People Lease Business Blog

2012-02-20T07:45:00.003-06:00

It’s largely become known as Presidents Day, but the holiday on the third Monday in February is nationally named for the man on the dollar bill. First implemented by Congress in 1880 and revised to be celebrated by all federal offices in 1885, Washington’s Birthday was originally observed on his actual birth date of February 22nd. This was changed in 1971 to fall on the third Monday of the month, which ironically means that the holiday is never observed on Washington’s actual birthday (February 22nd only occurs as a Monday during the fourth week of the month).

Since the date falls between Washington’s actual birthday and Lincoln’s February 12th birthday, many states use the term Presidents Day as the official title of the holiday. Also, more recently the holiday has been used to celebrate the office of the President in general.

George Washington is considered the “Father of the Nation”. After leading the American forces as commander-in-chief against the British in the Revolutionary War, the Electoral College voted unanimously to elect Washington as the first President of the United States in 1789. He was elected to a second term but refused to run for a third.

Looking to celebrate the holiday with some of your president’s favorite foods? Take a look at The Food Timeline and see what meals the presidents’ have preferred over the years.

Please remember that the United States Postal Service will be closed on Monday, as will most banks and public schools. Many businesses take the opportunity to hold “President’s Day Sales” over the holiday weekend. Here at People Lease, you can receive the same 120-Day Money Back Guarantee we offer all year long. We know for sure that payroll was really simple in George’s day. Not so today, with things like benefit management, tax issues, and withholding calculations – how much more complicated can it be? Free your company from the hassles of everyday employee administration - visit us today at peoplelease.com to get your free quote and see how easy we can make payroll for you.

Who’s your favorite president?

Determining between independent contractors and employees

2012-02-09T09:57:00.003-06:00

Companies and employees across the country have been finding it hard in recent years to keep up with the laws concerning employment status. While contract work can be appealing to both sides, it's important to know the rules to keep all concerned safe from possible penalties.

To determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee, look closely at the financial control the company has over the employee. Is the worker incurring costs which are not being reimbursed? This points toward a contractor situation since most employees can expect work expenses to be reimbursed while contractors have up-front costs related to their trade (such as tools and materials).

Another factor is how the worker is paid. Contractors have the ability to set their payment amount before starting a job. While some do set hourly rates, most contractor jobs are flat fees and work the hours they set themselves. Independent contractors can also seek other business opportunities and are free to work on several projects at any given period while most employees are expected to have regular work hours.

Contractors also pay their own taxes and have to file a 1099 with the IRS if they earn more than $600 from a client. Even so, the IRS suspects that 15% of workers are misclassified.

If you're looking for more information, Kelli M. Horne of Ezine Articles has written even further on the subject.

Keeping up with overtime rules

2012-01-16T14:06:00.000-06:00

Companies have been having a hard time in recent years complying with the U.S. Department of Labor’s rules defining which white-collar employees are eligible for overtime pay and which are exempt.

The Fair Labor Standards Act regulations were set in place to make it easier for companies to make the distinction between eligible and exempt. So far, that hasn’t been the case. Even more lawsuits about overtime have resulted, in fact.

You don’t want your company facing some attorney out for a quick buck because of some simple mistake concerning pay. Luckily, there are resources to help you make the choice between exempt and nonexempt employees. Here are a few things to remember:

• Employees earning less than $455 a week are automatically eligible for overtime pay.

• A “highly compensated” employee is exempt if:

The employee earns total annual compensation of $100,000 or more, which includes at least $455 per week paid on a salary basis;
The employee’s primary duty includes performing office or non-manual work; and
The employee customarily and regularly performs at least one of the exempt duties or responsibilities of an exempt executive, administrative or professional employee.

• To qualify for the administrative employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:

The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per week;
The employee’s primary duty must be the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer’s customers; and
The employee’s primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

For more info and a full list of exemptions, check out People Lease’s HR Support Center (look under Laws >Federal Laws>Fair Labor Standards Act).

2012-01-11T11:05:00.001-06:00

You know that the success of your business hinges on how well you know your industry. Being an expert in your field sets you apart from the competition. The same goes for People Lease.

At People Lease, we strive for perfection in back office solutions so you can spend your time on what makes your business successful. Small Business Reports states that the average manager spends up to 23% of their work hours on staff administrative paperwork. People Lease is here to give you back that time.

These days, small businesses fight an uphill battle against employee administration rules, regulations, and penalties. We help our clients steer clear of these problems with superior knowledge of these ever-changing policies. People Lease can take care of your payroll processing, employee benefits, insurance, workers' compensation, 401(k) and much more. With access to all these benefits, our clients are able to attract and retain the best employees.

People Lease is a Mississippi-based company that has been in business in the Jackson area for over 27 years. Our clients receive reliable, personalized service and a high level of commitment to their needs. And we're always reaching to do more. We've recently added an online portal to our website where clients will be able to access employee files and pay histories, view and print management and payroll reports, and even submit payroll. We've also added an HR Support Center to our site so clients can now read human resources articles, download forms and job descriptions, research laws and more. With all these options and much more, People Lease is here to make payroll and human resources work for your business.

Fran Flood named Ambassador of the Month

2012-01-10T09:32:00.000-06:00

Fran Flood of Account Services Group in Ridgeland has achieved the designation of Ambassador of the Month for November and December 2011 from the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership. The Ambassador of the Month is presented to a chamber member who best involves themselves in activities and events which grow the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership.
Fran Flood is vice president of Account Services Group, where she has worked since 2001. She specializes in the administration of health, life, and dental insurance plans for individuals and groups. She is a Mississippi licensed insurance agent for most insurance carries operating in the state. In addition to being an Ambassador with the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, Fran is also a Chamber member of Flowood, Rankin County, Madison City, and Madison County. She is a member of the Madison/Ridgeland Rotary, the Professional Women’s Association, the Jackson Association of Health Underwriters, and the Madison County Women’s Council.
Fran also attained Diplomat of the Month for October 2011 from the Chamber of Flowood.
Fran resides in Madison with her husband, Ralph Flood. They enjoy taking trips on the weekends, especially to watch New Orleans Saints games. The couple has five children and six grandchildren.

2011-12-29T09:40:00.000-06:00

After holidays full of excess eating and big spending, the New Year approaches and everyone starts in with their Resolutions. As individuals, people resolve to lose weight, quit smoking and spend more time with their families. Good and noble endeavors to be sure. But what about in business? Are there any resolutions you should be implementing at work? Sure there are. Here’s a few for starters.

1. Start your day earlier. “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” said Benjamin Franklin. Seems to have worked for him. Think about it – more time in the morning means more time to devote to things you probably won’t get to do otherwise. Like exercise, read the paper, or eat breakfast. Starting your day off early means you can come into work on time, fully awake and ready to face the challenges of the day.

2. Work smarter, not harder. Since you’re already at work and feeling productive, think about the things you can do to make your job a little easier. Do you have some daily or weekly tasks you put off but then get distracted from? Get them done first thing and let the rest of the day fall into place. Have a hard time finding files after you’ve saved them? Work on a filing system that’s easier to navigate. You have to think about the things that are keeping or slowing you from achieving your goals and change them.

3. Cut down on waste. Sounds simple, right? It is. Think about the things you and your company are doing that wastes company resources like paper, electricity, or - worst of all - time. These things are costing your company money. What you have to look for are alternatives to what’s costing you money now. Can you send more emails instead of wasting paper corresponding through fax? Are you using up those “promotion-only” pens you spent so much money on in the office instead of handing them out to potential clients? And it has to be asked – are you still wasting time doing your own payroll?

