The new year means changes to the form your employees use to determine how much income tax is withheld from their paychecks. Changes in tax law prompted the IRS to overhaul the Form W-4 and rename it the “Employee’s Withholding Certificate.” Though the form is slightly altered most years, the intent of the redesign is…
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Our human resources department is receiving some well-deserved attention thanks to a couple of individual awards. Tonja Sowder, our senior human resources consultant, was featured in the Dec. 20 edition of the Wichita Business Journal and online as part of that publication’s Women Who Lead series, which recognizes female business leaders in the region from…
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Syndeo’s company and individual recognitions are adding up. Connor Cross, our Director of Human Resources, has been selected for the Wichita Business Journal’s 2020 HR Professionals Awards. “Connor has been a driving force in delivering HR services to our clients, culminating in her promotion to Director of HR in July (2019),” says Bill Maness, Syndeo’s…
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Not hearing our name called right away was worth the wait. One by one, the businesses participating in the Wichita Business Journal’s Best Places to Work competition were called during a December 5 luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. Companies were announced in descending order based on their scores. Numbers 17, 16 and 15 were…
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We live in a technology-centric world. So much so that it’s easy to become dependent. People are always connected. Instant feedback is expected. Financial transactions are easily processed and tracked online. But what happens when that ability is lost? Syndeo and thousands of other businesses across the country that process payroll for their clients’ employees…
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This year makes three. Syndeo was selected as a finalist in the Wichita Business Journal’s Best Places to Work Competition for the third-consecutive year. We are one of 17 finalists in the medium-sized companies category, which includes businesses with 25 to 99 employees. The WBJ also is honoring businesses with 10 to 24 employees and…
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Add one more to a growing list of honors for our company. The Wichita Business Journal selected Syndeo as an honoree for the Innovation Awards, which honor individuals, teams and companies that have developed innovative approaches and solutions in the workplace. Our application focused on how we have found ways to better serve our clients and…
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An estimated 1.3 million more American workers soon will be eligible for overtime compensation with an expansion of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The U.S. Department of Labor on Sept. 24 issued its final overtime rule, increasing the threshold at which non-exempt employees can receive overtime pay to $35,568, or $684 per week. The higher…
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The Wichita staffing division of Syndeo Outsourcing is operating as a stand-alone location for the first time. Syndeo Staffing is moving to a small leased space at 400 S. Commerce, Suite 200. That’s next to RSM Marketing and across from Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita. This is a change that is months in the…
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Thousands more “no-match” letters are expected to be issued throughout the remainder of 2019 as the U.S. Social Security Administration launches the next phase of an initiative to combat discrepancies between social security numbers and government records. Businesses across the U.S. already have received more than 577,000 notices so far this year, according to Social…
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The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has sharpened its safety enforcement on businesses whose operations rely heavily on forklift operation to transport products from one place to another. That means manufacturing companies in particular and other businesses with warehouse facilities need to be vigilant. One component of the initiative centers on making sure forklifts…
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Two more Syndeo employees are now certified through the Society for Human Resource Management. HR Business Partners Courtney Vitamvas and Thuy Tran passed their exams in June about two weeks apart and after months of studying. A SHRM certification is an industry-recognized credential for individuals who are considered an expert in the field of human…
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Employers are facing an increasing number of discrimination or retaliation accusations from former employees who say they were wrongfully terminated. Businesses can protect themselves from those types of allegations but don’t always win if matters are taken to court. Take for example a case involving a former Kansas City, Mo. television reporter who was awarded…
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Michael Gellerman will have to wait longer to add another golf tournament championship to his list of accomplishments. Gellerman did not make the cut to advance to weekend play of the Wichita Open by shooting two over par with a score of 72 in the second round of the tournament. He shot even par in…
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Michael Gellerman has a fondness for the Wichita Open. The city’s premier golf tournament is where Gellerman, who calls Sterling, Kan. home, made his first start as a professional golfer in 2015 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma. “It’s great,” Gellerman says of the Wichita Open. “They do an incredible job. All the player…
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Compliance audits are on the rise, meaning employers need to be aware of pitfalls that could result in penalties and fines. Increasingly, state and federal audits are being conducted to ensure companies large and small are complying with employment laws. Syndeo helps companies get in and stay in compliance. In Kansas, wage and hour audits…
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Kevin Steckley is setting a high bar for fundraising. Steckley, who is part of Syndeo’s sales team, raised $91,775 through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign. As such, Steckley won the distinction of 2019 Man of the Year. The results of the 10-week fundraising campaign were announced June 1…
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Contribution amounts for health savings accounts are set to increase in 2020. The IRS announced May 28 the limit for an individual will increase to $3,550, a $50 increase over the 2019 amount. The contribution limit for a family plan will jump to $7,100, a $100 increase. Those changes are effective Jan. 1, 2020. Catch-up contributions…
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Changes may be in store for the Family and Medical Leave Act. The U.S. Department of Labor announced this week it will seek input on how to improve the FMLA, which requires certain employers to provide their employees with at least 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualified family and medical reasons. The labor…
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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has a new member. The U.S. Senate voted 50-43 on May 8 to confirm Janet Dhillon as chair of the EEOC, resolving a two-year impasse. An attorney by trade, Dhillon has a background in business having worked as an in-house attorney for US Airways, JCPenney and most recently Burlington Stores….
