All posts by Gordon Middleton
Navigate 2025 HR compliance challenges, from mergers and acquisitions to new regulations, with key strategies to stay compliant and future-proof your workforce.
A new report finds that many U.S. employers are unprepared to track changing legislation or follow new compliance requirements. Learn why.
Learn more about new guidance for employers to provide employees with Form 1095-C using alternative methods and their deadlines.
Learn about the differences between Form W-2 vs Form 1099 to avoid worker misclassification, protect your business and avoid penalties.
Comprehensive guide to navigating state-by-state E-Verify mandates. Stay compliant and streamline your hiring process with state-specific requirements.
Ramping up for holiday hiring? Review our checklist for the essential employer tasks to get right and how to streamline them.
Guide on ACA rules for employers with seasonal workers, covering eligibility and compliance.
An I-9 penalty can cost you thousands per I-9. Read our resource for a comprehensive guide and checklist to auditing your I-9s.
Stay compliant with the updated Form I-9 in 2024! Our guide explains the key changes so you are ready for a smooth hiring process & avoid penalties.
The Michigan Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision handed down July 31, overruled the state legislature and reinstated paid sick leave laws passed via ballot initiative. The state legislature had reacted to the laws by greatly weakening them prior to the new state governor taking office, switching the executive branch to Democratic control under Gretchen Whitmer. The legislators “adopt and amend” methodology was called out by the court as unconstitutional, and the original measures approved by voters now take effect February 21, 2025. The Earned Sick Time Act provides employees with one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a total of 72 hours annually. Small employers, defined as having fewer than 10 employees, would be required to offer a hybrid program of up to 40 hours of paid sick leave and 32 hours of unpaid sick leave annually. Employers that already have policies providing at least the required amount will be considered compliant. It is important to note that carryover will also be required. Earned sick time will carry over from year to year up to the yearly maximums. Employers should also be aware of the retaliation provision included in the Earned Sick Time Act. Employers are presumed to have violated to have violated the Act if they terminate employees within 90 days of use of a sick day, which may cause conflict with specific employer attendance policies. Paid sick leave continues to be a hot topic in state legislatures. While the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees up to 12 weeks leave, that time is unpaid. As of this decision, some 16 states plus the District of Columbia have paid sick leave laws in place. Employers need to ensure they are adequately tracking these laws, as they invariable have steep penalties attached regarding employer responsibilities. In addition, many of these laws call for provision of specific notifications that outline employee rights. Experian Employer Services will continue to provide legislative and regulatory updates as items affective employers develop.
Discover essential pay stub best practices for employers. Ensure accuracy, compliance and employee satisfaction with our comprehensive guide.
Unlock the mystery of payroll deductions. Discover how they work, their impact on your finances and legal considerations in our insightful guide.
Discover the importance of pay transparency laws in the workplace and stay informed about the latest equal pay and workplace fairness laws.
Today’s modern workforce values transparent and equitable workplaces where they feel their values and beliefs align with those of their employer. One of the primary areas where workers are advocating for transparency centers around pay. Pay transparency is a common phrase, but what is pay transparency? In this guide, we’ll walk through why pay transparency is important, including the benefits of pay transparency, how to draft a pay transparency policy statement, tips for ensuring pay statement compliance, and more. What Is Pay Transparency? Pay transparency refers to the practice of employers openly sharing information about their organization’s compensation structure. Through pay transparency, employers disclose how much employees are paid for their work by ensuring salary and wage data are accessible to all employees and, in some cases, the public. However, pay transparency can vary by organization, as no set rule defines the parameters of pay transparency, and pay transparency laws differ by state. For example, employers in some states might be required to disclose pay information about all employees to employees and the public. In contrast, others may require employers to disclose pay information to employees upon request. In addition, employers can implement their own pay transparency guidelines on top of those required by the state in which they operate. Some employers may make promises regarding pay scales to ensure fair and equitable pay within their organizations, as doing so can help strengthen their brand identity and trust among their employees, candidates and customers. In other cases, online databases might also contain large swaths of pay information gathered by internal and external sources that can help current employees and candidates understand a company’s pay practices. By understanding what pay transparency is and the varying degrees, employers can ensure they remain compliant and instill best practices that cultivate a workplace built on trust. Pay Transparency vs. Pay Equity Pay transparency is a common buzzword tossed around in the workplace that refers to employers disclosing information on employee salaries and wages. However, this term is often confused for another: pay equity. While pay equity shares similar objectives as pay transparency, it differs in several ways. Pay equity ensures employees who perform equal work deserve equal pay, regardless of race, gender, age or other protected characteristics, to eliminate wage gaps and ensure fairness. Alternatively, pay transparency is a practice that employers can use to ensure pay equity. One of the primary objectives of pay equity is to identify any disparities in pay between different groups of employees, such as racial wage disparities or gender wage gaps. Two key pieces of legislation to address pay equity were the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Together, these laws worked to address gender-based pay discrimination and racial discrimination in the workplace more broadly. For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination based on color, religion, race, sex or national origin in employment practices while establishing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce these provisions. While these two pieces of legislation paved the groundwork to combat pay equity and discrimination in the