4. Go green. Speaking of working smarter and cutting waste; how much can your company save by lowering utility costs? Green isn’t just a hippie buzzword anymore. Companies are saving money each year with green initiatives like better insulation and water-conserving options. Eco-friendly options like recycling have been known to boost customer support, as well. Look around your office, especially your trashcan, and see if there’s anything “green” you can be doing.

Remember, like your personal New Year’s Resolutions, your business Resolutions will require you to stick with it to be effective. Those above are just a few options you can implement. Have any other suggestions? Feel free to comment below.

2011-12-15T16:57:00.001-06:00

Doesn’t Christmas seem to start earlier and earlier every year? The season when families and friends come together, presents are exchanged, and much merriment ensues. That’s right, Christmas is in full swing again.

Christmas is known as the season of good will and charity. That might be tough to remember while you’re fighting through crowds at the sales rack or searching for the hottest deals online. Luckily, there are several ways you can make the holidays special for someone less fortunate.

Toys for Tots runs on the idea that no child should have to wake up on Christmas morning without a gift. Simply take an unwrapped toy to any of their drop off locations for it to be distributed to a needy child in your area on Christmas. Want a hands-on approach to giving? Search for orphanages and other child-care facilities in your area and find out how you can make Christmas special for the children there. Local soup kitchens are always in need this time of year. Call and find out how you can help.

Even the smallest gestures can make a big difference for someone. How often do you walk by the bell ringers of the Salvation Army on your way into a store? Just a little spare change every time you walk by could be what brings joy into someone’s Christmas. And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

Here are a few links that might help you decide the best way for you to give:

December 7th: Remembering the Date in Infamy

2011-12-07T15:51:00.002-06:00

Everyone knows the story. How on December 7, 1941, Japan surprisingly attacked the United States naval forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - killing 2400 Americans and destroying much of our fleet. Everyone knows that the attack resulted in America getting involved in the war against the Axis powers, becoming a huge factor in the Allied forces' success.

Even though there have been many movies and books based on the events surrounding the the attack 70 years ago, every year less and less attention is called to what President Franklin D. Roosevelt said to be "a date which will live in infamy." If you take a look at Google.com, you won't find a "google doodle" logo associated with Pearl Harbor like you've seen in the past for Thanksgiving or Mark Twain's birthday. Pearl Harbor isn't listed on Yahoo's Trending Now top ten. In fact, on Yahoo you're more likely to see stories about Lady Gaga's "baffling accent" or which sports teams are "liked" the most. At the moment CNN's main page doesn't list a single story commemorating the date of the attack.

When these attacks occurred, it spurned our entire nation to organize and fight hard against the Axis forces of World War II. Americans shouldn't so easily forget about a day of horrible defeat that ultimately let led to our biggest triumph.

2011-11-29T15:42:00.001-06:00

With Thanksgiving over, the holiday season kicks into high gear. Between running your business and dealing with the holidays, who has time to deal with employee administration? People Lease can help you save valuable time and money when it comes to running your business. We make your life easier… because we do all the work!

* Complete Payroll Processing, Tax Payment and Filing
* “Pay-As-You-Go” Workers’ Compensation
* Customized Retirement Plans
* 24/7 Online Human Resources Support Center
* ... and much more!

We are so sure you will be satisfied with our services that we offer a 120 day money-back guarantee. Call or email us today to receive your free quote!

2011-11-28T14:46:00.001-06:00

It's often said that patience is a virtue. That's certainly true when itcomes to taking your Social Security retirement benefits. In a story forInvestor's Business Daily, Donald Korn looks at the advantages of waiting a fewyears to start drawing your Social Security checks.

A person who starts getting a check at 62(the first year people born from 1943-1954 are able) will only receive 75% oftheir benefits. Waiting only one year to age 63 provides an increase of5% and by age 66 the benefits are increased to 100%. Also, every year youwait you get a delayed retirement credit amounting to 8% per year (up to age70). That means you can receive checks up to 32% larger than they wouldat age 66.

For more information, read the full article here.

IRS Announces Pension Plan Limitations for 2012

2011-11-17T13:49:00.001-06:00

Everyone knows that the cost of living is going up on a yearly basis, if not faster than that. The IRS has announced that it has adjusted dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for the Tax Year 2012. The highlights of this adjustment are as follows:

The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is increased from $16,500 to $17,000.
The catch-up contribution limit for those aged 50 and over remains unchanged at $5,500.
The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA is phased out for singles and heads of household who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (AGI) between $58,000 and $68,000, up from $56,000 and $66,000 in 2011. For married couples filing jointly, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range is $92,000 to $112,000, up from $90,000 to $110,000. For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out if the couple’s income is between $173,000 and $183,000, up from $169,000 and $179,000.
The AGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $173,000 to $183,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $169,000 to $179,000 in 2011. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $110,000 to $125,000, up from $107,000 to $122,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-out range remains $0 to $10,000.
The AGI limit for the saver’s credit (also known as the retirement savings contributions credit) for low-and moderate-income workers is $57,500 for married couples filing jointly, up from $56,500 in 2011; $43,125 for heads of household, up from $42,375; and $28,750 for married individuals filing separately and for singles, up from $28,250.

Should you need further information on this announcement visit www.peoplelease.com for all of your retirement planning needs.

DePoyster Earns License

2011-11-03T13:52:00.002-05:00

Check out this great press release for Christina DePoyster receiving her agents license in property and casualty insurance.

Congratulations!

25 Off-Limits Interview Questions

2011-10-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

One wrong question in a job interview could spark a discrimination lawsuit. To be prepared, create a list of interview questions and make sure every question asks for job-related information that will help in the selection process. Federal and state laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of an applicant’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability. Some state laws also prohibit discrimination based on factors such as marital status or sexual orientation. If you ask a job applicant a question specifically relating to one of those characteristics, you’re subject to being sued.

To avoid the appearance of discrimination during interviews, do not ask the following 25 questions:

1. Are you married? Divorced?

2. If you’re single, are you living with anyone?

3. How old are you?

4. Do you have children? If so, how many and how old are they?

5. Do you own or rent your home?

6. What church do you attend?

7. Do you have any debts?

8. Do you belong to any social or political groups?

9. How much and what kinds of insurance do you have?

The following questions could result in an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuit:

10. Do you suffer from an illness or disability?

11. Have you ever had or been treated for any of these conditions or diseases? (followed by a checklist)

12. Have you been hospitalized? What for?

13. Have you ever been treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist?

14. Have you had a major illness recently?

15. How many days of work did you miss last year because of illness?

16. Do you have any disabilities or impairments that might affect your performance in this job?

17. Are you taking any prescribed drugs?

18. Have you ever been treated for drug addiction or alcoholism?

Many companies ask female applicants questions they don’t ask males. Not smart. Here are some questions to avoid with female applicants:

19. Do you plan to get married?

20. Do you intend to start a family?

21. What are your daycare plans?

22. Are you comfortable supervising men?

23. What would you do if your husband were transferred?

24. Do you think you could perform the job as well as a man?

25. Are you likely to take time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act?

Tip Pool Too Shallow for Owners to Take a Dip

2011-10-27T10:28:00.000-05:00

It is unlawful for a bar/tavern owner to take money from the collected tip pool. The owner is simply the owner and not know as an employee that can partake in the tip pool collected on a daily basis. The owner is classified as the bar/restaurant's sole beneficiary of the tip credit, so to share in the tips would benefit himself at the employee's expense.

