The pandemic put what matters most in perspective. The way we work changed overnight, leaving employees and business owners scrambling to adjust. Amid the chaos, some clear benefits trends emerged.

It’s been a year since Covid-19 took root in the United States, and lockdowns rolled out across the country. It’s been a trying time for small businesses. Thousands of them have gone under, leaving only those with access to capital and the ability to adapt hanging on.

2020 has been less of a paradigm-shifting year than an accelerator. The COVID-19 epidemic accelerated underlying digitization and automation trends throughout our society.

If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that the way we used to work is dead. So much of what used to work doesn’t work anymore. That’s a good thing because it’s forcing us to reexamine the way things are and see how they could (and should) be better.

Learn how leaders can be good communicators and how they can improve their communication to support their employees during pandemic times.

We have suggested surveys as a means to listen to and solicit feedback from your employees. We think those are an excellent way to get started; however, the stay interview is even more powerful than a survey. In a time when so little is certain, and your employees are scared and worried, now might be a good time to figure out how you can keep them and keep them happy.

We know the last few months have been difficult for you and your teams. Your employees have had to adjust quickly changing regulations, working remotely and shifting priorities. We wanted to give you a way to say thanks to your employees for doing their best under a significant amount of stress, pressure and turmoil. You can download your own employee recognition kit below to add a little brightness to your employees’ day.

With post-COVID life upon us, many businesses are determining how to safely re-open their businesses. What if an employee gets sick? How can I keep my employees and customers safe? How do I handle this?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to educate employers and employees on how to properly use face coverings at the workplace.

Q. How long does a furlough stay a furlough? When does it become a layoff?

The deadly pandemic continues to ravage the U.S. nation forcing thousands of small businesses to shut down their operations and lay off employees. To prevent a future catastrophic economic paralysis, the federal and States, along with nongovernmental institutions have released millions of dollars into the economy. These funds are available to these small businesses in forms of loans and grant. To apply for these funds, please visit the resources we have provided for you below.

Decisions at a time like this can be tricky – the ‘as-normal’ decision-making processes may not work. In a time of emergency, new information arises so quickly it feels impossible to keep up. But we are here to help you through these uncertain times.

Below are additional resources provided by a number of federal and state government agencies that businesses may find helpful.

Beginning April 2, 2020, Employers with less than 500 employees will be required to post notice of the new provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in a conspicuous place on their premises. Employers may also satisfy the notice requirement by emailing or direct mailing the notice to employees or posting the notice on an employee information internal or external website.

The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act), signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020.

As the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus continues, XcelHR encourages all its partners and clients to design an effective Emergency Response Plan. As of date, the American authorities have reported a total of 88 cases nationwide, with two fatalities. Should the situation worsen, and the government decides to shut down all public and private establishments, –or should your workplace become infected, this emergency response plan will help your team react quickly and effectively without experiencing any service disruption.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a statement regarding the potential for the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) in the United States. The CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new Coronavirus, which has resulted in more than a thousand confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City.

What happens if you are forced to shut down your business? After all those nights of too little sleep, the weight of knowing you are supporting all of those individuals and families who work for you, this feels awful and surreal.

The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation is evolving each day and like all of you, we are taking action to prepare and protect our business, and yours. As the global landscape continues to shift, we remain focused on the wellbeing of our employees and maintaining strong delivery for our clients. Taking care of our clients is at the center of everything we do, so I want to assure you that our teams are focused on proactive steps to help reinforce strong business practices as this continues.

The pandemic put what matters most in perspective. The way we work changed overnight, leaving employees and business owners scrambling to adjust. Amid the chaos, some clear benefits trends emerged.

It’s been a year since Covid-19 took root in the United States, and lockdowns rolled out across the country. It’s been a trying time for small businesses. Thousands of them have gone under, leaving only those with access to capital and the ability to adapt hanging on.

While this moment in history has been difficult for all Americans, some groups are hurting more than others. COVID-19 has hit working women particularly hard; Employers can help.

With post-COVID life upon us, many businesses are determining how to safely re-open their businesses. What if an employee gets sick? How can I keep my employees and customers safe? How do I handle this?

The distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine has been well underway since December 14, 2020. Due to its low supply in the US, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that the vaccine be rolled out in phases to specific groups of the US population first. This rollout will help decrease death and serious disease as much as possible, preserve the functioning of society and reduce the additional burden Covid-19 has on individuals facing underlying health issues.

2020 has been less of a paradigm-shifting year than an accelerator. The COVID-19 epidemic accelerated underlying digitization and automation trends throughout our society.

