The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that fringe benefits can now be the focus of audits, and can result in huge penalties and fines if any reports have been done improperly. Even if you have unknowingly made the reporting mistake, there is no way around facing the consequences. This is a huge concern for Payroll, HR, and Accounting professionals because they are not quite sure how to address the issues and ensure that they are completely compliant for fringe benefits. At HR Training Center, we can provide an online course that specifically addresses all of these concerns about every type of fringe benefit, including gifts and awards.
Fringe benefit audits have been known to be far more invasive than regular audits, so it is very important for anyone working in an industry where audits are possible to properly prepare their reports. In the course provided by HR Training Center, students will learn how to address every type of issue that can be faced when dealing with the reporting of fringe benefits. In this course, students will learn which benefits are taxable and how to report them; fringe benefits that are excluded from taxation and their documentation regulations will also be discussed. Students will also be equipped with the information to create their own internal audits in order to catch any mistake or issues before an actual external audit is performed. The difference between goods and services will also be discussed in full detail in order to provide each student with a well-rounded knowledge of all fringe benefits and their regulations.
The course is presented by Mindy Harada, CPP. Harada is an employment tax specialist with more than seventeen years of experience in employment tax as an independent consultant. She is an employee with one of the Big 4 firms as a payroll auditor, and is a frequent presenter on various employment tax topics at APA events.
For more information or to enroll in our Fringe Benefits Compliance Course, please contact HR Training Center today.
As a professional working in the Human Resources department, it is very important to be assertive and effective in order to get the results that you and your company demand. By learning to communicate more assertively, you will begin to achieve certain goals, earn respect, improve your work environment, and boost your credibility amongst your co-workers and your entire team. Learning to be more assertive can also improve your life outside of work. You can learn how to achieve a great balance between being assertive and being passive-aggressive at work and at home in order to improve all aspects of your life.
At HR Training Center, we offer a course on obtaining assertiveness skills in a live seminar. For those that cannot make it to the live presentation, we can also provide On-Demand and recorder versions so that each person can experience this class from virtually anywhere. In this course, you will understand the importance and the benefits of being more assertive and learn the very importance difference between being assertive and aggressive. You will also learn how to set certain goals, expectations, and boundaries when trying to improve your credibility within your company and industry. One of the most important things you will learn in this class is how to achieve a more powerful image for yourself through non-verbal communication. Body language is also a huge factor in portraying your assertiveness, so you will learn how to use your body language as a weapon for good.
This class is presented by Natalie Ivey, who is President and CEO of Results Performance Consulting, Inc., which is a firm that specialized in employee development training, leadership, and continuing education programs in the HR profession. If interested in taking this course, please give us a call so we can get you enrolled today.
No matter what profession we’re in, we all have problems with managing our time. And it isn’t always our fault. Most times, we’re swamped with difficult tasks, phone calls, emails, and deadlines that make it very difficult to anyone to manage their time properly in order to get everything finished on time. At HR Training Center, we offer an online course that is specifically designed to teach individuals how to manage their time, sort through all of their tasks, and devise plans to help get everything finished in a set amount of time – making you more effective and cutting down on the time you have to rush to finish a task.
This Time Management Course is offered as a 90-minute audio conference where each person enrolled in the class can listen to these tips from anywhere at any given time. HR Training Center offers this course with this convenience so that no one has to schedule attending a live class into their hectic schedules. We all know how busy a workday can be without trying to fit in a new task, no matter how small it may be, so an online course provides an ease that is incomparable to other live courses.
In this course, enrollees will learn how to decipher the cause of your time management problems; it could be your procrastination or it could be your boss tossing too many tasks your way, so it will be nice to learn who is at fault and be able to address the problems accordingly. This course will also teach you how to deal with email overload and other distractions and how to overcome these distractions in a very small amount of time. You will also learn how to sort through your work and decide which tasks are top priorities and which tasks can be done a little later than others. Plus, you will also learn how to be assertive when it comes to accepting deadlines and assignments.
Our Time Management course is presented by Natalie Ivey, president and CEO of Results Performance Consulting, Inc. Ivey is a national public speaker and has over twenty years of HR management and leadership experience with Fortune 500 organizations. If interested in taking this course, please contact the HR Training Center so we can get you started on perfecting your time management skills today.
If you’re working in the HR (Human Resources) department, it is very critical that you know how to properly conduct internal workplace investigations. Unfortunately, most HR employees have never been trained on how to perform investigations. Without any training, HR professionals may feel inadequate or inept when they are faced with their first investigation. At HR Training Center, we offer an online course that is specifically designed to train HR employees for workplace investigations. This course offers all the knowledge you need to conduct a full investigation in your company with the confidence it takes to do a thorough and satisfying job.
