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    Services Checklist

    • Human Resources Administration
    • Human Resources Consulting & Support
    • Payroll Administration
    • Employee Benefits
    • Employment Regulatory Compliance
    • Human Resources Information System
    • Customized Training Strategies Program
    • Workers Compensation Administration
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Employment Practices Liability Insurance

    General Terms

    FEIN

    Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is a tax identification number assigned by the the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to business entities operating in the United States for the purposes of identification and reporting.

    HR

    Human Resources, the total sum of all items regarding employees, employment, and the employee/employer relationship.

    HRIS

    a Human Resources Information System, is a software or online solution for the data entry and tracking of a company’s human resources department information, payroll, management, and accounting. Online versions allow online access by owners and employees for real time information sharing. HRIS functions include: management of all employee information; company documents such as employee manuals, emergency procedures and safety guidelines; benefits administration including enrollment, status changes, and personal information updating; payroll integration with the company’s accounting system; and generates tracking reports for: attendance and time off; salary and pay rate history; job titles or pay grades; job performance records; training completed; disciplinary actions; personal information; and other custom reports.

    HRO

    Human Resources Outsourcing organization. An HRO provides payroll processing, direct deposits, filing payroll taxes, but under your companies FEIN. An HRO can provide assistance with questions regarding compliance, access to insurance, work comp, and medical and dental benefits, but these are based on your employee base, not a pool like with the PEO, and employment risks remain within your organization.

    PEO

    A Professional Employer Organization co-employs the workers of another business in order to take on a level of shared risk, assume responsibility for employment and government compliance, regarding such issues as new hire reporting, filing and paying taxes, unemployment claims admin, and workers compensation issues. In addition, a PEO can provide pooled employee medical, dental, and other healthcare related plans. Pooling ideally provides smaller future cost increases to your business. The PEO can absorb costs against a larger company base. The PEO uses its own FEIN, while the contracted business owner will continue to hire, fire, and make salary decisions.

    SSAE 16

    An internal controls audit that provides multiple benefits for HR Strategies clients. If a client of HR Strategies is to be audited, they can provide that auditor with a copy of the SOC Report to assist in the audit processes related to payroll items. This report is just another way HR Strategies works relentlessly to make our clients’ lives easier.

    SUTA

    The State Unemployment Tax Act is a form of payroll tax that all states require employers to pay for their employees for state and federal unemployment benefits.

    Employee Benefits

    401k

    A 401(k) is a type of retirement savings account.

    529

    A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs.

    ACA

    The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act or Obamacare) is a United States federal statute enacted by congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. ACA is mandated health care reform to improve health care coverage in the United States.

    EAP

    Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary, work-based benefit program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems.

    ELPI

    Employment Practices Liability Insurance is insurance for employers against claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, breach of contract, emotional distress, and sometimes wage and hour law violations.

    COBRA

    The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act gives you the right to choose to keep the group health insurance benefits that you would otherwise lose after you reduce your work hours, quit your job, or lose your job.

    The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 applied laws at a federal level that required group health plans to offer continuation coverage to participants, whose employer has more than 20 full time employees, in the event of a qualified termination. Some states offer State Continuation coverage to participants, whose employer has less than 20 full time employees, in the event of a qualified termination.

    FSA

    A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a voluntary benefit program that offers a special account for employees to contribute pre-tax money to that can be used for certain out-of-pocket health care and/or dependent care expenses. The money is typically frontloaded on a debit card to be used immediately.

    HSA

    A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan. The funds contributed to an account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. Unlike a flexible spending account (FSA), funds roll over and accumulate year to year if not spent.

    HR Consulting

    BLS response

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

    DOL

    Department of Labor’s mission is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

    EAP

    Employee Assistance Program provides a variety of counseling services, work/life services, online services, management and organizational services, and program promotion and training to employees, their dependents, and employers.

    E-Verify

    E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from the Form I-9, to Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Department of State (DOS) records to confirm that employees are authorized to work in the United States.

     

    FLSA

    The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments.

    FMLA

    Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a United States federal law requiring covered employers [50+ employees within a 75-mile radius) to provide employees job-protected and unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons.

    I-9

    The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 is a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services form. It is used by an employer to verify an employee’s identity and to establish that the worker is eligible to accept employment in the United States.