The PPP loan program has been a vital lifeline for small businesses, but the program has not gone off without a hitch. The PPP loan program has been mired in setbacks and changes and the PPP forgiveness process has not bucked this trend.

Open enrollment season is almost here, and the offering process has never looked better! Having faced a difficult covid-19 season, employers are adjusting their benefits offering to serve their workforce better. Learn more

If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that the way we used to work is dead. So much of what used to work doesn’t work anymore. That’s a good thing because it’s forcing us to reexamine the way things are and see how they could (and should) be better.

We know the last few months have been difficult for you and your teams. Your employees have had to adjust quickly changing regulations, working remotely and shifting priorities. We wanted to give you a way to say thanks to your employees for doing their best under a significant amount of stress, pressure and turmoil. You can download your own employee recognition kit below to add a little brightness to your employees’ day.

With post-COVID life upon us, many businesses are determining how to safely re-open their businesses. What if an employee gets sick? How can I keep my employees and customers safe? How do I handle this?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to educate employers and employees on how to properly use face coverings at the workplace.

Q. How long does a furlough stay a furlough? When does it become a layoff?

The deadly pandemic continues to ravage the U.S. nation forcing thousands of small businesses to shut down their operations and lay off employees. To prevent a future catastrophic economic paralysis, the federal and States, along with nongovernmental institutions have released millions of dollars into the economy. These funds are available to these small businesses in forms of loans and grant. To apply for these funds, please visit the resources we have provided for you below.

Decisions at a time like this can be tricky – the ‘as-normal’ decision-making processes may not work. In a time of emergency, new information arises so quickly it feels impossible to keep up. But we are here to help you through these uncertain times.

Below are additional resources provided by a number of federal and state government agencies that businesses may find helpful.

Beginning April 2, 2020, Employers with less than 500 employees will be required to post notice of the new provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in a conspicuous place on their premises. Employers may also satisfy the notice requirement by emailing or direct mailing the notice to employees or posting the notice on an employee information internal or external website.

The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act), signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020.

As the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus continues, XcelHR encourages all its partners and clients to design an effective Emergency Response Plan. As of date, the American authorities have reported a total of 88 cases nationwide, with two fatalities. Should the situation worsen, and the government decides to shut down all public and private establishments, –or should your workplace become infected, this emergency response plan will help your team react quickly and effectively without experiencing any service disruption.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a statement regarding the potential for the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) in the United States. The CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new Coronavirus, which has resulted in more than a thousand confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City.

What happens if you are forced to shut down your business? After all those nights of too little sleep, the weight of knowing you are supporting all of those individuals and families who work for you, this feels awful and surreal.

As retail shops, restaurants, and bars gradually reopen, many business owners fear customers and employees may sue them for contracting Covid-19 on their premises. To ease their fears, Congress has been working on passing a new bill that provides immunity to Coronavirus-related lawsuits.

It’s official! The President has signed into law new rules to govern the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), making it much more flexible, much more ‘do-able’ to spend the funds in a way that makes sense for your business and more easily meet terms of loan forgiveness.

Business owners can basically think of this new Federal aid as ‘an emergency loan that turns into a grant’. The Small Business Association (SBA) has developed and will administer, with approved lending organization partners (banks), the process by which owners of small businesses can obtain an emergency loan under the PPP.

Sometimes, there’s just not existing work that can be assigned, due to pandemic-related business downturn or the impossibility of telework. The new CARES act ensures that employees are better-equipped to weather a furlough (temporary) or a layoff. Extra assistance (time-wise and monetarily) will be administered through the existing State Unemployment Insurance offices, via their existing processes.

What is the effective date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which includes the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act?

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.[1] The US Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date through December 31, 2020.

H.R. 6201 would require employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave, ten weeks of which would be paid. Leave would be for “qualifying need related to a public health emergency.”

The PPP loan program has been a vital lifeline for small businesses, but the program has not gone off without a hitch. The PPP loan program has been mired in setbacks and changes and the PPP forgiveness process has not bucked this trend.

On August 8th, the President issued a memorandum and signed an executive order concerning payroll taxes. This order instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to build a plan to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of the 6.2% Social Security tax on employees’ wages or compensation, for the period of September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

As retail shops, restaurants, and bars gradually reopen, many business owners fear customers and employees may sue them for contracting Covid-19 on their premises. To ease their fears, Congress has been working on passing a new bill that provides immunity to Coronavirus-related lawsuits.

It’s official! The President has signed into law new rules to govern the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), making it much more flexible, much more ‘do-able’ to spend the funds in a way that makes sense for your business and more easily meet terms of loan forgiveness.

