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HR, Payroll, and Employee Management Tips for Small Business Posts

Federal Tax Deductions For Businesses Who Donate to Charity

Published by Lindsay Sommers
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Businesses everywhere donate to charitable organizations every year. After all, it’s a great way to contribute to society and it’s probably tax deductible. Timesheets.com, for instance, donates to organizations like the Jane Goodall Institute, The African Wildlife Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States, and others. Did your business donate to a charitable organization this year? If so, you may be able to claim a deduction if you donated to a qualifying  501(c) 3 organization. The IRS states that you can deduct contributions given to any religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or literary organization. If you donated to any of the organizations listed above, you may be eligible for deductions. Here’s your guide to understand your contributions and tax deductions:

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Is it Legal to Automatically Deduct Employee Lunch Time?

Published by Lindsay Sommers
A man and a woman drinking coffee

Lunchtime can be a tricky thing to track. Some employees forget to clock out, adding minutes to their paychecks daily, while others forget to clock back into work once they return. This leads to inaccurate timestamps and, even worse, inaccurate payroll. You will end up either overpaying employees or underpaying employees, which can lead to issues down the line. In order to keep timestamps more accurate, some employers choose to implement automatic lunch deductions for hourly employees. This ensures that employees get lunch breaks deducted, no matter the circumstance. This is great for employers who want to avoid overpaying employees, but many people still have questions about the legality of lunch deductions. 

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The Tax Write-Offs You’re Missing

Published by Guest Author
A piggy bank surrounded by coins.

Contribution By: Rachel Cottam

Tax season can be stressful, but it’s worth it when Uncle Sam gives you a big refund. Unfortunately, many U.S. taxpayers leave too much money on the return table—and you might be one of them.  

Understanding the best ways to prepare taxes and knowing which tax write-offs you’re missing will help you avoid this costly mistake.

Just remember: if you are going to claim any deduction, you need to have records. Don’t try to claim write-offs you have no proof of. Keep pristine accounting books and physical or digital documentation of all relevant receipts. Even if you’re handing your taxes off to a professional, they’ll need a paper trail.

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Is it Legal to Track Employees Using GPS?

Published by Lindsay Sommers
An employer looking at a map of GPS coordinates

Managing employees has never been easier with the introduction of online time tracking. Managers no longer have to wonder where employees are or what they are doing– all information is available in real-time. Tracking location using GPS is one of the most significant features of employee tracking that employers take advantage of. This data can tell an employer exactly where an employee is working and when they are working. For instance, an employers can determine if an employee clocked in at the office, from the local Starbucks, or even from home. Employers also use GPS tracking to capture miles driven in company-owned or personal vehicles. The data collected is easy to obtain and gives employers transparency, but is it legal? 

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CA Sexual Harassment Law Changing January 1, 2020

Published by Lindsay Sommers
employees in an office, training for sexual harassment and abusive conduct.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act protects employees from unlawful practices and harassment. Since 2005, the act required employers with at least 50 employees to provide at least 2 hours of training and education regarding sexual harassment and abusive conduct. With the rise of the #MeToo movement in 2018, Senator Holly Mitchell proposed bill 1343, requiring that all employers with 5 or more employees provide training and education. This bill’s purpose was to prevent harassment and abusive behavior in any size business altogether. Since bill 1343’s passing, employers are required to provide sexual harassment and abusive conduct training by January 1, 2020. Here’s everything you need to know:

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Improving Your Company Culture- One Step at a Time

Published by Lindsay Sommers
A group of people sitting in a room, collaborating ideas.

Your company’s culture can say a lot about your business. Company culture is the environmental personality that your employees work in. This includes the company mission, values, ethics, relationships, organization, and goals. This can be very important to your business’ success. In fact, Deloitte’s study found that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is important to business success. When your employees understand your business structure, values, and strategy, they can work together towards company goals. 

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Probation Periods: Everything You Need to know

Published by Lindsay Sommers
a cartoon of a man holding binoculars and looking out into the distance.

If you’re familiar with the hiring process, you know how long it takes to find a good candidate for an open position. Can you really be sure that this person is right for the job? Although someone you hire may seem like the perfect fit, there is no guarantee that they will perform the way you expect. This is why most companies implement a probation period after hiring an employee. A probationary period is a time to assess whether or not your new hire (or newly promoted employee) is a good fit for the position. This also allows the employee to see whether or not they like the new job. The probationary period typically lasts around 3-6 months, depending on the company.

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