What you Need to Know about Benefits Taxation

Facilitator: Debora Huggins, CPP

When: November 18th, 2021 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Where: Virtual Meeting

Please request an invitation by end of day Monday, November 15th, to deborah@camascountrymill.com, if you will be attending. A link and password will be sent to you the day before the meeting to log in.

Join us virtually for our next chapter meeting, as we view and discuss What You Need to Know about Benefits Taxation.

You will learn the payroll department’s responsibilities pertaining to the set-up of employee benefits, including retirement, health and welfare and other benefits. You will learn what payroll department staff need to know when tax withholding needs to occur and how to communicate the tax withholding effectively to employees. Learn how to be proactive on employee taxation issues with management and prevent surprises.

What you will learn:

• Identify the information needed to set-up Retirement Benefits in the payroll system and determine whether withholding taxes are required
• Identify the information needed to set-up Health and Welfare Plan Benefits in the payroll system and determine whether withholding taxes are required
• Which withholding taxes on employee moving expenses are required and communication to employees
• How to use gross-up effectively and the appropriate taxes to withhold
• Identify the information required to report the personal use of company car income, when to report and when to withhold taxes
• Providing voluntary benefits and whether tax withholding is required

We Look forward to seeing you!

Willamette Chapter APA

Payroll Specialties, Inc. is a local Payroll Service Provider with our headquarters office in Medford and a satellite office in Eugene.

We have been in business since 1994, processing payrolls and payroll taxes for our local clients as well as multi-state payrolls for clients across the country.

We are growing and are looking to add to our team of Payroll Specialists in our Eugene, Oregon location. We are a very team-oriented company and are looking to find an employee that is a team player, a problem solver, likes working in a fast-paced environment and prides themselves in customer relations, as we feel this is what sets us apart from the other local and National companies.

Our ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Knowledge of payroll and payroll processes
• FPC and/or CPP Certification (preferred, not required)
• Strong organizational skills and close attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
• Proficient in MicroSoft Office Suite, with an emphasis on Excel
• Must be a self-starter, who can prioritize multiple Clients payrolls and be able to manage deadlines
• Ability to interact effectively and professionally with all levels of management, other employees and clients
• Ability to work overtime when needed
• Perform other tasks as assigned
• Bi-lingual (preferred, but not required)

BENEFITS OFFERED

• 401k – up to a 4% Employer Match
• Excellent PTO plan
• Health Insurance (after completion of 90 day probationary period)
• Dental & Vision Insurance (after completion of 90 day probationary period)

If you are interested in becoming part of our team, please submit a Cover Letter, Resume and References tojobs@payrollspecialties.com, or you can drop them by our Eugene office located at 29345 Airport Rd, Suite C, Eugene, OR 97402

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $21.00 per hour

Overwhelmed by recent legislation surrounding COVID-19?   You are not alone.  Join us at our next virtual meeting as we view how to unpack the benefits provided to small businesses through the CARES Act as well as other tax credit opportunities such as the Research & Development Tax Credit.  

There are numerous strategies to put cash back into the coffers of small businesses during these challenging times and we will review the various options and how they work together to help businesses survive.

 Learning Objectives:

• Review of the CARES Act including the Paycheck Protection Program, and the Employee Retention Tax Credit, including recent legislative updates
• Discussion of the Research & Development Tax Credit and how it can create immediate cash flow
• Understanding the interplay and the ordering of the various tax credits to best benefit the small business community

This will be a virtual meeting taking place on Thursday, July 16th from 6pm to 8pm. If you would like to attend, please message us on https://facebook.com/willamettechapterapa

 Topic:

Payroll Research: Effective and Efficient Research to

Keep Your Organization in Compliance

Facilitator:

Debora Huggins, CPP

When:

June 18, 2020

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Where:

Virtual Meeting

This will be a virtual meeting due to current circumstances

Please respond by end of day Monday, June 15 deborah@camascountrymill.com if you will be attending.   A link and password will be sent to you the day before the meeting to be able to log in.

Join us for our next virtual chapter meeting as we view Payroll Research: Effective and Efficient Research to Keep Your Organization in Compliance. 

The payroll professional has many roles including compliance expert. We’ll review the payroll compliance role as related to tax, wage and hour research, and communication. Learn how to analyze and organize your research, document your findings, and communicate to management. Come with an open mind and ready to learn how to research to avoid nightmares.