    INS

    The Immigration and Naturalization Service is a department of the US government, which was established to facilitate and provide information and services relating to Immigration and Naturalization.

    OSHA

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health.

    Regulatory Compliance

    BLS response

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

    CCPA

    The federal wage garnishment law, Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), protects employees from discharge by their employers because their wages have been garnished for any one debt, and limits the amount of an employee’s earnings that may be garnished in any one week. The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor administers this Act.

    COBRA

    The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act gives you the right to choose to keep the group health insurance benefits that you would otherwise lose after you reduce your work hours, quit your job, or lose your job.

    DFWA

    The Drug-Free Workplace Act (DFWA) requires covered employers and contractors to certify that they are maintaining a drug-free workplace. The DFWA requires that federal agency contractors and employers receiving federal grants of $25,000 or more certify that they are maintaining a drug-free workplace.

    DOL

    Department of Labor’s mission is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

    DOT

    The Department of Transportation oversees federal highway, air, railroad, and maritime and other transportation administration functions.

    EEOC

    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination.

    The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, gender identity, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice.

    ERISA

    The Employee Retirement Income Security Act is a federal law that sets minimum standards for pension plans in private industry; including minimum standards for participation, vesting, benefit accrual and funding; requires accountability of plan fiduciaries;  gives participants the right to sue for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty; and guarantees payment of certain benefits if a defined plan is terminated, through a federally chartered corporation, known as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

    E-Verify

    E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from the Form I-9, to Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Department of State (DOS) records to confirm that employees are authorized to work in the United States.

     

    FLSA

    The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, employee classifications, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments.

     

    FMLA

    Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a United States federal law requiring covered employers (50+ employees within a 75-mile radius) to provide employees job-protected and unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons.

    GINA

    The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), prohibits genetic information discrimination in employment and in group health plan coverage based on genetic information. It is illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants because of genetic information. GINA prohibits the use of genetic information in making employment decisions, restricts employers and other entities from requesting, requiring or purchasing genetic information, and strictly limits the disclosure of genetic information.

    HIPAA

    The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs; requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers; and addresses the security and privacy of health data.

    I-9

    The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 is a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services form. It is used by an employer to verify an employee’s identity and to establish that the worker is eligible to accept employment in the United States.

    INS

    The Immigration and Naturalization Service is a department of the US government, which was established to facilitate and provide information and services relating to Immigration and Naturalization.

    IRCA

    Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) was passed in order to control and deter illegal immigration to the United States. Its major provisions stipulate legalization of undocumented aliens who had been continuously unlawfully present since 1982, legalization of certain agricultural workers, sanctions for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers, and increased enforcement at U.S. borders.

    OSHA

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health.

    Title VII

    Title VII is the portion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

    USERRA

    The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects service members’ reemployment rights when returning from a period of service in the uniformed services, including those called up from the reserves or National Guard, and prohibits employer discrimination based on military service or obligation. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers USERRA.

    WARN

    The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) protects workers, their families, and communities by requiring most employers with 100 or more employees to provide notification 60 calendar days in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.

    Payroll Management

    1099

    An individual / business that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract and receives tax form 1099. An independent contractor is responsible for calculating the required payroll taxes and submitting them to the government on a quarterly basis.

    FICA

    Federal Insurance Contributions Act is a U.S. law requiring a deduction from paychecks and income that goes toward the Social Security program and Medicare. Both employees and employers are responsible for sharing the FICA payments.

    FUTA

    Federal Unemployment Tax Act is a payroll or employment tax paid solely by the employer. While the FUTA tax is paid by the employer, it is based on each employee’s wages or salary.

    IRS

    The Internal Revenue Service is the U.S. government agency responsible for tax collection and tax law enforcement.

    W2

    The Form W-2 is a statement that must be prepared by employers each year for employees, showing the employee’s total gross earnings, Social Security earnings, Medicare earnings, and federal and state taxes withheld for the employee.

    W4

    The Form W-4 is used by employers to determine the correct amount of tax withholding to deduct from employees’ wages, based upon how the employee has filled out the form. When filling out a Form W-4, an employee calculates the number of Form W-4 allowances he or she will claim, based on his or her expected tax filing situation for the year.

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