How US tax brackets work and what HR needs to know

HR Party of One April 2, 2024

• Your highest bracket does not tax your entire income.
• Inflation adjustments can lower your bracket without a raise.
• HR can explain brackets but cannot advise on W-4 responses.

Key April HR compliance dates and deadlines

HR Party of One March 26, 2024

• ACA e-filing closes April 1st — missing it means IRS penalties
• Form 7004 buys a 6-month tax extension if filed by April 15th
• April 30th brings two quarterly tax deadlines: Forms 720 and 941

Five ways pay transparency laws will reshape your HR practices

HR Party of One March 7, 2024

• Posting a fake-wide salary range is a legal and reputational risk
• Workers in several states can now demand pay data before accepting promotions
• Third-party recruiters must follow the same transparency rules you do

ERISA Summary Plan Description Requirements for HR Professionals

HR Party of One March 5, 2024

• Any employer offering benefits must comply with ERISA regardless of size.
• New enrollees must receive a plain-language SPD within 90 days.
• Material benefit reductions require an SMM distributed within 60 days.

USERRA explained: what HR needs to know about military leave

HR Party of One February 6, 2024

• USERRA covers all employers, regardless of size or location.
• Protections start at the application stage, not just on hire.
• Plan proactively for leave and return — notice may never come.

What Key Dates in February Does HR Need to Know?

HR Party of One January 30, 2024

What OSHA is, why it exists, and what employers must do

HR Party of One January 25, 2024

• OSHA was born from disasters that killed hundreds of workers
• Every employer must meet minimum safety standards — or face criminal charges
• Three specific forms determine whether you're legally recordkeeping injuries

US Workplace Posters: What Employers Must Display and Why

HR Party of One January 23, 2024

• Six federal posters are mandatory for every US employer.
• State, city, and county requirements add extra obligations.
• Non-compliance fines reach up to $17,000 total.

Top 1095-C Mistakes Employers Make and How to Prevent Them

HR Party of One January 11, 2024

• Two root causes drive nearly all 1095-C errors: missing forms and IRS data mismatches
• ALEs must cover 95% of full-time staff or face penalties up to $950k for 350 employees
• Onboarding checklists, quarterly reminders, and an HRAS prevent the most common mistakes

Key HR dates and tax deadlines for January

HR Party of One December 26, 2023

• Five IRS forms all share the same January 31st deadline.
• Form 940 is only due January 31st if FUTA wasn't paid quarterly.
• Data Privacy Day on January 28th is compliance-awareness, not a holiday.

How to handle employment verification requests safely

HR Party of One December 19, 2023

• Rehire eligibility alone tells a hiring manager almost everything they need
• References carry defamation risk; verifications keep you legally safe
• Candidates must consent before you contact former employers for verification

What HR needs to know about background checks

HR Party of One November 9, 2023

• Running checks before a conditional offer can violate state law
• FCRA requires a formal adverse-action process before rescinding any offer
• Inaccurate results from identity theft are more common than you think

Form I-9 compliance: what every HR professional needs to know

HR Party of One November 2, 2023

• The 2023 I-9 version is mandatory — older versions are invalid.
• Retention rules differ based on how long the employee stayed.
• Requesting specific documents from employees is illegal.

How to avoid being exploited as a technical founder or engineer

Y Combinator November 1, 2023

• Unequal equity splits rarely have a legitimate justification — push back.
• Being excluded from decisions while writing all the code is exploitation.
• Asking for a seat at the table often fixes the problem immediately.

How the FLSA duties test determines employee exemption status

HR Party of One October 24, 2023

• Misclassifying non-exempt employees as exempt triggers overtime liability.
• Seven distinct exemption categories each have specific salary and duty thresholds.
• Wilful misclassification can result in double back pay for all affected employees.