When HR professionals need to conduct an investigation, they need to know how to research each and every allegation in order to find enough evidence to take the appropriate actions. The online workplace investigations course offered by HR Training Center will teach each person how to gather statements from witnesses by learning successful interview tactics. This course will also show each student how to properly collect and record evidence needed to fix the problem. Students will learn to identify the most common types of internal investigations and how to conduct them properly. All the legal regulations and obligations will also be discussed in full so that each student gains the knowledge in order to be completely compliant.
This course is presented by Natalie Ivey, president and CEO of Results Performance Consulting, Inc. She and her company specialize in employee development and leadership training and continuing education requirements for HR professionals. Ivey has more than twenty years of experience in leadership and management in the HR field, and currently holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. Although this course is a seminar, students can watch the seminar online or can purchase the recorded version so that each student can take the course when it is most convenient for them. Our Workplace Investigations course is also approved for PHR/SPHR credits. Upon completing this course, you will receive 1.5 credits hours toward your recertification.
If you would like to enroll in this course, or if you have any questions, please contact the HR Training Center. We can answer any questions you may have and help you start this course as early as today.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina law officers who experience mental trauma after killing someone in the line of duty aren’t entitled to workers’ compensation, according to a ruling released Wednesday by the state’s Supreme Court.
In a 3-2 decision, the justices ruled that current law doesn’t cover mental health benefits for such officers because they are trained in the use of deadly force and know that they may have to use it. The way the statute is written, only officers who experience mental stress from “extraordinary and unusual” job conditions are eligible for benefits, the court concluded.
In 2009, Spartanburg County deputy sheriff Brandon Bentley killed a man who he said threatened to take his gun and kill him. Afterward, Bentley said he suffered from anxiety and depression, and doctors said he was too stressed to continue his work as a deputy.
Bentley applied for workers’ compensation benefits but was denied, with commissioners noting deputies get training in deadly force and know they might have to use it. Sheriff Chuck Wright testified during a hearing that his deputies were trained to know that situations might arise in which they would be forced to shoot and kill someone.
“The use of deadly force is within the normal scope and duties of a Spartanburg County deputy sheriff,” the court wrote.
But the justices also said state law should be amended to eliminate a requirement that workers who suffer mental trauma in other types of jobs must also experience “unusual and extraordinary” circumstances to qualify for compensation.
South Carolina would not be alone if it decided to broaden its laws on eligibility for mental health workers’ compensation, the court noted, citing at least five other states that it said do not require such circumstances.
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Kaye Hearn said she supported broadening the law, but also would have granted Bentley coverage.
“I would hold that Deputy Bentley’s mental injuries … are compensable because while shooting and killing a suspect in the line of duty may have been something he was trained to do, it was clearly an unusual and extraordinary part of his job as a law enforcement officer,” she said.
Bentley’s attorney didn’t immediately return a telephone call from The Associated Press. Wright, who has been a law officer for more than two decades, said workers’ compensation should continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
Every year, there is a countless number of people who have unclaimed property in the United States. The most likely reason for unclaimed property is due to people moving and forgetting to tie up loose ends. Common examples of unclaimed property are utility deposits, life insurance policy proceeds, and paychecks. It is required by state laws for public utilities, financial institutions, and other businesses to report these unclaimed properities and/or paychecks. There are some stipulations on when to make these reports. For examples, there has to be a certain amount of time passed and the whereabouts of the person with the unclaimed property need to be unknown before the company can report the funds as unclaimed or abandoned. Each state has their own regulations for this type of report, so it’s important for companies to follow these rules in order to avoid future audits.
In recent years, many states have become more aggressive when pursuing the status of unclaimed wages. With existing laws, some of the states can use the unclaimed property as revenue for the state itself. Since states can, and do, benefit from unclaimed property, audits are now dealt with more diligence. It’s important for business owners to know the rules and regulations for unclaimed payroll checks and abide by them in order to avoid these audits. If a company is found to be non-compliant in reporting unclaimed wages, huge penalties and fines can be issued to that company. Even if business owners and/or their payroll professionals on staff were not fully aware of the regulations, fines cannot be avoided.
For those in need of finding out exactly how to report and take care of unclaimed paychecks, HR Training Center offers a great course on just that. This course will teach individuals all the legal requirements for unclaimed paychecks. Students will learn how to set up a working system to deal with the unclaimed payroll checks in order to avoid audits. Individuals will also learn when the unclaimed paychecks are considered abondoned and need to be reported to the state. Students will also find out how long paychecks can be held before it is turned over to the state. By learning all of these rules and regulations, business owners and payroll professionals can feel confident in their abilities to follow state’s regulations for unclaimed paychecks.
