Last Planner is a handy tool for Lean interior design
POSTED: Friday, May 17, 2013 at 02:58 PM PTBY: Crystal Arreola
“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – [...]
Superb documentation necessary for club/entertainment write-offs
POSTED: Friday, May 10, 2013 at 09:59 AM PTBY: Peter G. Robbins, CPA
Q: I am thinking about joining a country club. While I do love to golf, the main reason for joining is to use the club as a marketing tool. I plan on inviting current and prospective customers to the club for golf and/or meals. I am also thinking of sponsoring events at the club, taking [...]
Dependent eligibility audits can cut excess costs
POSTED: Monday, May 6, 2013 at 10:31 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
With the rising cost of health care, more organizations are looking for ways to reduce benefit costs. One important option to find hidden savings is to audit health care plans to look for family members (dependents) of your employees who really are not eligible to participate on your health plan. Ineligible dependents can be on [...]
Nicole Sirak Irwin elected treasurer at Whitney Foundation
POSTED: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 08:57 AM PTBY: IBR Staff
Nicole Sirak Irwin, the executive director of Family Advocates, was recently elected treasurer to the Whitney Foundation’s Board of Directors. Located in Fresno, Calif., the Whitney Foundation helps fund educational, health and housing projects that bring about positive changes in peoples’ lives in Idaho, California and Utah. Family Advocates trains volunteers to provide a voice [...]
Tax rule lets employers encourage education for employees
POSTED: Friday, April 26, 2013 at 09:07 AM PTBY: Peter G. Robbins, CPA
Q: We have two employees who would like to pursue their masters of business administration and another who has asked if we would help out with some additional training. As an employer we would like to help them achieve their goals, but we also don’t want to treat any assistance we give as compensation to [...]
Communication is key to organizational success
POSTED: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 10:03 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Increasing business is the top priority of companies, whether large or small. Just as important, but often overlooked, is preparing a workforce for that growth. As smaller companies increase in workforce size, they face issues aligning their teams to their business priorities. The greatest contributor to overcoming growth barriers is a strategic communication plan to [...]
Withholding rules may induce headaches
POSTED: Friday, April 12, 2013 at 09:08 AM PTBY: Peter G. Robbins, CPA
Q: One of the partners in our real estate partnership just moved to Utah. I understand we may now be required to withhold taxes on her share of the partnership income before we distribute money to her. I really don’t understand these rules. Can you explain? A: You are not alone in your confusion regarding [...]
Universities in the hot seat over health care
POSTED: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 03:47 PM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
Across the country, university administrators are feeling the heat about a health care reform requirement that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014. On that day, or the next plan year after the deadline, any employee who works 30 hours or more is required to be eligible to receive health insurance under an employer-sponsored plan. The [...]
A first-time homebuyer takes the plunge
POSTED: Friday, March 29, 2013 at 09:06 AM PTBY: Cady McGovern
Holy cow, I just bought a house. I’ve always wanted to buy a home, to have a place where I don’t have to worry about the rent going up or sharing a wall with too-loud neighbors, where I can plant a flower garden in the earth and not just in pots on the porch. I’ve [...]
HR needs a seat at the merger table
POSTED: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 09:12 AM PTBY: Michelle Hicks
A Society for Human Resources study shows the greatest obstacles for success following a merger and acquisition are HR-related. They include a loss of productivity, a loss of key talent and aligning incompatible cultures. Despite this fact, dealmakers continue to leave HR out of critical pre-deal and due diligence merger and acquisition process steps. Often, [...]
