The California Chamber of Commerce today released its latest edition of CalChamber News featuring information about Covered California, the state’s health exchange. Covered California is the first-in-the nation online health insurance marketplace established under the Affordable Care Act. It will help individuals and small businesses compare health plans, get answers to questions, find out if they qualify for federal tax credits and enroll in a plan that meets their specific needs.
Tags: HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, federal health care reform, small businesses, California employers, Affordable Care Act, California health exchange, Covered California
The significant tax breaks and other incentives available to employers that hire veterans have inspired many to increase their veteran recruitment efforts. Some companies have even begun to advertise themselves as “veteran friendly.”
But there’s more to being a veteran-friendly employer than just a company’s willingness to hire veterans. The following are steps companies can take to ensure job-seeking veterans respond to recruitment efforts are feel welcomed once hired.
Tags: ADA, veterans, hiring veterans, tax incentives, HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, California employers
The federal tax that California employers pay to support the unemployment insurance (UI) program increased again January 1 due to the continuing insolvency of the UI Trust Fund, and will continue to increase every year until the debt is paid.
Tags: HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, California employers, tax increase, UI fund
California's Employment Development Department administers the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program, which is a partial wage-replacement insurance plan for California workers.
Tags: EDD, Employment Development Department, SDI, State Disability Insurance, HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, California employers
Employers must put all commission agreements in writing by January 1, 2013. By that time, any employee hired to perform work for commissions in California must receive a written contract that includes the method for calculating and paying the commissions.
Passed in 2012, this mandate of AB 1396 applies to employers located inside and outside California. It amended Labor Code Section 2751, which previously applied only to employers with no fixed California location.
Tags: AB 1396, commission agreements, commissioned employees, Labor Code section 2751, HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, California employers, CalChamber
Yesterday, HRWatchdog gave a brief summary of the California Supreme Court’s decision in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court, relating to meal and rest breaks.
Tags: rest breaks, Brinker case, meal breaks, Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court, HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, California employers
Independent contractors are a vital and growing source of strength in California’s economy, according to a new report co-sponsored by the California Foundation for Commerce and Education (CFCE).
Tags: HR Allen Consulting Services, California employers, independent contractors, HR Allen, California Foundation for Commerce and Education
Since January 1, 2012, California employers have paid higher taxes because the state has not repaid money it borrowed from the federal government to pay unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. Unless Congress takes action (which is not expected), the higher tax will remain in effect through 2012 and then increase each year the state has an outstanding loan balance.
California’s UI Trust Fund has been insolvent since 2009.By the end of 2012, the UI Fund deficit is projected to reach $10.7 billion, according to the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
Employers will lose 0.3 percent of their federal tax credit, partially offset by the end of a 0.2 percent surcharge in July 2011.The 0.3 percent tax credit translates into approximately $21 per year for any employee who makes $7,000 or more in 2012. California employers pay UI taxes on the first $7,000 of wages per employee.
Statewide, the tax increase totals an estimated $289.8 million in 2012 and $615.7 million in 2013, according to the EDD October 2011 Unemployment Insurance Fund Forecast. This represents a loss of 0.6 percent of the tax credit in 2012, EDD reports.
The additional taxes paid will help offset California’s federal loan balance.
Tags: California Chamber of Commerce, FUTA, EDD, UI taxes, unemployment taxes, California, California employers, CalChamber
