Focus HR, Author at Focus HR Inc.

Small Business Survey: Finding Qualified Workers is Still the Biggest Challenge

Washington, D.C. ~ The latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index is out and finding qualified workers remains the biggest challenge for small business owners heading into 2019. After the mid-term elections in November, American business owners were asked about the current business climate and their outlook for the new year. Nearly one in five say their biggest […]

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Why Outsourcing to a PEO is Smart Business

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Whether your business is big or small, outsourcing to a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) will save you time and money. There are several reasons to join a PEO like Focus HR, Inc: Timekeeping and Payroll Administration– This task is hardly rocket science but nothing upsets employees more than paycheck errors. Business owners can trust a

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Only YOU Can Prevent This Tax Filing Fire

Payroll Services / Focus HR

It won’t be long before payroll specialists are mailing W2 forms to employees for the 2018 tax filing deadline. Unfortunately, without fail, they’ll also hit the same, notorious snag: LOST W2 FORMS SENT TO OUTDATED MAILING ADDRESSES. Anyone who has moved within the last year must update their mailing address if they hope to receive

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Arizona Businesses Brace for Another Minimum Wage Increase

Payroll Services / Focus HR

January 1, 2019, Arizona businesses will see the minimum wage increase to $11.00 per hour. This is a scheduled bump approved by voters in 2016 through The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act. The ballot measure gradually increases Arizona’s minimum wage over a period of three years and also requires earned paid sick time for Arizona employees.

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10 Tips for Workplace Safety

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Accidents can happen in any work environment but there are safety measures you can take to make incidents less likely. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA,) 5,190 workers were killed on the job in 2016. That’s an average of more than 99 a week or more than 14 deaths every day, and one

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Focus HR’s Greg Stutz Recognized for Leadership

Payroll Services / Focus HR

TUCSON – The organization tracking employment trends, best practices, and innovative ideas in the workplace is recognizing Focus HR’s Greg Stutz for his exceptional strength in leadership as Chief Operating Officer. At the 2018 Celebrating Innovation in the Workplace Awards in Tucson, the Society for Human Resource Management Greater Tucson (SHRM-GT) recognized Stutz for his ability to

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Federal Income Tax: Are You Withholding Enough?

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Changes made by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will affect your 2018 tax return. The law revised personal exemptions, as well as the Child Tax Credit so, to avoid unpleasant surprises this tax season, the IRS is encouraging everyone to do a “Paycheck Checkup.” There’s an online withholding calculator available so you can determine if you’re

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Coming Soon: Arizona’s Mini-COBRA Law

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Beginning January 1, 2019, Arizona businesses with fewer than twenty employees will be required to offer COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985.) This new mandate applies to medical group plans only. Stand-alone dental and vision plans do not apply. Here’s the bill passed last spring by the Arizona Senate. Who must comply? Employer

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Are You Hiring? Don’t Ask This Question!

Payroll Services / Focus HR

You can ask job candidates a plethora of questions, but there’s one we strongly recommend you avoid: “How much money did you/do you make?” There’s no harm in asking why a candidate wants to work with your company, what motivates them, or how knowledgeable they are with certain computer applications, but lawmakers nationwide are pushing for a Salary History

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Work Comp Premiums: Drowning in the Assigned Risk Insurance Pool?

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Is your workers’ compensation insurance premium uncomfortably high? If you have a history of Workers’ Compensation claims, if your company is newly established, or if it’s labeled high-risk for injuries, you’re probably swimming in the “assigned risk pool.” Business owners want to dive in on the open market because that’s where insurance companies offer lower rates and

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Breaking the ‘Code’ in Workers’ Compensation

Payroll Services / Focus HR

Pay special attention to the employee code(s) you select when setting your Workers’ Compensation insurance. Your code(s) will impact the insurance premium you pay and whether future claims are handled smoothly. Classification codes are the creation of the National Council for Compensation Insurance (NCCI.) Since different jobs have different injury risk factors, varying class codes have

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Compliance Deadline: New Form to Fight Data Breaches Now Required

Payroll Services / Focus HR

If you own or operate a business, or run background checks, you must update your Model FCRA “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act” disclosure form. The deadline was Friday, September 21, 2018. The new document has been released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB.) Under the Fair Credit and Reporting

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