By attending this webinar, you will learn:

• How to find those rulings that apply to your situation
• How to communicate the finding to ensure your organization’s compliance

6 Steps to a Happier Payroll Job

Few organizations can function without payroll professionals. And with businesses adding new jobs and hiring, payroll managers and clerks are in high demand. That’s the good news. On the flip side, job satisfaction may be elusive. People in finance and accounting experience the least happiness, according to a recent Robert Half study of 12,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada.

Drivers of workplace happiness

What makes one person ecstatic may be sheer drudgery to another. But in general, the research finds that these three factors determine whether accounting professionals experience on-the-job happiness:

1. Feeling appreciated for the work they do
2. Being treated with fairness and respect
3. A sense of accomplishment from their work

Payroll specialists likely spend a lot of time entering data and other tasks that seem mundane. And when employees get upset about mistakes or withholdings that reduce the size of their paychecks, those specialists can be at the receiving end of their wrath — furthering their unhappiness.

If you’re no longer excited about your payroll position, it’s time to take steps toward greater job satisfaction. Here are some happiness tips for improving your workplace experience:

If you’re a job seeker

Make sure the role is a good fit. While no job is sunshine and roses all day long, you will experience greater job satisfaction if your responsibilities align with your skills, interests and personality. For greater workplace happiness, apply for jobs that excite you.

Scrutinize potential employers. Each organization has a unique workplace culture. Shrewd job seekers research companies before applying to see if they’d enjoy working there. During on-site interviews, gauge whether workers look content or harried. At the end of the meeting, ask questions about the corporate culture and why people enjoy working there.

If you’re already employed

Focus on career growth. Have you been in the same payroll position for a while? Lack of career mobility contributes to a sense of unhappiness. Talk to your manager about your career path and continuing education options, such as payroll certification, a college degree or professional training courses. And if you feel you aren’t being sufficiently challenged, ask for bigger projects.

Request more money. Being underpaid is unfair and makes you feel unappreciated. Check the 2017 Robert Half Salary Guide for Accounting and Finance to ensure you’re receiving competitive compensation for your job title, experience level and geographic location. If not, it’s time to ask for a raise.

Develop positive workplace relationships. The Robert Half study finds employees who get along with their coworkers are 2.5 times more likely to be happy at work. Even making small talk can help create a stronger rapport with your fellow payroll employees, which can boost your mood and increase your happiness.

Get back in balance. If you frequently work late, your work-life balance is off-kilter. Taking better care of yourself leads to greater workplace happiness. So don’t feel guilty about getting away for a long vacation. Ask your boss about flextime and telecommuting options. And if the workload becomes overwhelming, see if a temporary payroll professional can be hired to assist.

Even though many finance and accounting professionals rank themselves relatively low on the happiness scale, you don’t have to be among them. Take action now toward greater job satisfaction.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.

What the Arrival of Generation Z Means for
Your Payroll Department

Get ready, hiring managers. Generation Z, those born between 1990 and 1999, has already begun entering the job market. This cohort of recent graduates is brimming with talent and eager to put it to use in your payroll department. But to make the most out of working with Gen Z, you need to understand what makes them tick and how they’ll relate to their baby boomer, Generation X and millennial colleagues.

Not every member of Gen Z can be neatly categorized, of course, but their own comments about their work preferences provide useful insights about the group as a whole. Here are some key highlights from Robert Half’s and Enactus’ Get Ready for Generation Z study, and what they mean for payroll managers:

Stability matters

Generation Z isn’t very interested in risky ventures. Because they grew up during the Great Recession, they value workplace security. About eight in 10 (79 percent) Gen Zers polled said their ideal work environment is a midsize or large organization, while only 19 percent wanted to work for startups or as independent consultants. When recruiting this age group, sell them on the solidity of your company’s current and future financial state.

Overachieving is the new norm

These young professionals don’t shy away from responsibility. In fact, 77 percent of respondents expect to work harder than employees from millennial, Generation X and baby boomer groups. Additionally, Generation Z is ambitious. When asked where they see themselves in five years, the top response was “managing or supervising employees.” To keep Generation Z satisfied at your company, provide them with professional development opportunities and a clear career path.

Collaboration is key

The vast majority (79 percent) of Generation Z respondents feel comfortable working with and learning from millennial colleagues, but 45 percent feel it would not be as easy to work with baby boomers. As a manager, you’ll need to bridge the gap between baby boomers and Gen Zers by highlighting their similarities and teaching them to appreciate the differences each group brings to the table.

Generation Z is ready to make their impact in the workforce. Make certain your payroll department is prepared to recruit and maximize the potential of this skilled and eager cohort.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 340 locations worldwide. More resources, including online job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at accountemps.com.