Q. How long does a furlough stay a furlough? When does it become a layoff?

The deadly pandemic continues to ravage the U.S. nation forcing thousands of small businesses to shut down their operations and lay off employees. To prevent a future catastrophic economic paralysis, the federal and States, along with nongovernmental institutions have released millions of dollars into the economy. These funds are available to these small businesses in forms of loans and grant. To apply for these funds, please visit the resources we have provided for you below.

Business owners can basically think of this Federal aid as ‘an emergency loan that turns into a grant’. The Small Business Association (SBA) will develop and administer the process by which owners of small businesses can obtain an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which private lenders are also invited to deploy under strict guidelines and for limited profit.

With the recent passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), many businesses have begun to ask whether contracting for services with a professional employer organization (PEO) will interfere with the business’s ability to qualify for a CARES Act loan, including under the new Paycheck Protection Program.

Beginning April 2, 2020, Employers with less than 500 employees will be required to post notice of the new provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in a conspicuous place on their premises. Employers may also satisfy the notice requirement by emailing or direct mailing the notice to employees or posting the notice on an employee information internal or external website.

TITLE II – ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICAN WORKERS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES (Unemployment Insurance Provisions, A.K.A. ‘Relief for Workers Affected by Coronavirus Act’)

What is the effective date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which includes the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act?

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

H.R. 6201 would require employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave, ten weeks of which would be paid. Leave would be for “qualifying need related to a public health emergency.”

Below are additional resources provided by a number of federal and state government agencies that businesses may find helpful.

The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act), signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020.

On March 18, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201). This federal legislation will, among other things

Effective April 2, 2020, but employers are encouraged to start observing the new provisions ASAP. The Department of Labor will soon develop full eligibility requirements for each type of leave and accompanying pay.

The pandemic put what matters most in perspective. The way we work changed overnight, leaving employees and business owners scrambling to adjust. Amid the chaos, some clear benefits trends emerged.

It’s been a year since Covid-19 took root in the United States, and lockdowns rolled out across the country. It’s been a trying time for small businesses. Thousands of them have gone under, leaving only those with access to capital and the ability to adapt hanging on.

While this moment in history has been difficult for all Americans, some groups are hurting more than others. COVID-19 has hit working women particularly hard; Employers can help.

With post-COVID life upon us, many businesses are determining how to safely re-open their businesses. What if an employee gets sick? How can I keep my employees and customers safe? How do I handle this?

The distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine has been well underway since December 14, 2020. Due to its low supply in the US, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that the vaccine be rolled out in phases to specific groups of the US population first. This rollout will help decrease death and serious disease as much as possible, preserve the functioning of society and reduce the additional burden Covid-19 has on individuals facing underlying health issues.

The Covid-19 pandemic sparked a legion of businesses to restructure their workforce into a remote one. This sudden reorganization heightened stress, disconnect, and pressure throughout cross-functional teams and between managers and peers.

The PPP loan program has been a vital lifeline for small businesses, but the program has not gone off without a hitch. The PPP loan program has been mired in setbacks and changes and the PPP forgiveness process has not bucked this trend.

Open enrollment season is almost here, and the offering process has never looked better! Having faced a difficult covid-19 season, employers are adjusting their benefits offering to serve their workforce better. Learn more

If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that the way we used to work is dead. So much of what used to work doesn’t work anymore. That’s a good thing because it’s forcing us to reexamine the way things are and see how they could (and should) be better.

Learn how leaders can be good communicators and how they can improve their communication to support their employees during pandemic times.

We have suggested surveys as a means to listen to and solicit feedback from your employees. We think those are an excellent way to get started; however, the stay interview is even more powerful than a survey. In a time when so little is certain, and your employees are scared and worried, now might be a good time to figure out how you can keep them and keep them happy.

With post-COVID life upon us, many businesses are determining how to safely re-open their businesses. What if an employee gets sick? How can I keep my employees and customers safe? How do I handle this?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to educate employers and employees on how to properly use face coverings at the workplace.

With new cases of COVID-19 on the decline, businesses across the nation are reeling from the effects of the last couple of months. Governors across America are being pushed to lift stay at home orders to restart their local economies.

Stay-at-home orders are gradually being lifted across the nation. As an employer, you are presumably looking forward to reopening for business or operating at full capacity. To make up for the last months’ slow returns, you opt to rehire furloughed employees or bring in new, additional employees.

Q. How long does a furlough stay a furlough? When does it become a layoff?

Talks of reopening the economy are starting to begin, and so many businesses are starting to strategize how to resume business operations. Things will not return to “normal” immediately, or possibly ever. You have to rethink the way you work. As a business owner, the health and well-being of your employees is now in your hands.