Author: Margie Reed

Protecting taxpayer privacy is priority at the IRS. The right to privacy is one of 10 rights the Taxpayer Bill of Rights gives all taxpayers. Taxpayers have the right to expect that any IRS inquiry, examination or enforcement action will comply with the law and be no more intrusive...

Question: We usually don’t mind employees chit-chatting while they work, but some recent politics-related conversations have gotten rather loud and heated. Can we tell employees not to discuss politics at work? Answer:  You can limit political speech and associated conduct that are not work-related—provided you...

Question: Can all church employees qualify for housing allowance? Answer:   No. Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code allows only a “minister of the gospel” to have a housing allowance. Thus, only taxpayers who are serving as clergy under IRS rules for tax purposes are eligible for...

Vicki sighs heavily, feeling as though she hasn’t been able to catch her breath throughout the entire lunch rush. It’s been a hectic day at her deli, and though she began it along with the opening crew, two of her employees scheduled for the evening...

Columbus Day is a holiday in the United States that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus on October 12, 1492, in the New World. Columbus was a native of Genoa, Italy, and over the years Italian Americans took up the cause of honouring his achievement. In 1937 it became...

Since 1986, the federal government has required employers to complete I-9 forms for each worker. While many workplaces may feel like they are complying with this rule, this is rarely the case. Any mistakes on Form I-9 can lead to hefty fines, so it’s important...

Church staff often wear many hats and juggle countless responsibilities.  Create job descriptions to help keep church employees focused on the most important tasks that support ministry goals and objectives. Working for a church is very different than working for a business in that much of what gets...

Both company owners and employees may often find it hard to believe that there's no federal law requiring a business to provide paid holidays, vacation or sick leave. However, there are indeed state laws, and the 21st-century workforce typically acknowledges common standards when it comes...

In general, time spent in job-related training is counted as time worked and must be paid. However, not every training program qualifies. If all four of the following criteria are met, you don't need to pay for the training: Occurs outside employee's normal work hours ...