Legal Employees or Not So Legal Employees?

2011-10-25T16:38:00.000-05:00

The Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement will audit personnel records of 1,000 employers nationwide. This audit will determine if employers are following compliance laws for employment eligibility verification. This audit will span all industries. Since April 2009 ICE has increased its focus on Form I-9 audits.

Proactive Instead of Reactive Measures on Compliance

2011-10-25T14:06:00.000-05:00

The Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division is increasing investigations in 'high violation' industries. The Division will no longer wait on complaints, but have taken a proactive stance in their investigations. The targeted industries are: construction, food services, dry cleaning, landscaping, child care, janitorial services, and companies with immigrant workers. The Division wants to help employers achieve compliance in the future, not penalize them for noncompliance.

Does Your Personal Information Match Your Social Security Account?

2011-10-24T16:48:00.002-05:00

The Social Security Administration will begin sending out 'no match' letters to employers requesting action and a response for 2010 Form W-2 name and social security number mismatches of specific employees. This will involve only specific individuals, and group letters will no longer be sent. The letter is a Form SSA-L4002-C1. The Social Security Administration asks that the employer compare the information in the letter to the employer's records. If the information is a match, make a copy of the data that verifies the information. If the information is not a match, the employee is to contact the Social Security Administration office. If there are mistakes on the employee's personnel information, correct the mistakes. Return the completed form to the Social Security Administration. When there are mismatches such as these, this will result in an employee's wages not being credited to their Social Security accounts.

2011-10-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce People Lease has been nominated for the Best Place to Work in Madison County! It would be such an honor to win this award for our staff and for our clients. Voting is now open to the public, and we really would appreciate your vote for the staff of People Lease. Please visit the following link and support People Lease to be voted the Best Place to Work in Madison County: http://survey/constantcontact.com/survey/a07e51wtw5sgtoq4wy7/start !

Best of Madison County!

2011-10-17T08:58:00.001-05:00

Fair Labor Standards Violations Audits

2011-10-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

It is no secret that the Obama administration is taking a firm hand to employers that violate the Fair Labor Standards Act. When this happens you will only have 72 hours to prepare for their arrival. This creates a flurry of paperwork and stress that can easily be avoided. Here are some hot buttons that can trigger an audit:

Exempt missclassification- if your employee is not free to exercise their own judgement and act accordingly, then they are not exempt. Keep orderly records and outline exactly what exempt classification is for your employees.
Work suffered or permitted- this is basically working off the clock. Create a policy to avoid such behavior, and follow up with documentation or disciplinary actions.
Time shaving-this is very much the same as work suffered or permitted. Have employees take their breaks to ensure this is not happening in your office. Follow up with documentation or disciplinary actions when neccessary.
Failing to include all pay in employees' regular rates-this can be any type of bonus or on-call pay. Communicate your policy to your employees.
Failing to include all overtime hours-make sure that you report all hours worked in any department are counted toward overtime. Even if the employee works in different departments, the hours still count to overtime for the week. Document your policy and inform your employees.
Wage deductions that cut into overtime or minimum wage- Identify current deduction practices and ensure that they meet federal and state standards. Document these laws and implement them into your policy. Inform your employees.
Inadequate record-keeping-make sure that your time sheets are accurate and reflect all time worked for each employee. Provide training and place audit procedures in place to ensure this is being followed.

If you don't follow these guidelines, expect the unexpected. Here are five tips to handle your audit:

Select a representative to work with the auditor
Review the requested documents before handing them to the auditor.
Prepare your administrative staff to work with the auditors.
Fully comply with the auditos' findings.
Document everything.

For further information, visit our website at http://www.peoplelease.com/.

Union-Rights Poster Deadline Postponed by NLRB

2011-10-12T11:42:00.000-05:00

EMPLOYER COMPLIANCE ALERT!!!

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has announced that the implementation date for the new poster dictating employee rights to join a union has been postponed until January 31, 2012. Many businesses were uncertain about where they would fall under the Board's jurisdiction, so the deadline was postponed. Whether you are unionized or not, almost all private-sector workplaces will be required to display the "Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act" poster.

Common applicable standards are:

Organizations that exclusively use independent contractors, not employees
Retail organizations with annual gross volume of business below $500,000
Nonretail organizations with less than $50,000 in goods or services provided by the employer out of state or purchased by the employer from our of state
Organizations that fall below specific industry-based thresholds for gross annual volume

Employers can expect to receive further insight into the poster requirement from the NLRB until the end of January.

If you should have any questions about the poster requirement, visit www.theHRSpecialist.com/unionposter.

Surprising Health Myths Busted!

2011-10-10T17:23:00.000-05:00

We all remember when our mother told us to not make that face or it would stick... Although it wasn't true, we still listened to Mom and stopped making that face. In today's fast-paced environment, there are certain health stigmas that we have grown to take seriously.

One, airplane air will make you sick. Studies actually show that there is nothing risky about airplane air. Now if someone is sick and within a few feet of you, you are more likely to catch what that person may have. Airplane air is actually drawn from outside air at a higher altitude which means fewer bacteria or viruses. The cabin's air supply is exchanged 20 times in an hour, which is more than your office. Airplane air is also very dry, which is not a breeding ground for viruses to spread and grow.

Two, cheese will make you constipated. This has been proven incorrect. Your diet is completely the factor that will determine how your digestive reacts.

Three, if you are ill, dairy products will increase your congestion. There has not been one study that can conclude that this myth is correct. Drinking milk may give the sensation of more congestion, but it is only the sensation of the liquid.

Four, tilting your head back will stop a nosebleed. To properly stop a nosebleed you pinch just below the bony bridge of your nose for five to 15 minutes until the bleeding has stopped. Tilting your head back will only cause the bleeding to be sent down your throat which can cause you to choke.

Five, eating protein after a workout will help to build muscles. This is true if it is eaten in moderation. Loading up on protein after a workout is a bad idea. This can dehydrate the body and cause your kidneys to work harder and affect your digestion. So take a little, and get better results.

Six, stress will cause you to have high blood pressure. There is no apparent connection between chronic stress and high blood pressure. In recent studies, it shows that people who have a tendency to be anxious actually have lower blood pressure. The only correlation between stress and high blood pressure will rely solely on your diet.

So, with these six myths busted, take care of yourself and your diet.

8 Insurance Myths That Could Cost You a Pretty Penny

2011-09-15T15:01:00.000-05:00

HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE

Myth #1: The "replacement cost" provision in my homeowner's policy means that I would immediately be paid the cost of my damaged possessions.

Actual: Generally, replacement-cost coverage initially pays only the depreciated value -- reflecting the reduced value because of age or wear and tear - of your damaged possessions when you file your claim. In this case, you would have to come up with your own extra cash to buy new replacement items and do repairs. You then would have to file a supplemental claim, accompanied by a copy of the purchase receipt, to be reimbursed for your cash outlay.

Myth #2: The mold exclusion in my homeowner's policy means that I am financially responsible for taking care of any mold problems that develop.

Actual: If the mold stems from a covered event, your insurer is responsible for mold-remediation costs despite this mold-exclusion clause. If your insurance company tries this, pay a mold-remediation service a few hundred dollars to determine the age and source of your mold. If you can establish that the mold dates to the covered event, the insurance company should back down.

Myth #3: Replacement of only the damaged sections of my home is covered by my insurer.

