Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at those Payroll & HR Professionals who are processing (or managing vendors who process) Payrolls in the USA (and related territories) and need to understand the legislative and legal requirements involved.

What will you achieve?

After completing this course, attendees will understand:

• Fundamentals of payroll processing in the USA,
• New hire reporting, overtime applicability, wage/hour/pay frequency laws, and record-keeping requirements,
• Employer obligations for tax withholding, tax deposits, and periodic/annual wage reporting. 
• Common employer-provided Benefit, Time Off, and Retirement Plans,
• Pre- and Post-Tax Deductions,
• Statutory audit considerations.

Even if Payrolls are outsourced to a third-party it is still the employer’s responsibility to ensure all obligations are met and that taxes, benefits, and employer contributions are correctly processed. This course will give you the confidence to know what information should be given to a Payroll provider and the various tasks they commonly complete on your behalf

What will be covered?

Country Overview:

• Federal vs. State vs. Local vs. Territorial jurisdictions
• Tax Deposit Frequency
• Payment Elections
• Tax Year-End
• Agencies & Authorities in the USA

New Hire Process

• Form I-9
• New Hire Reporting Requirements

Wage & Hour Laws

• Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employment
• Employee vs. Statutory Employee vs. Independent Contractor
• Minimum Wage
• Payment Frequency

Recordkeeping Requirements

• FLSA
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
• Department of Labor (DOL)
• Escheatment
• Audit Considerations

Tax Withholding

• Federal Form W-4
• State Forms
• Federal Income Tax (FIT)
• State Income Tax (SIT) – Resident & Non-Resident Withholding
• Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) – Social Security & Medicare
• Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA)
• State Unemployment Insurance (SUI)
• State-Mandated Leave Taxes (Disability, Family Leave, Long-Term Care)
• Withholding Methods
• Employee Exemptions from Withholding
• Tax Withholding on Foreign Workers
• Tax Treaties & Totalization Agreements

Employer-Provided Benefits

• IRS § 125 (Cafeteria Plans)
• Pension / Retirement Plans
• Post-Employment Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)

Net Pay Options

• Direct Deposit
• Pay Card
• Paper Check
• Pay Statement Requirements

Gross Pay

• Work Hours
• Time Off / Leave Time
• Other Types of Pay

Deductions

• Pre- vs. Post-Tax
• Benefits
• Garnishments / Wage Attachments
• Voluntary Deductions

Taxable Wage Reporting

• Common Boxes on Form W-2
• Special Boxes on Form W-2
• Form 940
• Form 941

Summary
Our course delivers the fundamentals of payroll processing in the USA, a country that feels like 50 different countries that all share a common language, currency, and Federal government that serves to unite each State. The tax system is complex, and tax payments must be paid with each Payroll cycle and employees get to choose how they get paid. Attendees will leave with all the information needed to avoid the most common pitfalls and keep the company compliant.