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A recent court ruling may require certain employers to submit more information to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Companies that file an Employer Information Report, more commonly referred to as an EEO-1 Survey, with that organization now have until Sept. 30 to submit “Component 2” data in addition to the “Component 1” information that…
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Syndeo is in the running for a Best in Business Award. The company is one of 15 finalists vying to be one of five overall winners in the competition, which judges businesses in south-central Kansas on financial performance, innovation and giving back to the community. Best in Business is a Wichita Business Journal awards program…
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The U.S. Social Security Administration has started sending employers “no-match” letters for the first time in seven years. Letters are being sent for instances when the organization discovers W-2 records an employer submits do not match records the administration has for an employee and his or her social security number. The forms also are called…
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Dozens of businesses across the U.S. have found themselves in trouble with the IRS following a crackdown on employment tax compliance. A nationwide enforcement and education initiative in recent weeks led to IRS revenue officers visiting approximately 100 companies suspected of “serious issues with employment tax compliance.” Those visits resulted in several dozen legal actions…
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Syndeo has a payroll director for the first time. Kate Rhea started in that role April 1 after spending the past four years as one of the company’s human resources business partners. She oversees Syndeo’s 10-person payroll department and is now part of the company’s leadership team. Rhea says while the department is different, the…
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Organizations are finding more practical ways to incorporate the use of drones or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into their operations. Law enforcement agencies are using drones for aerial surveillance and to help locate criminals. Real estate agents increasingly are using drones to showcase properties they are trying to sell. Construction companies are taking a similar…
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One of Syndeo’s own is participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s largest annual fundraiser. Kevin Steckley, senior business development partner at Syndeo, is in the running for Man of the Year. That’s part of the Man & Woman of the Year philanthropic competition that raises money to support blood cancer research. The campaign officially…
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A push to change the longstanding salary threshold at which certain employees are eligible to receive overtime pay is moving forward. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on March 7 a proposed change that would make in excess of one million more American workers eligible to receive overtime pay. The suggested change, which is expected…
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Today’s employees have different preferences on how they want to receive performance feedback. In some cases, the traditional annual performance evaluation is giving way to an approach that emphasizes managers and supervisors providing employees ongoing feedback throughout the year. “It is the contemporary way of doing things,” says Tonja Sowder, vice president of human resources…
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A gender pay disparity case is unsettled again following a U.S. Supreme Court decision this week to overturn a lower court ruling. Because of a technicality, the Supreme Court vacated an April 2018 ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preventing employers from using a woman’s compensation history as a justification for paying…
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The shootings at the Henry Pratt Co. plant in Aurora, Ill. are a tragic reminder of how deadly confrontations in the workplace are all too real. These types of situations give employers a more heightened awareness about the possibility for violence to occur. But steps can be taken to help lessen the risk, human resources…
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The record-keeping rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is again in effect. OSHA requires many businesses with more than 10 employees whose work involves a higher level of risk to keep a record of serious work-related illnesses and injuries from the previous year. An OSHA Form 300 is used to keep a detailed…
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Kansas lawmakers are considering two bills that would amend and improve a statute pertaining to professional employer organizations and employment security tax filings. Syndeo president Bill Maness and industry representatives are among those advocating for the change. Maness testified before Kansas House of Representatives and Kansas Senate committees in Topeka this week along with Michael…
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Bringing in qualified employees is a great way to increase your company’s chances for growth and success. But in reality, it’s about so much more than that. When trying to attract new talent, the goal is always to bring in the best of the best. Landing top talent sometimes requires us to implement new strategies…
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E-Verify is back up and running. The web-based employment verification program has resumed operations following the partial shutdown of the federal government that lasted more than a month. Now, employers who use E-Verify have until Feb. 11 to log employees who were hired when the program was unavailable. Though service was disrupted, employers still were…
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Hiring and training new employees is a big investment, meaning optimal hiring practices are essential if employers want to avoid the high costs of employee turnover. When it comes to hiring candidates who will be successful in the long run, it all starts with asking the right questions during the interview process. Developing a list…
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Jenna Marceau and Syndeo are receiving national attention. Bizwomen selected Marceau, Syndeo’s director of implementation and systems management, as a 2018 “Headliner” in the professional services sector. Bizwoman is a digital news platform featuring stories and information about women in business across the U.S. and is an arm of Charlotte-based American City Business Journals. Headliners…
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More respect. More say in company decisions. A seat at the executive conference table. These are the things most managers, department heads and team leads want. At the same time, C-suite executives want their leaders to be more strategic and proactive. Here are six actionable ways you can increase your strategic leadership skills AND impact…
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Changes to the federal overtime law are expected to be at the forefront of U.S. Department of Labor discussions early in 2019. At issue is the threshold at which a salaried employee would be eligible to receive overtime pay. A change could make millions more Americans overtime eligible and likely increase employment costs for employers…
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The list features a familiar Syndeo name. Kate Rhea, one of Syndeo’s HR business partners, has been selected to the 2019 class for the Wichita Business Journal’s HR Professionals Awards. “We couldn’t be prouder of her inclusion in this class,” says Bill Maness, Syndeo’s president. “She is an outstanding representation of the efforts by all…
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