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.

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:

Toys for Tots

Salvation Army

The Stew Pot

Catholic Charities

December 7th: Remembering the Date in Infamy

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.

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!

It's often said that patience is a virtue.  That's certainly true when it comes to taking your Social Security retirement benefits.  In a story for Investor's Business Daily, Donald Korn looks at the advantages of waiting a few years 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% of their benefits.  Waiting only one year to age 63 provides an increase of 5% and by age 66 the benefits are increased to 100%.  Also, every year you wait you get a delayed retirement credit amounting to 8% per year (up to age 70).  That means you can receive checks up to 32% larger than they would at age 66.

For more information, read the full article here.

IRS Announces Pension Plan Limitations for 2012

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

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

Congratulations!

25 Off-Limits Interview Questions

 

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?