Actual: If replacing the damaged section of the home creates a visible difference between the replaced section and the old section, the insurer must replace undamaged areas as well. This rule applies when there is a spot from which the undamaged section and the replaced section can be seen at the same time. If your insurer tries to dodge its responsibility to replace undamaged sections, write the adjuster a letter referencing the line-of-site rule. If they still have any doubts about replacing the undamaged areas, ask them to refer to the Fire, Casualty and Surety (FC&S) Bulletins. Adjusters will usually back down when policyholders cite this trade publication known by few outside the insurance industry.

AUTO INSURANCE

Myth #4: I have to live with the work that the repair shop does if my auto insurance requires me to take my vehicle to a specific shop.

Actual: Work done by a repair shop mandated by your auto insurance company's "Direct Repair Program" is automatically covered by your insurer. If you can show that the repairs were subpar or incomplete, you have the legal right to insist that they be redone.

Myth #5: When I lend my car to a friend, my coverage still applies.

Actual: It depends on the policy. Some insurers now provide coverage only to drivers specifically named on the policy, a practice called "named insured only." Make sure you read the terms of your insurance contract carefully before handing over your keys. Consider the driving skills of the person you're lending the car to, even if your coverage does extend to this driver - your insurance rates could be increased, even though you were not directly involved in the accident.

HOME AND AUTO INSURANCE

Myth #6: There's no harm in calling my insurer about a minor incident to find out if it's worth filing a claim.

Actual: Your insurance company will open a claim file as soon as you call the claims department, even if you don't pursue payment. More claim files typically mean higher premiums when it comes time to renew auto insurance, and homeowner's insurance providers sometimes cancel coverage when policyholders have multiple claim files. This can occur even if no payment is ever made on any claim. Do not contact your insurer unless it is likely that the cost of repairs will significantly exceed your deductible. Obtain a repair estimate first if you are not certain.

Myth #7: An "independent" insurance adjuster sent by my insurance company will be fair and non-partial.

Actual: An adjuster's job is to look out for the insurance company's bottom line. He/she will pretend to be your ally but will steer you toward options that save the insurer money, such as repairing damaged furniture rather than replacing it... or taking your damaged vehicle to a body shop that works cheap. This is true even if the adjuster is employed by an independent company — these independent agents know that they will lose the insurance company's business if they fail to keep claim costs down. If you believe an insurance adjuster is not being reasonable, consider hiring a public adjuster, an insurance claims specialist who represents policyholders in their negotiations with insurance companies.

Myth #8: I can cancel my insurance simply by not paying my renewal bill.

Actual: Insurance companies typically provide a grace period of about 30 days before terminating coverage when a bill is not paid. Policyholders are legally responsible for premiums charged during this grace period, even if they have no intention of continuing their coverage and already have obtained coverage through a different insurer. Not paying the resulting bill is likely to put a black mark on your credit report and trigger calls from bill collectors. It’s better to call and cancel an insurance policy that you no longer need, even if the policy has reached the end of a coverage period.

Help Guide Your Business’s Growth

2011-08-29T08:37:00.002-05:00

Are you looking for ways to steer your business toward growth? What kind of preparation questions are you asking? Here are seven questions that you should ask yourself when planning your growth strategy:

Number 1: Why is your company in existence? When you are clear about your purpose in the business world, others will be too.

Number 2: What business are you in? There has to be a direction that is the ultimate decision maker or your decisions.

Number 3: Who are you? Lead by example. Show others who you are and what you stand for. It gives your business direction and it will continue to evolve over time.

Number 4: In which direction is your business headed? Give your business a direction and visualize it. Then trace your steps backward to understand how to get to the ultimate goal.

Number 5: What are your company’s most important goals? These have to be for a specified period of time and measurable at the end.

Number 6: How will your company’s goals be achieved? There must be processes put in place to ensure that your goals will be achieved. This can be done through promotion of products/services, training, and constant assessment of performance.

Number 7: What’s your plan of action to address critical issues? Steps must be implemented to create a proactive, not a reactive, solution. These steps will lead to the most desired outcome for the issue.

What NOT to Do When You Start a New Job

2011-08-11T10:35:00.000-05:00

When you start a new job in a leadership position, here are a few tips for things NOT to do…

Don’t move too fast in the position. Take the time to observe and collect information. There will be plenty of time to implement personnel or strategy changes after you have researched within the company for a few months.
Be considerate of the objections to your being hired. It is inevitable that other employees will object to your being hired. Communicate what you bring to the table to your co-workers and employees. Do not make promises on how your being hired will improve or change the company.
Take your past mistakes into consideration as a learning tool. Ask your colleagues what you could do better at your new company.

Gain an understanding of what you were hired to do for the company. Understand you will be evaluated for your performance. Take the time to know who will be evaluating you and how they define a good performance from you. Communication will be key in ensuring your focus is the same as the evaluator.

Great News! Affordable Major Medical Coverage for Children

2011-07-20T11:17:00.000-05:00

Blue Cross Blue Shield has selected a few accredited agents to provide a new insurance plan designed specifically for children. Fran Flood at Account Services Group is one of these very few agents. This individual plan offers major medical insurance policies for children 6 months to 19 years old. Guaranteed issue!

One couple saved over $1,400 a year by moving their daughter from an employer plan to an individualized policy in our last open enrollment. The cost of each policy in the last open enrollment ranged from $70.00 to $95.50.

Open enrollment ends soon! Call (601) 981-3663 or email us at info@accountservicesgroup.com today for more information.

Social Networking: More Business or Less Production?

2011-04-28T10:56:00.000-05:00

Social networking is here to stay. Do you wonder if your employees are logging in at work? The odds are they probably do. Check out these statistics:

More than 62% of Twitter users log in solely from work.
Facebook has more than 350 million users and more than 50 percent log in on any given day.
MySpace has more than 263 million.
YouTube viewers watched over 14.8 billion online videos in January 2009.

· And if you think only the younger generation is logging in, the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is 35 and older

So, let’s assume that they are. There are pros and cons to allowing workplace access. Here are a few pros.

Employees can build a professional network that allows them to seek outside guidance for work issues.
Employees can develop better communication skills if they polish before posting.
Employees help build your organization’s brand, which will be critical to attract and retain top talent when hiring heats up.
Employees may divulge information about your company that is adverse.
Top talent, especially younger talent, may refuse to work for organizations that block social networks. To many, it is that important.

Now, here are some cons.

Viruses are prevalent on social networking sites. IT professionals are slowly acclimating to social networks, but overall, they have been resistant.
Employees may defame coworkers.
Productivity may suffer if networking goes viral among your workers.

Most organizations now allow access at work. However, if they do, a social networking policy is critical to prevent misuse and to help document performance problems. Think about setting up one in your own business. It’s not that hard to develop a strong policy. Below are several recommended topics to include in your policy.

Include all Web 2.0 applications, including blogging, bulletin boards, chat rooms and the most popular networking sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
In your policy, you should specifically either allow or disallow company resources for social networking.
Caution your employees not to mention customers or coworkers, or post photos of others in work-related activities without prior permission.
Let employees know that you may review employees’ social networking activities.

What is more important than your children?

2011-01-04T15:19:00.000-06:00

How to Keep Your Resolutions

2011-01-03T08:40:00.000-06:00

Here's some tips to keep you on target with or new year's resolutions

1. Make them measurable and realistic
According to American Pychological Association, "new behaviors thrive under realistic, achievable goal-setting". Pace your goals and build upon incremental success.

2. Do one at a time.
One of the most common mistakes is that we try and take on too much at one time. A better approach is to only focus on a few at a time.

3. Use the 30 day method.
Experts agree that once you get 30 days under your belt, a new goal become routine. Don't focus on changing your life...just focus on the next 30 days and your big goal will become much more mangeable.

