Missed payroll is more than a cash flow problem – it's a federal wage violation. A Newport Beach construction contractor learned that the hard way; it was ordered to pay $468,505 after the DOL found 137 workers went without pay…
Payroll
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed regulations for the new 1% excise tax on remittance transfers created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), effective Jan. 1, 2026. The tax applies when a customer (sender)…
Hospitality employers in California take note: Several cities in The Golden State have minimum wage increases for hotel employees soon taking effect. In addition to the new pay rates, some ordinances impose benefit, accrual and notice requirements. Here’s how the…
In Texas, a routine data upload in mid-March altered how hundreds of employees for the city of Austin were classified for overtime. That error affected payroll calculations and inflated employees’ pay. The result: up to double pay for some employees…
You'd think a near-400 % pay increase for a group of women in the spotlight would finally ease the tension over pay disparity. But the "transformational" WNBA collective bargaining agreement might not spill over into corporate America as easily as…
A federal court found a worker had been misclassified and identified more than 800 hours of potential overtime. But the Fifth Circuit still upheld a jury verdict denying overtime pay. The case draws a clear line between compliance risk and…
A residential construction company in Idaho learned how payroll errors can quickly turn into significant financial exposure. After a federal wage-and-hour investigation, Speedy’s Framing LLC agreed to pay $293,698 in back wages to 56 employees, along with a $24,795 civil…
Interest rates for the second quarter will drop, the IRS recently announced. According to Revenue Ruling 2026-5, the rates for April, May and June of 2026 will be: Overpayments -- 6% (down from 7%) Corporate overpayments -- 5% (down from…
A California carwash has agreed to a $1.2M settlement to resolve wage theft allegations, according to the California Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO). The seven-figure payout averages $52,174 per affected employee across 23 workers, with individual settlements ranging from $8,500 to…
A Little Caesars franchisee will pay $409,457 for federal wage and hour violations, the Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced. The case shows how payroll mistakes turn into expensive liabilities when overtime calculations and recordkeeping controls fall short. Payroll Mistakes…
The IRS summarized several tax provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in the 2026 version of Publication 15. Publication 15 is called the Employer’s Tax Guide -- or sometimes, Circular E. Of special interest to Payroll pros,…
Employers in states that have paid family and medical leave programs will be relieved to know the IRS has extended its reporting deadline. In fact, employers have an extra year to add information about this type of paid time off…