workforce, challenges continued to persist, as some employers either subconsciously or intentionally contributed to inequitable pay practices. Although some employers continue discouraging employees from sharing pay information, significant advancements have been made to encourage more equitable compensation practices. The Power of Pay Transparency Understanding why pay transparency is important can help employers practice equitable pay. There are several key benefits of pay transparency, including: Fairness: One of the top benefits of pay transparency is fairness, as it helps ensure employees are compensated for their work, giving them a clear understanding of how pay decisions are made. Motivation: By understanding compensation practices, employees can be more motivated to work harder. Clear paths for salary progression can boost morale and overall job satisfaction. Trust: Pay transparency is a great way for employers to instill trust within their workforce, as it helps employees believe that pay decisions are based on objective criteria, increasing employees’ confidence in leadership. Recruitment and retention: A key benefit of pay transparency that shouldn’t be overlooked is its ability to increase recruitment and retention of top talent. Pay transparency makes it easy for job seekers to assess whether a company offers competitive pay while also making current employees more likely to stay due to their understanding of being paid fairly. Employers can reap these benefits by drafting a clear and concise pay transparency policy statement. Your pay transparency policy statement should be included in your employee handbook that workers can easily access. The statement should communicate your organization’s philosophy, values and policies regarding pay transparency to employees, job seekers, and the public, and consider legal and regulatory requirements. Your pay transparency policy statement can include salaries or salary ranges for roles, as well as your commitment to fairness, feedback and equal employment. 3 Ways to Implement Pay Transparency in Your Business Now that you understand why pay transparency is important, knowing how to implement transparent pay practices in your business is crucial. From offering accessible pay statements to maintaining compliance, privacy and security, you can create a foundation built on trust. Explore some ways you can implement pay transparency in your organization below. Accessibility: Making Pay Statements Work for You One of the first steps in implementing pay transparency is making pay statements accessible to employees. Easy access to pay statements allows employees to review their record of earnings in a clear and concise way. Pay statements should include key information, such as how much they earned for a specific pay period, including gross and net pay, as well as deductions like taxes and benefits like healthcare. There are several ways to increase the accessibility of your pay statements. Through pay statement management, you can customize the format of your pay statements in several ways, such as offering pay statements in different languages and breaking down pay information for specific employee groups. Another crucial way to increase the accessibility of your pay statements to promote pay transparency is digitizing your pay statements. Through online employee portals, employees can easily access their pay information at their fingertips, whether on a desktop or on-the-go through their mobile devices. With text and email alerts, employees can be notified when a pay statement is available. Navigating Pay Statement Compliance Another important way to increase pay transparency in the workplace is by remaining compliant with state and federal regulations. Employers need to be aware of important legal requirements and compliance considerations related to pay statements. Maintaining compliance can instill trust in your employees, job seekers, and the public by demonstrating your commitment to transparent compensation practices. Pay statement compliance varies by state, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with your state’s legislation. However, most pay statements are legally mandated to require certain information, including: Employee name and identification number Pay period covered Payment date Gross pay Hours worked (if applicable) Net pay Deductions Overtime pay (if applicable) Employer and employee contributions to retirement plans (if applicable) Paid leave balances/accrual (if applicable) Through regular compliance audits, you can ensure your pay statements comply with all federal and state laws. Additionally, while there are several federal pay equity laws, there are no federal pay transparency laws that organizations need to abide by. However, several states have recently enacted pay transparency laws, such as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island and Washington, with more states proposing pay transparency legislation. Privacy and Security Concerns Our final tip on implementing pay transparency in your workplace is addressing privacy and security concerns. Pay statements include sensitive financial information that some employees may want to be protected. To safeguard sensitive information, store pay statements and employee data using secure servers with access controls and encryptions. Regular security audits can also help assess risk and identify vulnerabilities in your pay statement systems. Lastly, educate your employees about privacy and security measures that your organization instills to protect their pay information and to encourage them to report suspicious activities. Achieving More Transparency and Accessibility With Experian Employer Services Pay transparency is crucial for many reasons, from improving employee retention and recruitment efforts to ensuring fairness within the workplace. With Experian Employer Services, our pay statement services can help provide universal access to all pay statements, making it easy for employees to view current and past pay statements when needed. Explore our workforce management solutions today to see how we can improve efficiency and the employee experience.
Learn more about optimizing Form W-2, its purpose and filing instructions in order to meet the requirements and prevent penalties for late, incomplete or inaccurate forms.
The long-anticipated final rule regarding the treatment of independent contractors was published in the Federal Register on January 8, 2024, by the United States Department of Labor. This new rule, effective as of March 11, 2024, seeks to realign certain core factors that are part of the process to determine employee classification. This realignment negates the employer-friendly rule put in place by the former administration and better aligns with established judicial precedent.
Form I-9 and E-Verify are often confused. Learn more about their differences are to avoid costly mistakes and secure immigration compliance.
Enhance your organization's success by improving the employee onboarding process with solutions from Experian Employer Services.