part of their family. Top companies, like Nestle, are already starting to offer pet insurance as a part of this trend. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) An HSA allows workers to set aside money for qualified medical expenses. It is typically contributed to by the employer and the employee. These plans are offered in conjunction with a high-deductible health plan. Employees tend to like HSAs and FSAs because they’re a tax-free way to cover medical costs and prescriptions. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) An FSA is similar to an HSA, but it is owned entirely by the employer.... - Categories: HR Management, Human Resources When you have just 16 to 50 employees, the types of policies and procedures you adopt can determine what your company’s future growth looks like. At this stage in your company’s development, you need to revamp HR practices like background checks. As a small business, you can’t afford the reputational damage, labor cost, and morale impact that occurs when you hire unethical, poorly performing employees. The Best Practices for Incorporating Background Checks Into Your Small Business During a recent Mission to Grow panel discussion on “HR Roadmap for Growth Series: What are HR Priorities for 16-49 Employees,” Chris Cooley, principal at MyHRScreens, discussed what it’s like for small businesses as they reach this stage in their business growth. “We’ve got more revenue, more buzz, and more risk from the employees that you’re hiring. “It’s really important to do your background checks so that one: You’re protecting your business so that you don’t have employees out there who are doing things they shouldn’t. We don’t want them to go to the client’s location to steal or anything. Two: You’re protecting your employees because you don’t want a violent offender on-site. You don’t want to deal with that. And three: It’s really insurance into making sure that you’re protecting your company from those situations,” says Cooley. With a background check, you protect your employees, clients, and business from the risk of having violent offenders at your company. By ensuring your small business hires dependable workers, you can also achieve better employee morale... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management, Performance Management, Small Business The best performance management systems provide employees with a source of continuous growth. Rather than allow their skills to stagnate, performance reviews, feedback, mentoring, and other techniques can help workers grow and develop in their career fields. More importantly, good performance management can ensure the worker’s goals align with your organization’s mission. By learning the best practices for managing team and individual performance in the workplace, you can set your small business up for success. The Benefits of Performance Management Once your workplace reaches 16 to 50 employees, it is time to start thinking about your performance management system. At this stage, the founder can no longer have one-on-one training sessions with each employee. You have to create a systematic way to manage your employees' performance. With the right performance management approach, you can enjoy a few key benefits. Better Employee Performance: One of the biggest advantages of having a performance management process is the direct impact it has on employee performance. Improved Employee Engagement: Employees want to do well. By providing feedback and words of encouragement, you can help employees do their best. In fact, Gallup has found that well-recognized workers were 45% less likely to switch organizations over the preceding two years. Enhanced Development: By consistently evaluating workers, you can determine the training and development they need to succeed. Besides making your workplace more productive, this development can be one of the benefits you list in job ads. Higher Morale: High-performers generally prefer being around other high-performers. By... - Categories: Compliance, Hiring, HR Management, HRIS, HRIS, Human Resources, Small Business Once your business hits 15 employees or more, the amount of data you generate becomes harder to manage. Over time, your company will gradually develop additional payroll and HR data that needs to be stored, accessed, and updated. By investing in a human resource information system (HRIS), you can effectively store and manage data from a single location. Thanks to the HRIS’s centralized data system and automated workflows, your organization can become more efficient and productive. What Is an HRIS? With a human resource information system, you can securely store organizational and employee data. This allows you to automate routine HR tasks, improve your compliance, and enjoy an easier onboarding experience. With this stored information, you can manage performance reviews, payroll, training records, and benefits. How Can an HRIS Help With Your Company’s Growth? An HRIS allows you to ensure all of your processes and procedures are carried out consistently. In a recent Mission to Grow panel discussion on “HR Roadmap for Growth Series: What are HR Priorities for 16-49 Employees,” Chris Cooley, principal at MyHRScreens, said, “It goes back to process. We’ve talked about processes a lot–from background systems and HRIS systems, where you can onboard the same way every time. You can have your background checks that are built within that system–that way it’s happening every time. “We’ve got some rather large clients that don’t use HRIS systems for some reason. They have 3,000 clients. So what happens? Things get missed. I-9s aren’t