4. Go public.
Once you tell someone your goal, you are much more inclined to reach it. Websites such as stick.com, even make you pay if you break your goal.

5. Chart your success.
Writing it down helps take your abstract goal into reality. Plus, what is more satisfying that charting success?

What helps you accomplish your goals? Let me know at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to Rebound After a Screw-up

2010-12-29T16:59:00.000-06:00

Failure come easy for small business owners. In fact, it comes easy to all of us. So, what should we do when it happens? Here's some thoughts.

1. Avoid excuses.

It is a natural tendency for most to try and sugar coat the failure, even to one's self. However, the best way to rise above the failure is to come to terms with what happened.

2. Remember that you are in good company.

Everyone who has ever accomplished anything in life has failed at something. So, chin up..it has happened to everyone.

3. Focus on what you can learn.

The great thing about failure is that you can learn some pretty great lessons about yourself and how you can improve for the future.

Hope these tips help when we all start tackling this ambitious new years goals.

I'd love to get your tips! Email them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

4 Ways to Make Sure You Have An All-Star team

2010-12-26T20:44:00.000-06:00

1. Since your employees are your most valuable asset, make sure that you provide them with opportunites to grow through classes and training programs. Recognizing their improved performance will go even further in progressing their All-Star mentality.

2. Be clear with your expectations. Sometimes, just making sure that everyone is on the same page will go far in making sure that you receive the best your employee can give.

3. In the same vein, clear, concise job descriptions cn go far in making sure that your employee is focusigng on what is mosy important and not getting distracted with more frivilous tasks.

4. Promote within. More than anything else, this will encourage employees to always be on their tip top behavior--just in case you are looking.

How do you get the best out of your employees? I'd love to hear! You can contact me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to take care of your Caregivers

2010-12-16T10:02:00.000-06:00

A recent report published by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving stated that 29% of the U.S. population "provides care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year and spends an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one while continuing to work."

All of us remember Steven Slater, the JetBlue flight attendant that famously ended his two-decade career with an intercom burst and a slide down the airplane's emergency exit while enjoying a beer from the beverage compartment. What some might not know is that the incident was primarily caused by Slater becoming increasingly stressed while caring for his cancer-stricken mother.

For years, doctors and psychologists have recognized the effects of caregiver stress. Now, some employers are too. General Electric, IBM, PepsiCo and Tyco are among several employers that are offering support, flexible work hours, access to financial and legal advice, grief counseling, and offering caregiver support groups. Small Businesses have an inherent disadvantage due to their size in this area..so what can you do to help your employee that is also a caregiver?

1. Acknowledge the difficulty of what your employee is going through.

2. If possible, try to help them work out their schedule, either through weekend work or working from home.

3. Offer to assist them in finding a financial planner & family counselor.

4. Encourage them to take care of themselves-especially making sure that they receive enough sleep.

I would love to get your thoughts..email them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

Top Ten Payroll Mistakes

2010-12-14T13:00:00.000-06:00

Here's the list of the most common mistakes that are made during payroll.

1. Making improper overtime payments
2. Misidentifying employees and independent contractors
3. Making mistakes on an employee's W-2 form
4. Missing tax deposit or filing deadlines
5. Determining exempt vs non-exempt status
6. Mistakes on 1099-MISC forms for independent contractors
7. Messing up or mishandling garnishments, child support payments, or levies
8. Ignoring other taxable items, such as gifts, bonuses, and awards
9. Incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date I-9 forms
10. Poor record keeping or data gathering

Payroll mistakes can cost your company about 1.2% of total payroll costs. Call People Lease and we make sure that everything about your payroll gets done correctly the first time.

For more information, call 800.723.3025 or email me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

What to include in a moonlighting policy

2010-12-13T08:38:00.000-06:00

In the state of our still shaky economy, holding a second job is necessary for many-especially those that are looking for a little extra holiday cash.. In 2009, 5.2% of the general population held multiple jobs.With the increase in moonlighting, it has become increasingly important for small businesses to instill moonlighting policies. Here are some ideas of what to include:

1. Confidentiality.

While this may seem abundantly obvious to you, it is important to make sure that your employees understand that taking a job where any company information is used (such as client lists, etc) is strictly forbidden.

2. Conflict of interest.

Obviously, you do not want your employee moonlighting for your competitor. To ensure that this is the case, you should make sure that you include a statement requiring your employees to reveal any possible conflicts of interest. Remember is is completely appropriate for you to ensure that a second job does not create a conflict of interest.

3. Performance

When an employee has a second job, it means that they have less personal time, less sleep, and more stress. Hence, it is important to include a performance policy to mitigate your employee from catching up on personal items during company time.

What do you think about moonlighting policies. Give them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to Keep Your Employees Focused During the Holidays

2010-12-09T09:14:00.000-06:00

Shopping. Holiday cards. Parties. Family Obligations. The holidays equal distraction in most offices. A recent survey revealed that 46% of Americans plan to complete their holiday shopping during work hours-either through online shopping, taking sick days, or cutting out a little early. This begs the question: how can employers best keep their employees focused?

1. Identify last years pitfalls.
Did your employees take long lunches last year? If so, review the lunch policy with everyone. Whatever the problems in your office are, identify them is your first step!

2. Focus on the positive.
Make sure that your employees know that you appreciate their contributions and achievements. Being appreciated lifts the spirits and goes a long way to stay motivated during stressful and harried times.

3. Don't be a Scrooge.
Perk up morale by giving your workers a celebratory holiday treat to look forward to!

4. Maintain leadership.
Set an example of what you expect during the holiday season. If your attitude and goals are lax during this time, chances are employees are going to follow your lead and slack off as well. Keep focused on your year-end goals and chances are your employees will do the same.

You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to get your employees interested in 401(k)s

2010-12-08T07:59:00.001-06:00

Getting your employees to a closer state of financial well being is something that is important to almost every small business owner. However, getting your employees to understand that importance can be a little more difficult. Here are some ways to help you help your employees:

1. Offer one-on-one consultations.
The proof is in the pudding: 51% of 401(k) investors prefer to have a one-on-one meeting to discuss their financial planning versus online research (23%) or brochures (4%). At People Lease, we would love to set up one-on-one meetings with one of our 401k specialists to ensure that your employee gets all of their questions answered before proceeding.

2. Express your opinion.
If your employees knows that you have invested in the 401(k) program, they are much more likely to invest in it too. Let them know that planning their financial future is well worth their time and money.

3. Strike when the iron is hot.
Statistics show that people are most open to engaging in a new 401(k) plan when changing a job, times of economic recession, and/or the loss of a spouse or partner.

4. KISS.
Keep It Simple Stupid. 53% of Americans say that they find 401(k) planning even more complicated than health care. Keeping it simple will not only encourage participation, but will also make your employees feel more at ease.

5. Let us take care of it for you!
Our plan is specifically made for small businesses, so that it can be tailored to your needs. Plus, we have over 25 years of experience and a system in place to help your employees understand the complexities of financial planning with ease.

For more information, you can contact me at jdanner@peoplelease.com or at 800.723.3025

How to Keep Your Office Healthy

2010-12-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

Stomach bugs. Sneezing. Coughing. If your office is anything like ours, the season of sickness is in full swing. According to the Centers of Disease Control, the flu alone costs companies $10.4 billion. With a still-struggling economy, it is more important than ever to keep your employees well. Here are some tips:

1. Get Vaccinated.
Only 37% of Americans have received the flu vaccination. Investing in flu shots for your employees is well worth the money.