For more information or to enroll in the course for unclaimed paycheck compliance for HR and payroll departments, please contact HR Training Center today.
Support your hard working Human Resources (HR) staff with HR training seminars designed for their needs. Every day these staff are expected to implement complex legislation, help employees deal with work life issues, and still keep the routine recruitment, training, and documentation up to date. There is extra stress as much of the work they do is affected by regulations over which they have no control.
Identifying Training Needs
As there is nothing static in both HR legislation and best practices, it is essential that your HR staff be well versed in the various Acts and updates.
• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
It is not just the knowledge of the legislation that is important. HR staff should be able to develop affirmative action plans, payroll processes, recording keeping, and other policies and procedures necessary to implement all the regulations. Demonstrating compliance is another indicator of an effective HR department.
Whether your company has one person looking after HR or employs a large HR department, these people need the knowledge and skills to determine employee eligibility for and entitlement to legislated benefits and working conditions. This does not mean that each HR staff in a large organization has to demonstrate indepth knowledge and skills in all areas, but the overall department must have the capacity. In small companies, some of the specialized responsibilities might be outsourced.
Besides providing mandatory knowledge and skills, it is good practice to train HR staff in effective communication, productive use of social media, how to conduct investigations, and ability to use tools such as Microsoft Excel to improve productivity. Most people attracted to HR work are interested in people; they do not want to be bogged down in paperwork. A smart management team makes sure there is easy access to training and tools that ease the more tedious aspects of the job.
Identify Best Training Options
There are several factors to consider when determining the most suitable HR training seminars for both new and experienced staff.
• Certification. If legislation or a best practices dictates certification, you must either hire staff with it or provide the training immediately. Although not mandatory, it might be important that staff receive credits recognized by organizations such as the HR Certification Institute or the American Payroll Association.
• Legislation. At least one HR person needs to know what legislation applies, what constitutes compliance, and how to keep up to date with changes.
• Foundational or refresher. Even the most experienced HR personnel need occasional refreshers if only to catch up with emerging issues and best practices in the industry.
• Generalist or specialist. A seminar in the basics of workplace safety is appropriate for all HR staff, but a seminar on the federal and state rules for withholding taxes is useful only for the payroll specialist in your HR department.
• Combinations of topics in curriculum. Check out various options for both the content and the level of training courses.
• Qualifications of trainers and facilitators. Make sure it is compatible with what your company needs.
Choose HR training seminars carefully so the message to your staff will be one of encouragement, support, and recognition of the value of their work.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) regulates workplace safety in both the public and private sectors in the United States. If you work in a Human Resources department, chances are that you have responsibility for the administration of these directives. This means you can benefit from OSHA training.
In 1968, reports were published showing that there were more deaths and disabling injuries on the job than with American troops in the war in Vietnam. This led Congress to create OSHA which was signed into law in 1971. The right to healthy and safe working conditions was firmly grounded in the work of the OSH Administration.
OSHA Training Available for HR
No matter what the size of your organization, you cannot work alone to make sure that the workplace is OSHA compliant. Larger organizations often have an HR team that is responsible for carrying out the guidelines, and taking any necessary remedial action. A small organization might have just you, as the HR coordinator, and a designated manager.
If you are new to this responsibility, the best introductory training might be a one day seminar that covers updates in OSHA regulations, the impact on your organization, how to assess potential hazards in your workplace, and how to develop a safety plan. This kind of seminar is presented in everyday language, demystifying the government jargon and pointing you in the direction of online forms and other backup information.
It might be more appropriate for you and some of your colleagues to participate in an intensive, week long seminar that reviews safety hazards, prevention guidelines, and how to reduce risks.
• Review of employee and management rights and responsibilities.
• Health and safety programs and training.
• Hazard prevention and control.
• Record keeping and incident reports
• How to deal with citations and penalties.
• First aid procedures.
• Specific situations from using scaffolding and monitoring walking surfaces to limiting exposure to blood borne pathogens.
• Need for protective equipment.
• Working with hazardous materials.
There are also short workshops for specific elements and there are products for sale such as record keeping software.
Benefits of OSHA Training
Thorough OSHA training will help you better understand the environment in which you work and the changes you can implement or recommend. A safety plan with a focus on prevention will result in a decrease in personal injuries of all types. Also, you will be able to use the OSHA training to organize some of that work and to make sure the record keeping is up to date and accurate. Taking this responsibility on behalf of the employer leads to a happier and more productive workplace which benefits everyone.
Want to get your FMLA and ADA compliance certificate? HR Training Center provides the industry leading training, material, and presentation you need to excel. People who have taken the certificate program in FMLA and ADA compliance from HR Training Center have an advantage over those that have gone elsewhere.