6 Tips for Payroll Employees to Improve Productivity

If you find yourself consistently facing a deluge of data, with several payroll reports due in a short amount of time, there’s a better strategy than wishing for more time or habitually working overtime. The optimal approach is to boost your productivity at work.

Doing so will alleviate your anxiety and help prevent the dreaded working-while-tired syndrome. As an added bonus, learning how to become more efficient in your job may result in increased satisfaction with your payroll career and personal life.

Here are six tips for improving your productivity at work:

1. Plan ahead

Having a list of priorities for the week will help you improve your productivity at work. Every Monday morning, review your calendar and create your weekly to-do list, but keep it realistic. Don’t overestimate what you can accomplish in a given week — that can lead to frustration at work and, ultimately, be counterproductive.

Take it a step further by outlining shorter- and longer-term goals, giving priority to the most important tasks.

2. Stay organized

Ever lost valuable minutes and hours searching for misplaced timesheets or W-4 forms, or missed a reporting deadline because it wasn’t on your radar? If so, it’s time to get more organized. Create visible folders — on your computer and physical desktops — for important files and documents.

As for to-do lists, some people are partial to paper planners, while others prefer software and apps. Finding the best method that works for you will take some trial and error.

3. Get proper training

If your manager asks you to handle multi-state payroll using Ceridian HPL, and your expertise is with just one state or if you’re a Ceridian novice, then much of your workday might be consumed with figuring out how to do your job. To improve productivity at work, seek out education on the platforms and processes you encounter daily.

4. Minimize distractions

We’ve all fallen down the social media rabbit hole or spent more time on e-commerce than we should. These and other diversions run contrary to our productivity at work.

If this sounds like you, the answer is better discipline. Tame workplace email by turning off pop-up notifications, and then check it only at set times. If necessary, turn off WiFi so you won’t be distracted.

When it comes to personal issues and errands, reserve them for your breaks. Stow your personal phone where your attention won’t be constantly drawn to its pings and buzzes.

5. Know your peak periods

Some of us are more alert in the morning, while others don’t hit our stride until the afternoon. You may also find yourself sharper and more motivated on certain days: In an Accountemps survey, human resources managers said Tuesdays are generally when employees are most productive. Figure out when you work best, and reserve those times for your most challenging projects.

6. Take a break

You may think you’re more productive when working non-stop, but you’re actually sabotaging your long-term effectiveness when you don’t give yourself regular breaks. Stepping away from your desk can be reinvigorating and beneficial to your health; you might even discover solutions to complex problems when you’re not intently focused on work.

Try pausing every hour or so to stretch your legs, fill your water bottle and, at midday, eat a proper lunch and leave your office. Whether your take a walk across campus to catch up on current events or read a chapter in your favorite novel, your body and brain will thank you.

Your company and career rely on you to maintain productivity at work. And when you get more done in less time, you’ll also enjoy increased satisfaction with your payroll job.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.

Summertime Slump: Don’t Pay the Cost of Working Tired

Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of U.S. workers polled in a recent Accountemps survey said they feel the cost of working tired. Are warmer summer days calling as you enter payroll data? Are you staying up late to make the most of the season, but then coming to work exhausted? If you’re in a summertime slump, you’re not alone. For payroll professionals who have to crunch numbers and maintain rigorous attention to detailed documentation at all times, it’s imperative to incorporate activities in our workweek that offset the sedentary nature of the job — year-round. Here are four tips:

1. Work in time to move around

Whether it’s on-site yoga, jumping jacks in the break room, or a brisk walk across campus, movement is the best way to fight fatigue. When you’re starting to slump, five to 10 minutes of exercise will wake up your brain — and buffer you from the cost of working tired.

2. Don’t resist the outdoors

When you’re distracted by a picture-perfect day, give in. Move the staff meeting to a park bench or a shady spot under a tree. See if you can find a work errand that takes you outdoors. At noon, take an al fresco lunch break with a non-finance person. Getting some fresh air could energize you, boosting productivity during the rest of the work day.

3. Fuel your body with healthier food choices

If you’re stuck at your desk, you can get a summertime lift by choosing meals that are in tune with the season. Pack a pasta salad filled with fresh tomatoes, grilled zucchini, basil and mint. After an afternoon of processing payroll, reward yourself with a carton of fresh cherries, blueberries or peaches.

