A missed federal payroll tax deposit can trigger hefty penalties -- they just went up on July 1. But a new IRS program could provide automatic penalty relief for eligible employers with a strong compliance history. The IRS's Automatic Exemption…
Payroll
Not every sign-on bonus belongs in the overtime calculation – and a recent federal case out of Virginia shows why. A fired employee filed a lawsuit against his former employer, claiming he was illegally terminated after complaining about a co-worker’s…
The IRS has increased 2026 mileage rates for the second half of the year due to rising fuel prices. Here are the changes that took effect on July 1. The business standard mileage rate is 76 cents per mile, up…
What's the maximum Social Security tax that Payroll could withhold from each employee in 2027? The taxable wage base estimate has been released. According to the intermediate projection in the June 2026 Trustees Report, the Social Security taxable wage base…
The new Mississippi Work and Save Program creates a voluntary, state-run retirement savings option for private-sector employees whose employers don’t offer one. Under the law, the State Treasurer must have the program operational so individuals can begin contributing no later…
Most state withholding tables coincide with the start of the calendar year. But mid-year adjustments happen too, and they can catch payroll teams off guard, especially when the new tables apply retroactively. Three states released revised withholding tables in 2026.…
Maryland added new restrictions to earned wage access (EWA) programs, becoming the latest state to reshape how these services operate. For employers with multistate workforces, it's another sign that EWA compliance is becoming increasingly state-specific. In April, Gov. Wes Moore…
Chicago employers with tipped workers can leave the tipped cash wage where it is — a previously scheduled July 1 step-up is off -- for now. The city's tip-credit phase-out, which would've raised the required cash wage, is paused for…
A federal court entered a consent order against three Cowbell sports bars in Biddeford,Scarborough and Westbrook, ME, resolving a Department of Labor case alleging Fair LaborStandards Act (FLSA) violations involving minimum wage, overtime and child labor. FLSA Violations The Wage…
Payroll teams that pay nonexempt workers nondiscretionary bonuses should confirm those amounts are included in the overtime regular rate. A recent DOL investigation found that a Tennessee contractor failed to do so, resulting in a payout of about $1.73 million…
When employers fail to honor wage and hour settlement agreements, the Department of Labor's next step is to seek a court order. In this recent incident, a Washington employer operating four restaurants allegedly backed out of a deal to settle…
Late payroll-tax deposits will be more expensive, effective July 1. The IRS set the interest rate on tax underpayments at 7% for Q3, up from 6% in Q2. The 7% rate applies to underpayments and overpayments for individuals and to…
