Communication and Confidentiality in Payroll

Communication and Confidentiality in PayrollCommunication and Confidentiality in PayrollNon-technical skills are important in every career. Take communication and confidentiality, which payroll professionals often describe as the two most important attributes in their jobs that have leidhing to do with data entry, time cards, paychecks and financial statements. Those two elements are absolutely essential to the competency and efficiency of a payroll department.Communication with employeesSoft skills like communication in the payroll industry is an important tool to educate employees and help them feel confident they are being paid correctly. Educating employees on the payroll process, pay calculations, legislative updates, and benefits or deduction changes is done verbally as well as through memos, policies and even emailWe must clearly and effectively explain how payroll checks are calculated - especially when employees believe they are paid incorrectly.Early in my career, I tried to explain to an employee how taxes were calculated by using the percentage method to prove they had been taxed correctly. However, I did not understand how to use the formula correctly, so I fumbled through the formula in front of the employee, which only made matters worse. In the end, I was finally able to prove the taxes were correct, but my credibility was severely damaged. Because I did not communicate well and struggled with the explanation, credibility was lost as well as the employees confidence in the payroll department.Departmental communicationsCommunication is vitally important to the proper functioning of any department. Communication must be clear, concise and directly to the point. Remember, communicating effectively is not only for the employees to have confidence in the payroll department and that they are being paid correctly department heads rely heavily on the payroll department, and communicating effectively, accurately, and often makes a win-win situation for allOn the Lookout for Payroll Manager or Payroll Clerk Jobs? Read about the latest pay ranges, duties and skills in our salary spotlight.Secure and protected confidentialityA strength of the payroll department should be communication however, there are many items the payroll department sees that should never be communicated outside the department walls. We have access to sensitive information in payroll - pay rates, salary increases, involuntary deductions, age, perhaps even performance appraisals, disciplinary actions, and medical information. None of this information at any time can be part of casual water cooler conversation.The seriousness of this fact was made clear to me when I first moved into payroll. The garnishment clerk decided to share with the accounting clerk that the executive assistant to the president received a garnishment order. Even though they were talking in hushed tones, their voices carried in the office. The occupant of that office came to me a few minutes later to tell me what she had heard. What made this worse, the executive assistant is the sister-in-law of the employee who overheard the conversation. By the end of that day, our company was short one garnishment clerk and one accounting clerk.Confidentiality is serious, and it is imperative payroll is handled in a secure environment.Lack of communication and confidentiality makes for an organization with an incompetent payroll department - and possibly expensive legal feesBe sure to read Whats New in the Ever-Expanding World of Payroll Professionals. Steven Hodgson Steven Hodgson, CPP, is the Director of Payroll Training for the American Payroll Association, where he develops, presents and evaluates the APAs training courses, webinars, virtual classes, conference workshop s and other speaking opportunities. The APA has been an authority in payroll education since 1982 and is an alliance partner with Robert Half.Editors musiknote This post was written in 2014 and updated recently to reflect more current information.

This publishers headquarters may be more fun than a theme park

This publishers headquarters may be more fun than a theme parkThis publishers headquarters may be more fun than a theme parkSome of us travel far and wide in search of our childhood fantasies. Whether its a trip to Universals Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a splash of Butterbeer and a ride on the Hogwarts Express, or a vacation aboard a cruise line with our favorite Disney characters, theres an entire industry dedicated to making things of play into a reality for kids and kids-at-heart.But for employees at one major publishing company, theres no need to stray beyond their offices for a chance at magic and wonder. Scholastic, the worlds leading educational and childrens book publisher, has commissioned a redesign of its New York headquarters. The result is a workplace where Harry Potter, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Captain Underpants and other family favorites come to life on the walls.Conceived of by Paula Scher, a lebensgefhrte at design studio Pentagram, the stunning space in lo wer Manhattans SoHo neighborhood appears as less of an office and more of an art gallery. Some of the highlightsA painted glass ceiling replicating the Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone book coverA front desk made of magically suspended tomes15,000 wooden dowels that come together to form our favorite magic school bus7-foot-tall murals of Clifford made with fur for pettingA massive Captain Underpants smashing through a stairwellA pop art-style homage to Dog Man and Cat KidThe redesigned space pays tribute to almost 100 years of Scholastics existence - the company will celebrate a century of publishing in 2020.Perhaps if all offices were as fun- and joy-filled as this one, employees would not be so keen to work remotely. After all, who wouldnt want to go to a cafeteria named Cliffords for everyones favorite imaginary friend? Or wait for an elevator with those iconic glasses of The Boy Who Lived staring back at them?Every day, people at Scholastic get to work alongside their favor ite characters, whom theyve helped to create and sustain. I cant think of anything cooler than that.