2. Wash your hands.
This is cited by many as being the most effective way to prevent the spread of the flu. When hot water and soap are unavailable, use wet ones or antibacterial gel. Additionally, providing materials for your employees to disinfect their keyboards will go far in eliminating contamination.

3.Stay home.
If an employees is sick, send them home. Spreading germs around the office will be more of a disservice than having your sick employee there.

4. Promote personal space.
Avoid excessive touching and/or handshaking. According to the Mayo clinic, a good rule is to stand at least 3 feet apart when possible.

Tired of paperwork?

2010-12-07T10:28:00.000-06:00

Freeing up Cash: Last Minute Tax Deductions for 2010.

2010-12-06T12:46:00.000-06:00

If you are anything like most of us, you are already focused on your first-quarter cash flow. One great way to free up some cash is by maximizing your 2010 deductions. Here are some ways to do that:

1.Deduct charged expenses.
Both cash & accrual basis taxpayers can charge expenses on a credit card and deduct them in the year charged, regardless of when paid.

2. Buy those big ticket items.
It would be advantageous from a tax standpoint to buy any large fixed asset purchases by December 31, 2010 because of the special bonus depreciation rules enacted for2010 that allow an expense for 50% of the purchase.

3. Buy that car!
Maximize auto depreciation for 2010 purchases. IF you buy a new car before the end of 2010, your first year depreciation deduction will be $11,060. If you wait until 2011, your first year depreciation will be knocked down to $3,060.

4. First year business credit.
The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 temporarily increased the amount of start-up expenditures entrepreneurs can deduct from their taxes for this year from 5000 to 10,000.

5. Sell that property!
If you have some business property that you have been considering liquidating, now is the time. As of January 1, 2011, Capital Gains rate will increase from 15% to 25%.

For information you can contact me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

The Gators & Excellence

2010-12-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Anyone that has known me for over 5 minutes knows that I am a die-hard Gator fan. Anyone that follows college football knows that I am not happy. The Gators have had a train wreck of a season…to put it mildly. After over 15 seasons of glorious football, our reign of dominance is over in a very big way. So how do the Gators get back to excellence? How do any of us achieve it?

1. Love what you do.

I really don’t think that anyone can be excellent at anything with a bad attitude. Everyone has seen someone with massive potential fail due to a bad attitude. Likewise, when someone is in love with what they are doing and has passion for their job, it fuels resilience, perseverance, and focus.

2. Practice makes perfect.

Bringing you’re A- game is completely necessary if you want to excel. Not some of the time, but ALL of the time. If you choose to divide your day up into 60-90 minute segments, you will not only find that your efficiency greatly increases, your quality of work similarly increases.

3. Listen to the critics.

Pretty much everyone says that you should never listen to your critics and follow your instincts. I completely disagree. I think that if you are going to achieve true excellence you have to address the issues that other see with your performance. You can never improve if you can nor first accept your own flaws.

4. Delay your gratification.

Put your goals fist. Play second. Categorize your tasks based on importance, not desire.

Love getting your comments..keep them coming at jdanner@peoplelease.com

Health Care Reform Changes

2010-11-30T11:34:00.001-06:00

Obamacare. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Whatever you choose to call there is one thing we can all agree on. It is confusing. Here are some of the highlights of what will change for you and your business.

1. No limits.
Currently, policies have lifetime or year limits such as 1,000,000. Under the new regime, these will not be allowed. Similarly, limits for prescription drugs will also be void.

2.Get a prescription
Over-the-Counter drugs such as aspirin will no longer be covered without a medical prescription.

3. Same health coverage for all.
Many companies have levered higher levels of health care for high ranking execs.Under the new law, all employees must be given equal coverage.

4. Covered until 26.
Have you just hired a college grad? Well, guess what? They are covered on their parent's health insurance until they are 26! He can move out, get married, and graduate college..all while still being covered!

5. Preventative Care has no co-pay
I guess there is no way to get out of the yearly physical now, huh?

6. Grandfathering
As long as your health plan has not changed (no change to deductibles, etc) since March, you are considered to be "grandfathered" in and thus, these changes are not relevant to you.

Manny Pacquiao and Small Business

2010-11-23T12:08:00.000-06:00

I recently got sucked into the HBO series that detailed the training of Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito for their November 13th fight. Not surprisingly, Pacquiao won the fight. Yeah, he is smaller that Margarito, but he is also a lot faster. I was immediately struck by the parallel to this fight and the battle that small businesses go into everyday. Sure, we are smaller..but we are also faster. Here's what that gives us:

1. We can make an innovative mover faster.
When big corporations have an innovative idea, it takes a long time to everyone in the company to get on the same page. With small businesses, it takes a lot less planning..which means small businesses have the ability to lead in innovation and technological progress.

2. We have the ability to adjust faster.
When you are the leader of technological progress, there are occasions where you try something out, and it just doesn't work well. Unlike corporate mistakes, small businesses can adjust a lot quicker and cheaper.

Small businesses have some disadvantages over big business...However, some times those weaknesses can actually be turned into strengths if used correctly.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts..you can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

The effect of stress

2010-11-16T18:00:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday I was going about my week and BAM..I got an extremely severe kidney infection. The cause? Stress. Over the past few days, I have had a great opportunity to look at how I can relieve that stress and do a better job of managing it. Here's what I've decided.

1. Know when to say no

I think one of the most important things that I have learned from this whole debacle is that I have to know when to say no. I just had way too much on my plate. Besides normal work stresses, my husband and I are also in the process of selling our house and moving to our new home. Since last week, I have reevaluated some of the less important holiday task and have reassigned them to others that are just as capable and not as stressed.

2. Knock some stuff out

Everyone has stuff that only they can do. So instead of continuing to try and get a little bit of everything done everyday, I've switched my approach. Now, I am spending a little more time on some specific task to get some more things knocked off of my list.

3. Take time off.

One of the things that everyone knows about me is that I really hate taking time off when I feel like there are things that need to get done. I knew that I wasn't feeling so hot last week, but I pushed through because felt under the gun. Sometimes, a much needed day of rest is exactly what is needed. From now on, I am going to make sure that I am get home early ( okay 7ish)

4. It's not personal, I just don't agree.

Some people are not going to like your work. Especially work that involves creativity and art. My mother thinks Picasso is ridiculous, most of the world would not not agree. I put a lot of mental and creative energy into everything I do, so when someone doesn't like what I'm doing, it's hard to not take it personally. I had a professor tell me once that I spent 30% of my improving my grade from a 97 to a 100. Everyone is not going to like everything I do. So, from now on, I'm going to do my best and leave the rest.

Hope you all have a stress free week!

I love getting your thoughts, you can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

3.

The Cost of Federal Regulation for Your Business

2010-11-10T10:30:00.003-06:00

How much are Tax Regulations costing your company?

Call us instead! 800.723.3025

Power Words

2010-11-10T05:25:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine sent these to me and I thought it was too good not to pass on....

