E-Cigarettes in the Workplace

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The latest fad in America seems to be e-cigarettes.  They are being marketed as a safe alternative to tobacco and one by one people are lining up to try them.  The explosive sales in the last few years show how high the demand is.  You will be strolling through the mall and see someone puffing on one or inside a non-smoking bar or even in airports.  When it comes to the workplace – what are the rules?

Most companies have a tobacco policy – these policies were likely made in the late 80s and early 90s when the anti-smoking campaigns were truly transforming workplaces, retail and restaurants. Because of this, most policies do not have specific rules around e-cigarettes.

Before we write rules we should understand what we are writing them about.  E-cigarettes are battery-charged devices that have a heating element that vaporizes a liquid nicotine solution, which the users inhale into their lungs and then puff, producing an odorless water vapor.  If they hold their breath for a few seconds, there is no vapor emitted at all.  Proponents of e-cigarettes claim there is no risk of secondhand smoke.

So what does this mean for your policies?  While many municipalities are using the presence of nicotine to qualify these items under existing tobacco policies, we would not suggest the same for your business.  It is much easier to re-write a tobacco policy for a private company than update it for an entire city.

Our recommendation is that you rewrite your policy to be clearer around e-cigarettes and all vaporizing units.  Employer Solutions Plus can help you find the right balance and develop an iron-clad policy that is right for your business.

Contact us today to find out more!

How You Can Avoid a Tax Audit

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As we discussed in our last post – taxes can be terrifying and overwhelming. What’s scarier than doing your taxes? Being audited. We have devised a list of 5 key things you can do to help avoid getting audited.

#1 – Know your risk. Are you a cash business? Perhaps an accounting firm? You are at a higher risk than other industries. Why? Well if you deal in mostly cash, they know that it’s easier to fudge the numbers. If you are an accountant they will assume that you do your own taxes and keep your own books. These are both red flags that will not guarantee but will greatly increase your risk. Another threat is if you had a GREAT year – maybe it was a change in marketing strategy or just an economic boom in your area. Whatever the reason, for the IRS it is seen as a red flag. Keep your books clean and your records accurate and up to date.

#2 – File strategically. Many tax advisors make a few key suggestions around filing behaviors. The first is extend, extend, extend if you think your business may be at risk for an audit. Generally, the companies selected for audits have been selected by the October 15th extension deadline. If you do not think that you are at risk, then file close to the April 15th deadline. As we all know – it doesn’t matter when you file you still have the same deadline for paying your taxes. The other piece of advice is to refrain from filing amendments. Get it right the first time whenever possible. If you are rushing – extend don’t amend.

#3 – Check your work. This is a phrase you probably haven’t heard since high school math but it resonates. Even if you can crunch numbers in your brain faster than you can brew a cup of coffee, check your math two and three times on your taxes. Make sure that your numbers in your forms match your documents.

#4 – Leave no line unwritten. Blanks are just as suspicious to the IRS as the numbers. Give them zero room to question anything. Even if you simply place a dash or a zero, fill in every line. This will show that not only do you have nothing to report but that you were detail oriented.

#5 – Explain your work. We are going back to high school again with this one but again, it matters. Did your company decide to sign on as a major sponsor for an event, thus doubling or tripling your charitable contributions? Let them know! Provide proof. Perhaps you had a REALLY good year and doubled your income thanks to hiring on a second salesperson. Explain yourself. By providing the information up front, you are reducing suspicion around why these unusual events occurred.

While there are no guarantees that these tips will protect you from an audit, being informed can certainly help lower your chances. So can hiring outside help/experts within this niche – contact us today to find out how we can help partner you with tax filing experts!

What Tax Records Should You Keep?

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There are few words that can universally make people cringe – among them is the word “taxes.” The brilliant Benjamin Franklin once said “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except taxes and death.” While we know we can’t avoid taxes – we do know that we can streamline the record-keeping end of things.

It is important to know what records you need to keep for long-term purposes. This allows you to streamline the process a bit and make your paper trail less burdensome. We have used the IRS’ website to compose a basic list of items that you should keep:

Gross Receipts – these prove business income. These include:

  • Cash register tapes
  • Bank deposit slips
  • Receipt books
  • Invoices
  • Credit card charge slips
  • 1099-Misc forms

Purchases – these include items that you buy and sell to customers. If you sell finished products or are a manufacturer you should include all receipts for materials and parts. These include:

  • Canceled checks
  • Cash register tape receipts
  • Credit card sales slips
  • Invoices

Expenses – these are costs that you incur to execute your business operations.

  • All receipts both digital and physical
  • Credit card invoices

Assets – this is a BIG one! These are the property of your business and include both physical and intellectual items. You must keep records for each individual asset that include the following information:

  • Acquisition of assets (when/how)
  • Purchase price
  • Improvements – cost and value
  • Section 179 deductions
  • Depreciation calculation and deductions
  • Casualty and loss deductions
  • How you used the asset
  • Selling price and how it was disposed
  • Expenses of sale

Employment Taxes: Keep ALL tax documents for employees for a minimum of 4 years.

This list is pretty exhaustive and it still doesn’t even cover absolutely everything. As a business owner it may seem overwhelming, which is where we can help. Contact us today to help manage your tax filings – let us do the hard work for you!

Do I Have a Hostile Working Environment?

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Is the air in your office so tense it could be cut with a knife? Do you have that one employee that for whatever reason can’t seem to keep their slightly off color jokes to themselves? Does football season bring a sense of anxiety because you have the two guys who love “friendly” competition?

While these things may seem trivial they can breed hostile work environments. A hostile work environment is defined as severe and pervasive conduct that permeates the work environment and interferes with an employee’s ability to perform his or her job. Hostile work environments are actionable in the Equal Employment Opportunity process when it relates to discrimination.

So how do you identify a hostile environment?

Hostile environments can come in many shapes and forms – both caused by employees and management alike. Any of the following behaviors from a superior, peer or report can foster a hostile environment:

  • Prohibiting personal objects (i.e. family photos, team memorabilia)
  • Unrealistic job expectations
  • Unrealistic rules (i.e. you may only use the restroom twice a day for no more than 10 minutes)
  • Name calling
  • Demeaning language
  • Giving the silent treatment
  • Sexual harassment
  • Berating (this could be about anything – from sports to clothing choices)
  • Name calling

It is important as a leader to stay in touch with what is happening in the workplace – at all levels of the business. Managing the work environment can be a tough job – especially if you missed the warning signs and you have fostered a hostile environment. ESP can help you find the right team to support your HR functions and mitigate these types of challenges before they become lawsuits.

Contact us today to find out how we can lend a hand!