A W-4 is an IRS form that an employer uses to gather tax withholding information for an employee. A W-2 is a year-end tax document that’s required by the IRS and used to report an employee’s annual income and taxes. We’ll compare both in detail and walk you through when and how to use each…
35 Small Business Human Resource (HR) Tips From the Pros
A business can’t thrive without reliable staff, so regardless of how small your business is, human resources (HR) will remain a crucial part of your journey to success. If you’re still unsure where to begin with establishing your HR practice, then this article is for you. We’ve asked the experts to give us guidelines on…
Top 25 Employee Recognition & Appreciation Ideas from the Pros
Looking for ways to motivate and reward your employees? Here are our top 25 employee recognition and appreciation ideas gathered from human resources (HR) professionals and small business owners. Many of these employee recognition ideas will put a smile on your employees’ faces without putting a strain on your budget. When employees are recognized for…
The 6 Best Business Coaching Services
Business coaching is a service in which business leaders, often owners or executives, engage in one-on-one dialogue with a business expert or coach to grow their business and improve interpersonal and professional skills. We looked at the most popular business coaching services that covered the range of options for small business, including one-on-one and group…
What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) & How Does it Work?
A flexible spending account (FSA) is a benefit you can offer your employees instead of or in addition to health insurance. It helps them pay for medical and/or dependent care and childcare expenses using pre-tax dollars. FSAs lower your employees’ taxable income at year-end, so they also lower your business’s payroll taxes. is an HR…
What is a Health Savings Account (HSA) & How Does it Work
A health savings account (HSA) is a pre-tax savings vehicle for people who have high deductible health insurance plans (HDHP) and want to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for medical expenses. An HSA reduces employees’ out-of-pocket costs and lowers their year end tax liability. It also reduces employer payroll taxes. In this article, we…
Rest Break & Lunch Break Laws – What Employers Need to Know
It may come as a surprise to know that the US Department of Labor (DOL) does not require employers to offer rest breaks or lunch breaks to employees. However, if offered, the employer must clarify the duration and frequency of break time. In addition, rest breaks are considered paid time, whereas lunch breaks are not….
11 Free Interview Evaluation Forms & Scorecard Templates
An interview evaluation form allows job interviewers to score an applicant’s interview in a consistent way, comparing candidates fairly. Data is then transferred to a scorecard used by HR or the hiring manager to determine which candidate, based on all interviewer feedback, is the best fit for the organization. In this article, we’ll provide you…
Top 15 Employee Discipline Tips from the Pros
When employee behavior does not meet company standards or expectations, it directly affects profitability. There are a number of ways to maintain your employees’ focus and prevent counterproductive behavior, but not all measures work for all businesses. If you feel uncertain on what to do when facing behavioral issues with employees, then this article is…
Sexual Harassment Policy Guide With Free Template
A sexual harassment policy is a document prohibiting both kinds of sexual harassment in the workplace – quid pro quo and hostile work environment. It typically provides examples of prohibited workplace harassment, such as unwanted touching, teasing, or inappropriate jokes, and contains information on how to report a complaint. Please note that this article contains…
Best States for Work Life Balance – Definitive Ranking of All 50 States
As a small business owner, you understand that time is money. Up to a certain extent, the more hours you work, the more revenues you can generate. However, putting too many hours into your business comes at the expense of leisure and sleep. You might make more money, but you could also suffer from the…
How to Offer Commuter Benefits to Get Tax Savings For You & Your Employees
Commuter benefits, also known as transit benefits or transportation benefits, are an employer-provided program that helps employees reduce their monthly commuting expenses. As a pre-tax payroll deduction, transportation benefits can reduce employee income taxes and employer payroll taxes. Commuter benefits span public transit, vanpooling, bicycling, and work-related parking expenses. Commuter benefits laws make them mandatory…