Management Power Words
Built
Demonstrated
Developed
Enhanced
Facilitated
Generated
Impacted
Implemented
Negotiated
Revitalized

Sales & Marketing Power Words
Closed
Collaborated
Delivered
Drove
Established
Generated
Increased
Presented
Prospected
Retained

Technical Power Words
Analyzed
Built
Consulted
Created
Escalated
Formatted
Integrated
Maintained
Programmed
Supported
Troubleshot

Academic Power Words
Applied
Authored
Counseled
Developed
Educated
Evaluated
Mentored
Nourished
Researched
Taught
Tutored

Healthcare Power Words
Assigned
Assessed
Assisted
Cared
Charged
Provided
Monitored
Nursed
Secured

Accounting Power Words
Analyzed
Audited
Justified
Verified
Prepared
Processed
Reported
Researched
Reviewed

The Perfectionist's Guide to Structured Procrastination

2010-11-09T17:04:00.000-06:00

A thousand years ago, when I was in college, a friend asked me if I had started an extra-credit calculus project. I replied that I hadn’t. In frustration, she said, “Of course you haven’t..you are such a procrastinator.” Frankly, I was pretty incredulous. In my mind, procrastinators were the slackers…not the president’s list/double major people like me. So, I pretty much disregarded it. Then graduate school hit and I realized that I was a procrastinator…big time. I will never overcome my procrastinating tendencies…but I have figured out ways to manage it.

1. 1. Understanding Myself

This is probably the most important of all of the steps. Before I could actively work on improving my procrastination, I first needed to understand WHY I was procrastinating. As it turns out, I’m a perfectionist. When a task presents itself, I envision being successful at it. I sell myself on how perfect it CAN be. The problem with perfectionists is that we have incredibly high self-standards. I do not believe that I have ever created something perfect, because I fundamentally believe that it is a physical impossibility. However, I am always aiming for it. It is a sort of dream-the-impossible-dream kind of thing. That amount of self-pressure would make even the best among us crack-and I am certainly not the best. So, my non-conscious solution to this self-induced stress is to procrastinate. After all, no one can create a perfect product when given a limited amount of time…right? Understanding this self-manipulated pattern was my first step to success.

2. 2. Self-Manipulation

I am always going to have a problem with procrastination. My perfectionism will never go away. So, I have figured out ways to managing it. The first is self-manipulation. When I am presented with a task, I given myself two due dates-an early one and then the actual date that it is due. I mark my calendar and actively work towards the early due date. If I convince myself that the early due date IS the due date, I build in plenty of time for editing.

3. 3. The list

Every week, I give myself a list of what needs to be accomplished for the week and I rank them based on importance. Similarly, I also do this for the day. So, when I know that I have a due date coming up and I want to do a less important task (because there are always more menial tasks to be completed) I get those out of the way.

As always, I love getting your thoughts! You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

9 Ways to Jump Start Your Business

2010-11-04T12:41:00.001-05:00

1. Write(or revisit) your business plan.
You may already have a business plan in place, but with the uncertain economy it is a good idea to revisit your goals and objectives for the next 6 months, the next year, and the next five years. Making your business plan a living document and updating it monthly will help you stay on track and more easily adapt to changes with you customers.

2. Hire a marketing expert.
Building or revamping your internal and external marketing campaigns can breathe fresh life into your organization.

3. Follow up with new contacts & maintain connections with current ones.
You've likely collected numerous business cards, but if you are like me, nothing has been done with them! Following up is critical to business success. Consider sending emails to these contacts, adding them to your prospect newsletter list, invite them to check out your blog, or let them know about special offers that you are offering.

4. Provide clear information.
Provide clear, succinct information about your products and services to your customers. Place a special importance on the benefits they receive and your expertise in meeting their needs.

5. Illustrate your expertise.
You know that you are an expert in your field, but others will know it too if you write, speak, and network about your niche. You can further build your expertise by writing articles for your blog and newsletter.

6. Define your niche.
Some feel that being more general about what makes you special makes oyu more marketable. Actually, the opposite is true. Most people want to work with a specialist, so the best way to stand out in a crowded market is define your self as one.

7. Keep prices competitive.
In our economically depressed time, everyone is looking for a deal. Whether it is offering something free on your website or providing additional services to your customers, doing something above the norm can give you an edge on your competitors.

8. Promote results and benefits.
People do not want to know the nitty gritty of your business. They just want you to help them reach their goals with efficiency, integrity, and within their budget. Instead of explaining what you do, provide them with the changes that their business will experience if they retain your expertise.

9. Hire People Lease.
One of the best ways to jump start your business is by saving you time & money. Our 25 years of payroll, tax, & benefits expertise can provide you with the ability to spend your time more effectively..After all, who can jump start your business better than you?

As always, I'd love to get your thoughts. You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

8 Life Changes That Affect Your Life Insurance

2010-11-03T09:04:00.000-05:00

1. You take on a new expense.
Maybe you have a baby, buy a house, or take on a small business loan. Whatever the case may be, adjusting your life insurance for the change is critical in maintaining your spouse/child/business's financial well being.

2. You divorce or are widowed.
While canceling your policy all together is an option, a better option is to speak with your financial planner. Life insurance can still play a critical role in estate planning and providing for your children. Plus, many divorces require former spouses to continue life insurance coverage.

3. You get rid of debt or expenses.
Maybe those kids are out of college and (finally!) financially independent. Maybe you have finally paid off your home or just gotten out of debt. Whatever the case may be, it might be a great time to reduce those insurance premiums & lower your coverage.

4. You age.
While none of us want to admit, the life insurance we had at 20 just isn't cutting it anymore. Taking a good look at your estate & wealth can help you and your financial planner make the most educated decision about what is the right amount of life insurance for you.

5. You are unemployed or underemployed for an extended period of time.
A long stretch of lower income typically means more debts and less saved. less savings mean that your spouse would be even more dependent on your life insurance if you passed away. unfortunately, those who use the 10-times-income often mistakenly conclude that their lower income means less life insurance is required. The loss of a job also might have ended any group insurance from an employer's benefits package.

6.You stop smoking.
Yea! You have added 10 years to your life AND you have reduced your life insurance premiums dramatically.

Calculating Your Life Insurance Needs

2010-11-02T16:32:00.000-05:00

1. Total up your debts.
Include your mortgage, car loans, credit card balances, & college loans.

2. Calculate your children's remaining or future expenses.
Include everything from their weddings to their collegiate educations. Be sure to subtract any money that you have saved for these events.

3. Add 15,000 to cover your own funeral expenses.
Believe it or not, this is actually on the low end of funerals, these days.

4. Divide your current annual income in half,
then multiply that figure by the number of years remaining until you retire, up to 20.

The result of adding together figures from the four steps above should provide enough income replacement for your spouse or family to live comfortably if you die prematurely.If you are a nonworking spouse, you do not need to use the 4-step formula. Instead, a safe estimate is 500,000 in the family's children are preschoolers, 250,000 if in elementary school, and 100,000 if the children are still at home but no longer need a nanny. These amounts should reflect enough wiggle room for reduced wages while your family is adjusting to their new life.

If you are interested in getting life insurance set up for you & your employees, give me a shout at jdanner@peoplelease.com

What is Your Payroll IQ??

2010-11-02T15:41:00.000-05:00

Take the following quiz to test your Payroll-Law I.Q on these very common situations:

1. None of your well-paid employees is a minimum wage earner and you don't even have a position that will ever pay that little. Do you have to display that federal minimum wage poster?

2. Not displaying your minimum wage poster is a violation of .....

a. FLSA
b. OSHA
c. EEOC
d. Nothing

3. Is business use of a company vehicle taxable?

4. Willful violations of FLSA laws may be prosecuted criminally and each breach can cost you up to.....

a. $5k
b. $10k
c. $50k

5. A second willful violation of FLSA laws can land you in

a. Legal hot water
b.Court
c. Jail
d. All of the above

6. The statute of limitations for recovering back pay in normal circumstances is......

a. 18 months
b. 2 years
c. 5 years

7. Which situation takes priority in wage garnishments?

a. Federal Guaranteed Student Loans
b. Chap 13 Bankruptcy Order
c. Family Support Payments

8. A family Support order is taking 25% of an employee's disposable earnings. Can any other garnishments be added to the employee's paycheck?

