Parallel HR » Legislation

The Most Head-Turning Workplace Stories of 2011

Amy Chulik — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:03:19 +0000

It was the best of after-work happy hour, it was the worst of “if my co-worker gives me the side-eye again, I am quitting on the spot” — or so the ancient saying goes. A lot happened in the workplace in the last 12 months, not the least of which involved Occupy Wall Street and the death of Steve Jobs. You’ve probably seen a great deal of coverage about stories like those — but some others might have slipped past your radar. Read more

President Obama’s Address to Congress: What Did You Think?

Amy Chulik — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:00:37 +0000

“Those of us here tonight can’t solve all our nation’s woes. Ultimately, our recovery will be driven not by Washington, but by our businesses, and our workers. But we can help. We can make a difference. There are steps we can take right now to improve people’s lives.” These were some of President Obama’s [...]

The HIRE Act — What Does It Mean for Your Business?

Amy Chulik — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:11:24 +0000

Last week, I talked about the pros and cons of rehiring former employees, and mentioned that the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act is one of the major reasons employers should be looking at hiring unemployed workers (which could include former employees). But let's explore further why the bill is so important -- both for unemployed workers and the employers hiring them. After all, as a CFO, controller, business owner, vice president of human resources, hiring manager, accountant, or anyone else with a stake in your business's bottom line, the HIRE Act could have a significant impact on your business. What is the HIRE Act? The $17.5 billion legislation, signed into law by President Obama on March 18, 2010, gives a potential tax exemption and credit to businesses that hire unemployed workers. Specifically, the HIRE Act grants businesses that hire workers unemployed 60 days or longer an exemption from the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll taxes for each worker for the remainder of 2010. Additionally, if workers are retained for one year, participating businesses get a tax credit of $1,000.