As unemployment rates steadily decline and skilled worker shortages are on the rise, workforce rules and regulations continually are in flux and companies are looking to blend the culture of their shrinking baby-boomer employee base with Generations X-Z and incoming millennials, the vital role played by Human Resources in ensuring a… Read More

Clients frequently contact us to report that they are implementing a new benefit plan that will require voluntary deductions from employee paychecks as part of their payroll processing services. When something like this comes up, we ask clients should this deduction be pre-tax or post-tax? Almost invariably, they advise that it should be a… Read More

As a newer employee at a firm where I worked in Orlando, one morning I walked in to find a statue of Mickey Mouse sitting prominently on my desk.  I kept wondering why someone would leave such a strange “gift” for me, especially where I did not really know anyone… Read More

Checkmate is excited to be a sponsor of the Red River Theatres’ fundraiser event From Hollywood to Main St: Concord’s Own Red Carpet a fun way to take part in Concord’s premier Oscar Viewing Party on Sunday, February 26, 2017.  As a local business, we are committed to being an active member of… Read More

All employers need to be aware of the labor laws and be in compliance with all payroll, employee time tracking and other labor rules. The cost of non-compliance can be quite steep. The information provided in this article attempts to create awareness of some of the more… Read More

Most companies exist for a specific reason – because they are uniquely able to produce a product or deliver a service that there is demand for. As business evolves, new industries are created when the market demand for a service is broad enough to motivate one or more companies to… Read More

Under Vermont bill H.187, effective January 1, 2017, most Vermont employers will be required to provide employees with mandatory sick pay.  There are a number of variables to use for your PTO accruals to ensure that you are in compliance with the new law.  Here are the details: Which… Read More

Most people are honest individuals who do, on occasion, forget to punch in before jumping into their to-do list for the day or who may potentially encounter a technical issue with a time-tracking system.  Unfortunately; however, there are those select few who conveniently “forget” to clock in as a way… Read More

I hope that 2016 has been a productive and successful year for you and your organization. It certainly has been an interesting one, and it looks like we can expect more of the same (“interesting-ness”) in 2017. If nothing else, I think that it would… Read More

Last Thursday, the US Department of Labor filed a motion for an expedited briefing of its appeal of the injunction that was put in place to prevent the new overtime rules from going into effect, which were scheduled to become effective on December 1, 2016. As a reminder, earlier this… Read More