Gusto and Zenefits are online HR software that manage employee data, run payroll, and provide employer-sponsored benefits. Gusto is easier to use and includes payroll and contractor payments in its base price, whereas Zenefits provides payroll as an add-on. However, Zenefits’ HR options like performance management are helpful once you scale beyond your first 100…
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Professional Employer Organization (PEO): Cost, Features & More
A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is a co-employment alternative for small businesses that want to offer human resources (HR), payroll, and employee benefits – similar to what larger companies provide. PEOs charge based on headcount and can run from under a hundred a month per employee to tens of thousands of dollars a year. If…
How to Do Payroll in California in 5 Steps
Businesses in California with one or more employees need to do payroll in compliance with federal, state, and local laws – like paid sick leave and commuter benefits. Due to the potential to incur penalties and fines, the best way to do payroll in California is to outsource it using these five steps. is a…
Variable Pay: Definition, How It Works, Benefits & Providers
Variable pay is a way to compensate employees based on job criteria beyond hours worked—like sales commissions. It can supplement an employee’s base salary (i.e., safety bonus) or form the basis of their pay entirely. However, variable pay requires effort to administer and should be set up to ensure you’re incentivizing the intended behavior. How…
Salary vs. Hourly — Which is Right for Your Small Business
A salaried employee is one that is paid a fixed rate at set intervals for a job whereas an hourly employee is paid by the hour for work performed. There are pros and cons to paying salary vs. hourly. We’ll discuss the benefits of each type of employee pay, such as ease of administration and…
W-2 vs W-4: What’s the Difference & When to Use Them
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…
Compa Ratio: Definition, Formula, & Examples
Compa Ratio, short for comparison ratio, is a comparison of the salary you are paying your employees versus the market midpoint for similar positions at other companies. Compa ratio is a useful metric to have when setting salary levels or negotiating raises, and it helps you avoid losing talent to other companies. How To Calculate…
Time Card Calculator
A time card calculator can be a useful tool for the following: Recording the number of hours employees or contractors work. Deducting time for which employees are not due compensation, like lunch breaks. Calculating the amount of overtime pay due to employees. After using a time card calculator to record and total the hours worked…