9. Is the personal use of a company car taxable?

10. A terminated employee never picks up his last paycheck. All efforts to contact the employee have failed. How long do you have to wait to "reclaim" that employee's pay?

a. 2 years
b. 5 years
c. 10 years
d. Forever
e. Depends on the State

Answers:

1. Yes, 2. A, 3. No, 4. B, 5. D, 6.B, 7.B, 8. Maybe-Additional Family Support Orders, Tax Levy, or a Bankruptcy Order can be added, 9. Yes, 10. E

Top Ten Ways to Help Your Business Save Money-Part 2

2010-10-27T17:38:00.000-05:00

This is the continuation of my blog post from yesterday!

6. Stay at home.

One of the most cost effective ways to save money for your business is by making the transition to web conferencing. While there are some disadvantages, technology has made it so that

7. Create a prospect-driven culture.

If you create a prospect-driven culture in your organization, you can effectively eliminate the need for costly prospect lists.You may not have as many names, but you will have more potential customers at a much reduced price.

8. Source the Crowd.

I know I have repeatedly mentioned this, but I strongly believe that crowd sourcing is one of the most fundamental technological advances of our time. For those of you who don't know what that is yet, check out my Mad Men blog post from September here!

9. Use the Rule of 3

Always get three quotes for everything before proceeding. You would not do that with your home, so don't do it with your business.

10. Use People Lease

We can not only save you money, but we can also save you time..and what is more valuable than your time? Give us a call today to find out the difference that People Lease can make in your business.

You can reach me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

Top Ten Ways To Help Your Business Save Money-part 1

2010-10-25T21:29:00.001-05:00

As November rolls in, most of us are getting focused on our budget for 2011. I don't know about you guys, but there is nothing like budget planning to get me focused on saving money! Here are a few quick tips to help save your business money.

1. Go Green

While there are a lot of negative feelings out there associated with climate change and even more negative feelings associated with governmental-led environmental change, saving money is always a good thing. Going green saves a bundle. A great way to look at how much energy is being wasted, is to go to energy star for small businesses(energystar.gov). However, even the simplest things like making sure that your computers and other electronics are turned off at night can save your company thousands.

2. Advertising

Advertising of the Mad Men days is quickly going out of vogue, while cheaper options such as social media, blogs, and e-newsletters are becoming more popular, more effective, and tremendously cheaper.

3. Interns

One of People Lease's newest endeavors is the beginning of a partnership with Mississippi
Universities to bring some of Mississippi's brightest to our office. They get some great, real life experience and we get great energy, bright ideas, and hard workers for almost nothing.

4. Pick it up!

Delivery charges can add a shocking surcharge to your order. So run that errand on your way to work and save a bundle.

5. Hang up your phone plan.

Phone plans can make or break your business. Reevaluating the number of lines you need and the company you are with save your business a ton. Actually, sometimes just calling your phone company and asking them for a better rate can be highly effective.

The Office

2010-10-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

On Monday, I moved across the building to my new office. To be polite, I'm fairly certain that the furniture was picked out by a straight man. To be honest, it looks more like a blind, straight man designed the layout....While i was investigating news desks..I ran across these! Enjoy!

This desk looks like a techies dream

Airplane wing desk

Gym + work...think that might get tiring..

Now this might add a little pep to those Friday meetings!!

My office. (Try to not be jealous!! )

Send me your ideas of what I can do spice it up at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

Why I am going to miss my 4 hour commute

2010-10-18T11:02:00.001-05:00

For those of you that don’t know me, for the past 6 months, I have been driving about 1.5-2 hrs every day to work. So I usually spend about 4 hours in the car. At first, it was brutally painful. I couldn’t stand it. It made me a little crazy. And now I can’t live without it.

1. It gives me down time.

Some days after work, I am just spent. I am emotionally, physically, & creatively tapped. I don’t want to talk. I do not want to be around people. So, I listen to some Stern or Oprah or NPR..and by the time I get home I am ready to start again. I am no longer tapped. I can make some business calls, do a little research, knock out some work. Without the built in down time, I probably would never get around to it at night.

2. It gives me family time.

I have always talked to my mother a lot on the phone. In fact, sometimes it seems like it would be more convenient if we just had a constant stream of contact. However, since I hardly ever spoke to my dad. Now we talk at least once a week. While this doesn’t have direct affect on my business, having me being more centered, more focused on work at work is never a bad thing.

3. It gives me reflective time.

A lot has happened in the past five years. I graduated college. Started graduate school. Got diagnosed with a major illness. Got an MBA. Bought a house. Started a business. Got married. Got a Ph.D. Started another Business. Changed Careers. Got well. Needless to say, there is a lot to think about. A lot to process. The quietness of my drive has forced me to reflect in an unprecedented way. While occasionally painful, this has been very therapeutic. It has helped me realize some personal & some business mistakes that I have made along the way. Without this reflection period, I might have very well have made the same mistakes again.

4. It gives me dream time.

This may sound a little teenage-girl-ish…but in order to accomplish anything in life, you first have to dream it. The reflective time has provided me the ability to see the past 5 years in a new way so that I can envision where I want my life & business to go and how I want to get there.

5. It gives me planning time.

This is perhaps the biggest benefit. I have the time to make a game plan. Not just for the day, but for the week, month, year, next 5 years, etc. It is an invaluable gift. I plan everything from phone calls, to presentations, to charting the flow of business. Without a plan, you can almost never succeed.

When we finally move, it will be difficult to make the transition. The one thing I know is how important it is to make time for me & my thoughts. I would love to get your thoughts. You can contact me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

The Value of Evaluating Your Product

2010-10-13T14:59:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I stopped by a new clothing store and (big shocker!) started talking to the employee about the owner's philosophy of business.She told me that he gets great clothing deals off of ebay. If something isn’t selling in the store, he just sells it back to ebay and adjusts what he buys based on his clientele.

While this approach to merchandise might be unpractical for a lot of business owners, the overall approach this guy has taken is something I think we all can learn from. He has separated himself from his product. Instead of being too emotionally invested (and thus, unrealistic), this guy has developed a model so that he is constantly re-evaluating what he is offering his customers.

1. You become your own competition.

When your focus is on selling your product, it is easy to ignore its weaknesses. If you make a conscious effort to investigate the weaknesses, you will be able to improve your product. If you don't, you are leaving the door wide open for a competitor to swoop in and improve your original product. Recognizing your weaknesses can actually become your strength.

2. Customers appreciate honesty more than hype.

The last time I bought a TV at best buy, I sought out the advice of two salesmen. The first salesman told me about this fantastic TV that never had any problems and was being sold at an unheard of low-price. I looked around the store some more and ran into the second salesman. He told me about a TV that was on sale, it got pretty great reviews, but he told me that some issues with one of its features. I bought the second salesman’s TV because his ability to tell me something negative about his product demonstrated his honesty to me. As it turns out, it was the exact same TV. As it turns out, the product only seemed better to me because of the salesman. Honesty sells more than hype.

3. You gain a deeper understanding of how your product is useful to your customers.

Even the most seasoned salesman can gain more understanding of the usefulness of his product to specific markets. Having the ability to step back and evaluate that usefulness will give you a deeper understanding of the product and might give you some insight on how it can be useful to a completely different sector of people.

Hope this provides some insight! Send me your thoughts at jdanner@peoplelease.com