done. E-verify is not done.... - Categories: Compliance Employers should prepare for increased I-9 audits and raids. Employers should prepare for increased I-9 audits and potential ICE raids. During the first Trump administration, audits surged from 3,000 to 6,000 annually in the initial two years, with expectations of 12,000-15,000 before the pandemic slowed efforts. Raids, which resumed in 2018 after a decade-long hiatus, may also be more common in the coming presidential term. To prepare, employers should focus on auditing and organizing their I-9 files, and establishing a response plan in the event of an audit or ICE raid. The audit response time is extremely short – 3 business days – so ensuring that the notice of inspection or subpoena gets to the right person quickly is critical, and having these files separate and organized will make the response go much more smoothly. In addition, ICE has substantial discretion when reviewing files and assessing fines, so full cooperation and delivering an organized and timely response may help minimize any financial impact on the company. Fines are assessed for each “substantive” error and each “technical” error that is not corrected within 10 days. Again, ICE has a lot of discretion and differentiates between substantive and technical errors based on “whether it could have led to hiring an unauthorized alien”. Fine amounts increase every year based on inflation and increases for 2025 were just announced. Examples include: Substantive or uncorrected technical violations: $288 - $2861 “Knowingly” employing (1st): $716 - $5,724 (*includes should have known) “Knowingly” employing (2nd): $5,724 -... - Categories: Compliance FEDERAL UPDATES Federal Contractors +: DEI Programs and Reporting. Last week President Trump issued an Executive Order revoking EO 11246 and many of President Biden’s other orders affecting discrimination (including one that added sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes). EO 11246 has been in effect for 60+ years, prohibits federal contractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, and requires them to take “affirmative action” to provide equal opportunity in employment as well as file affirmative action plans with the OFCCP. President Trump’s new order purports to eliminate “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” allegedly caused by DEI programs and affirmative action. The new EO directs OFCCP to “immediately cease”: Promoting “diversity” Holding Federal contractors and subcontractors responsible for taking “affirmative action” and Allowing or encouraging Federal contractors and subcontractors to engage in workforce balancing based on race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin. Other provisions include adding a section to future federal contracts or subcontracts that require the contractor to (1) agree that compliance with all applicable federal anti-discrimination laws is “material to the government’s payment decisions” for purposes of the False Claims Act and (2) certify that the contractor does not operate any DEI or similar program that violates federal anti-discrimination laws. The DOL Secretary issued an order directing DOL/OFCCP to immediately “cease all investigative and enforcement activity” and to notify anyone with an open review or investigation that it has been closed by... - Categories: Company Culture, Compliance, Employee management, HR Management, Payroll & Taxes, Small Business, Time & Attendance When you’re running a small business, figuring out your payroll process is one of the first things you should do. While some employees might hang around for a few days if you hit a payroll snag, no one works for free. If you want to ensure better employee retention, you need a payroll process that ensures timely, accurate paychecks. The Challenges of Managing Payroll at a Small Business Very few businesses begin with the ambition of creating an amazing payroll system. Often, payroll is an afterthought for new companies, but it should be one of the first things you think about as you plan your company’s future. As a small business, you face a number of unique challenges in setting up your company’s payroll system. Compliance With Regulations: Throughout the year, federal and state governments pass new laws about paid leave, wage garnishments, and other employment topics. When managing payroll, it can be challenging to stay on top of all the latest regulatory changes. Until you’re able to support a full payroll department at your company, the best option is generally to outsource your payroll needs. Accurate Calculations: As a small business, knowing how to calculate payroll wages and tax withholdings can be a challenge. If you calculate these figures incorrectly, it can lead to penalties and fines. With the best payroll system and human resources information system (HIRS), you can get these calculations performed automatically. Manual Data Entry: Anytime you enter data manually, there is a chance of committing... - Categories: ACA, Benefits, Compliance, HR Management, Human Resources, Payroll, Small Business As your small business approaches the 50-employee mark, it’s important to prepare for some of the regulatory changes you will need to face. By preparing for these regulations in advance, you can ensure your company is fully compliant. When in doubt, you can reach out to a professional HR and payroll provider to learn more about your obligations as a small business. The 50-Employee Milestone: Federal Regulations You Need To Be Aware Of While states and municipalities have different rules, there are a few common regulations that employers must follow after they hit 50 employees. Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are some of the important requirements, there are several other regulations you need to be aware of. Affordable Care Act Reporting and Employer Shared Responsibility Provision Under the ACA, employers that have at least 50 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers must offer health insurance that meets a minimum standard. This is known as the employer shared responsibility provision. You are also subjected to ACA reporting rules, which require all applicable large employers (ALEs) to give Form 1095-C to eligible employees each year. ALEs, which are any organization with 50 or more FTEs, must also complete form Form 1094-C. Family Medical Leave Act The FMLA kicks in once you reach at least 50 employees for 20 weeks of the year. These employees must also be located within 75 miles. Under the FMLA, you must let workers take leave for qualified medical and family-related reasons. For... - Categories: Compliance, HR Management, Payroll, Small Business When you only have 1 to 15 workers, managing your small business is easy. The founder generally knows each employee, and they can provide one-on-one training. However, as you grow, you’ll have to make major changes to how you manage HR, payroll, onboarding, and other business practices. There are a few common signs you can look for if you’re struggling to figure out when to expand your business. Top 7 Signs Your Small Business Is Ready To Grow Recently, Mission to Grow delved into the topic of small business growth for businesses with 1 to 15 workers. Mike Vannoy, Asure’s chief marketing officer, discussed some of the things companies have to do as they prepare for ongoing growth. “Make sure that you have the right infrastructure in place for that stage. We also want to make sure that you're controlling costs. You're not overbuilding unnecessarily. There's sequencing to some of the things that you need to do as you make a growth plan for your talent strategy and all the compliance requirements that come with that. ” Before you can prepare for future growth, you have to determine when to expand your business. Your company must be prepared for growth before it tries to increase sales and revenue. Read on to learn the top signs your small business is ready to grow. 1. You Need an Employee Handbook As you grow, it will become harder and harder to remember the answer to each policy question. Early on, you may have... - Categories: Payroll Early on, a company’s founder often handles all aspects of running payroll, hiring employees, and creating business plans. As the small business grows, it’s important to delegate key tasks to outsourced teams, new hires, and software programs. From making sure your employees are paid on time to improving your compliance, there are a range of reasons why payroll software is a good investment for your company. What Does Payroll Software Do? While each payroll company is different, a good payroll provider will often help with the following tasks. Some of these tasks may be handled by the provider, and other tasks may be dealt with by a payroll software program. It all depends on the complexity of the task. However, top payroll software can typically help with the following tasks. Automated Calculations: A good payroll software program will automatically calculate the worker’s pay. Then, the program can calculate and withhold taxes so that you don’t have to worry about it. Easy Payments to Workers: When payday arrives, the payroll software can automatically send out payments. Employee Self-Service Options: Employees can easily access their information and make updates, reducing the amount of administrative work your business has to do. Affordable Care Act (ACA) Reporting: A good payroll provider will handle payroll reporting so that you don’t have to. Record Keeping: Your payroll software can easily store important records, so you can access data whenever you need it. Compliance Updates and Requirements: When you work with a professional payroll provider, you can... - Categories: Leadership, Small Business Growing a business is like building a house. When you have just 1 to 15 workers, you must lay the foundation and build the framework for your future growth. Even if you could simply triple your sales overnight, you wouldn’t have the procedures and talent you need to fulfill those sales. As a small business owner, one of the most important things you can do to attract top talent is convey your mission and values. While employees work in order to get a paycheck, they could earn money anywhere. They choose specific businesses for the culture, benefits, and holistic package that the business offers. By learning how to build and market your employer brand, you can have an easier time reaching out to talented workers. Why Your Mission and Values Matter Your mission, vision, and values statements represent who you are as an organization. Over the years, these statements will serve as your company’s guiding light. By clarifying who you are as a company today, you will take the first step in determining who you will become. From a hiring perspective, conveying your mission and values has a few important benefits. Differentiate Your Company From the Competition When a potential job applicant looks for a job, they’ll see dozens or hundreds of different job postings. If you have a cookie-cutter, generic post, you’ll miss out on talented applicants. Instead, you need to think about what differentiates your company from the competition. For example, some companies have a family-friendly environment or...