Take a look at the Agenda for HR Training Center’s 3 day FMLA & ADA compliance training program:
Day 1: The Family And Medical Leave Act
Key terms and definitions
Who’s covered and why
Employee Eligibility And Leave Entitlement
Paid and unpaid leave options
Intermittent and reduced-schedule leaves
Special rules for school employees
Employer posting requirements
Notifications
Communicating with employees who are out of work
Medical Certifications
Fitness-for-duty testing
Return-to-work options
FMLA job and benefits restoration
Tracking leave
Ending Leave
Recovering benefits costs incurred during FMLA leave
RIFs involving protected employees
Documentation strategies that protect your organization
Interactive Exercises:
Various case studies on eligibility and administrative requirements
Day 2: The Americans with Disabilities Act
Key terms and definitions
The laws protecting disabled individuals from discrimination
Who’s covered and why
Employment practices that are prohibited by the ADA
Employer posting requirements
Identifying Essential Job Functions And Qualified Individuals
Reasonable Accommodations
Job restructuring or additional training
Medical exams
Confidentiality of medical information
Confidentiality in accommodations
Responding when an individual refuses an offered accommodation
Modifications
Light or modified duty
Collective Bargaining Agreements
Interactive Exercises:
Determining what is a substantial limitation to a major life activity
Analyzing reasonable accommodation requests
Day 3: ADA and FMLA Best Practices, Plus Compliance With Other Leave Laws
Day three covers some of the tips and methods for managing the integration of leave laws, including:
Workers’ Compensation
State family leave and paid family leave laws
State laws for jury duty, voting, bereavement, school activities, vacation, and more
Pregnancy leave and accommodation
Military leave
Wellness plans
Distinguishing between an FMLA “serious health condition” and an ADA “disability”
Managing the interplay between leave requirements under the ADA and FMLA
Handling Workers’ Comp claims that have ADA and FMLA ramifications
When you can run leave times concurrently under FMLA and workers’ comp
Coordinating case management
Options for refilling positions while an employee is out
Strategies For Reducing Absenteeism And Impacts To Productivity
Interactive Exercises:
Various case studies on overlapping leave and disability law dilemmas
Assertiveness skills for HR professionals can be a very difficult skill to master and to know when to use. If you are a human resource professional, being assertive is important in every aspect of your daily job. You want to be assertive when dealing with managers and directors in different areas throughout your company, and also with prospective employees and current employees. However, this is difficult due to the fact that most HR departments are saturated with females and as females; we like to maintain the peace.
At some point in your human resources career you will find that it is necessary to put the peace aside and be more assertive in order to have your ideas heard an acknowledge, knowledge, and opinions heard. With some training and some practice, you can be the HR professional that handles conflict with assertiveness and calm skills. Many colleges and universities fail to prepare human resource graduates for the conflict they will have and the assertive skills they will have to use in order to be a part of a successful human resources department.
If you feel like your college education has failed you when it comes to assertiveness skills, it may be time to look into reading up on assertiveness or attending an assertiveness training workshop. As opposed to a book, a seminar such as this can improve your communication skills with all of those around you, whether they are the top management team at your firm or a novice job seeker. Having the skills and knowing when to be assertive can advance your career improve relationships with those around you and let your voice be heard.
The benefits of attending an assertiveness training are many. Sometimes an employee will even be reimbursed or partially reimburse for taking such a course. Seminars such as this can be given over one day training or multiple days of training. A good program will teach you about assertiveness and gender difference; it will also teach the ways to set your own business evaluation and career. You will learn more about passive aggressive behavior and how to avoid using it. A quality seminar of this kind would also teach you how important it is to step up boundaries.
If you are an HR professional who takes your passion and profession in HR seriously, you will want to make an investment into your career, by signing up for a seminar regarding assertiveness training. Doing so can give you more confidence when working in your professional role. It can also help you gain the respect of your colleagues and those youserve. If you are ready to become more assertive in your HR role, it is time to sign up for an assertiveness seminar.
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In recent years, many states have become more aggressive when pursuing the status of unclaimed wages. With existing laws, some of the states can use the unclaimed property as revenue for the state itself. Since states can, and do, benefit from unclaimed property, audits are now dealt with more diligence. It’s important for business owners to know the rules and regulations for unclaimed payroll checks and abide by them in order to avoid these audits. If a company is found to be non-compliant in reporting unclaimed wages, huge penalties and fines can be issued to that company. Even if business owners and/or their payroll professionals on staff were not fully aware of the regulations, fines cannot be avoided.
No matter what the size of your organization, you cannot work alone to make sure that the workplace is OSHA compliant. Larger organizations often have an HR team that is responsible for carrying out the guidelines, and taking any necessary remedial action. A small organization might have just you, as the HR coordinator, and a designated manager.