4. Give yourself a buffer after a getaway

Need a vacation after your vacation? Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors and gatherings with friends and family, but be wise about your schedule so you’re not exhausted at work. If you’re returning from your vacation on a Sunday, consider requesting off Monday in advance so you have a day to get organized at home and recover from your holiday before coming back to the office.

The cost of working tired has no upside. But with a few small adjustments to your routine, you can fully enjoy life without feeling exhausted at work.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.

How to Groom Generation Z Into Future Leaders

Generation Z, the newest to join the workforce, are eager to step into management positions as soon as possible. That’s one takeaway from a recent Robert Half study on Generation Z in which 32 percent of college students interviewed see themselves supervising others in five years. Another 24 percent expect to be moving up the ladder but not yet in the leadership ranks.

These future payroll professionals need the help of senior leaders to prepare them for the leadership pipeline. Here are some preferences many Gen Zers mentioned in the survey, along with ways managers can not only retain them but also develop their talents and incorporate them into a succession plan:

Generation Z values personal growth. This generation has been shaped by trends and transformative events like reality TV, 9/11, mass shootings and social media. They desire connections and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives, so give these future leaders plenty of opportunities for learning and networking.

Generation Z wants to personalize their careers. Rather than following in other payroll professionals’ footsteps, these future leaders want to forge their own way. You can help them design their own career path. This includes having quarterly or semiannual conversations with them about goals and milestones, and finding out what motivates and interests them. If you don’t, they’re not opposed to job-hopping to find fulfillment.

Generation Z prefers social cohesion. Does your payroll department tend to pick top performers and focus most of the resources on those select few? Millennials care about fairness and feel more comfortable when members are equally valued. So, if management elevates some but not others, Generation Z may gravitate to another workplace environment, one where there’s a stronger sense of social connectedness.

Generation Z craves feedback. They received a constant stream of reactions and affirmation while growing up from parents and teachers. As employees, they expect it from management. This is in stark contrast to Gen Xers and baby boomers, who tend to be more independent and may even want to be left alone to do their work. When developing millennials to be future leaders, you likely need to bump up the amount of feedback, instruction, correction and praise.

The future payroll professionals in your department may have radically different outlooks and work styles than you. As you prepare your Generation Z workers for leadership roles, the most important step is to get to know them — as a cohort and as individuals.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at roberthalf.com/accountemps.

How to Ace Your New Job’s 90-Day Trial Period

The interview process can be grueling when you’re looking for a new job in payroll, and once you land that position, it can be tempting to relax and let your professional guard down a bit. But that would be a mistake. In fact, it’s crucial to make a good impression in the first 90 days after you start a new job: More than half (54 percent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed for a recent Robert Half survey said they give workers in a new role less than three months to prove themselves.

In other words, now’s the time to really wow your new boss. As you settle into your new job, here are six ways to make the grade:

1. Arrive at work early, and well-rested. Try to get to your desk at least 15 minutes early during the first few weeks so you can prepare for any unfamiliar tasks and get a handle on your day. It’s more important than ever, too, to get plenty of rest in the evening; if you come to work tired, you’ll likely struggle to learn your new job.

2. Ask for help. In payroll, the tiniest mistake can result in huge financial errors and unhappy clients. If you’re in doubt about policies or processes, seek out assistance or clarification from colleagues. To make sure you’re on the right track, set up a weekly check-in with your manager for feedback.

3. Do it their way. Even if you prefer the way things got done in your old firm, it’s important to learn your new employer’s methods and procedures thoroughly before suggesting any changes. That way, your critiques will be seen as constructive, rather than unhelpful criticism.

4. Save any special requests for later. Supervisors typically want to assess an employee’s performance on the job for a while before they agree to a remote work arrangement or flexible schedule. Prove that you’re a reliable employee by completing tasks on deadline and with a positive attitude, for a reasonable amount of time, before you ask for anything outside the norm.

5. Show your gratitude. When you’re under stress, it’s easy to forget to say “thank you.” But make sure to tell your new colleagues how much you appreciate it when they guide you through new processes, give you directions to the best lunch spots or offer advice on the most efficient ways to complete routine tasks at your new job.

6. Get social. Your boss isn’t the only person you need to impress at your new job. You should also start building your in-house network. Getting to know your colleagues not only improves your happiness at work; it can also help you better understand your role in the company.

The first few months in a new job can be intimidating for any payroll professional. With a little extra effort, you’ll prove yourself and make a great lasting impression.

Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps has more than 325 locations worldwide. More resources, including online job search services and the Accountemps blog, can be found at accountemps.com.