Army 88M Motor Transport Operator Responsibilities

Army 88M Motor Transport Operator ResponsibilitiesArmy 88M Motor Transport Operator ResponsibilitiesMotor transport operators in the Army do what the job title suggests they operate wheeled vehicles (so, cars and trucks but not tanks or planes) to transport Army cargo and personnel. It may not be the most high-adrenaline or high-profile job in the armed services, but motor transport operators play a key role in keeping the Army moving and getting things from Point A to Point B bothon and off the battlefield. This important job is categorized as military operational specialty (MOS) 88M. Duties of MOS 88M Theres a long list of duties for Army motor transport operators. In addition to operating all wheel vehicles and equipment over all different types of terrain, they manage the loading and unloading of personnel and cargo being transported, whether in a vehicle or via a trailer. These soldiers are tasked with using defense techniques to protect convoys, and managing and correcting any malfunctions or problems with vehicles. They prep vehicles for movement, such as readying a Jeep being transported via cargo plane or ship. And Army motor transport operators oversee the safety of not only their vehicles but their cargo and passengers as well. Its up to them to make sure any transport operations go smoothly from start to finish. Training for Army Motor Transport Operators Soldiers in this MOS take the requisiteur ten weeks of Basic Combat Training and seven weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT). These soldiers divide their training between the classroom and real-world simulation, like most MOS training regimens. For this job, soldiers will spend more than 200 training hours driving vehicles in field training environments. Requirements To qualify for MOS 88M, youll need to score an 85 in the operators and food (OF) aptitude area of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. Theres no Department of Defense security clearance require d for this position, but you must be free of colorblindness and have a valid state drivers license that wont expire before you complete your AIT. While the Army will provide all the training, youll need to succeed in this role, having experience in driver education and an interest in driving and vehicle mechanics will serve you well in your training and beyond. Similar Civilian Occupations The skills you learn as an Army motor transport operator prepare you for numerous post-military careers, including positions with trucking, moving or bus companies, or with businesses that have their own delivery fleets. Youll be able to consider a future as a tractor-trailer truck, tank truck, and heavy truck or bus driver.

8 Millennial LinkedIn Groups to Join Now

8 Millennial LinkedIn Groups to Join Now8 Millennial LinkedIn Groups to Join NowStandard career wisdom says you should be on LinkedIn. But what is there to LinkedIn besides keeping an updated profile and connecting with your network? It turns out there are several millennial LinkedIn groups that can help inspire you to use the site in new ways.LinkedIn groups are great for a number of reasons. Millennial LinkedIn groups canProvide a support network of like-minded people searching for similar things.Expand your network connections.Give you a space to share your knowledge and expertise.Help you find the right people for your next career move.But which LinkedIn groups should you spend your time on? Here are eight millennial LinkedIn groups to get you started1.Millennials (Generation Y)Created in 2009, the Millennials (Generation Y) LinkedIn group has almost 700 members and a simple mission to connect millennials for sharing stories and ideas about how this generation communicates and wo rks. The people in this group work in a huge range of industries like corporate compliance, talent acquisition, business development, and online media.2.The Wall Street Journal Young Professionals NetworkThe name of this group gives it away- its a LinkedIn group created by the folks at the Wall Street Journals careers site and education marketing team. With 19,577 members, the only caveat to join this group is that you need to be a Journal subscriber. Once youre in, youll find fellow young professionals from companies likeJPMorgan Chase, Ernst Young, and Citi.3.A Startup Specialists Group Online Network for Entrepreneurs and StartupsIf youve got the notion to start your own business, this is the largest LinkedIn group supporting entrepreneurs and budding business owners. With over 177,000 members, this group is for networking, crowdfunding, mentors, startups, incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurs, founders, inventors, experts, coaches, VCs, angels, investors, new ideas, jobs, se lf employed, co-founders, small business founders or best practices in the Startup Global Ecosystem.4.Young nicht gewinnorientiert Professionals Network (YNPN)For millennials working in the nonprofit realm, this LinkedIn group is part of a national group of YNPN chapters found in 40 cities. Connect with other young professionals working in the helping professions, as well as hiring managers and leaders in nonprofit organizations around the country.5. Insert Your City Young ProfessionalsIt seems that most major cities have their own dedicated young professional LinkedIn groups, so do a quick group search to find yours Most of these groups are open to anyone working and living in the specified city, AND those who are considering moving there, so if youre contemplating a relocation, these groups are a fantastic way to learn about the professional landscape of your next home.6.Young Leaders Network (Group)As this group of over 5,000 members describes itself, Young Leaders Network is des igned for both ambitious student leaders and young professionals who are looking to become the next generation of leaders in their respective fields. People from career fields like graphic design, risk management, business development, senior management, real estate, and talent management are members.7.Project Get HiredThough not exclusively for millennials or younger professionals, this group is a 4,000 member-strong gathering of job seekers who want to motivate each other throughout the job search process. Find job search advice and support, and share your own in this collaborative group.8.And of courseYes, thats right, were plugging our very own LinkedIn group. Shamelessly, we might add, because its a great one to join The LinkedIn group is a great place for all professionals to connect about telecommuting, flexible schedule, freelance, and part-time jobs. Learn about the latest job search strategies, get tips for being a great flexible worker, and share stories of your job searc h challenges and accomplishments. Weve got an active and growing membership of over 10,000 members.Readers, do you have any other millennial LinkedIn groups to share? Leave a commentStart Your Job Search. Sign Up for Today

Top Guide of How to Make a Resume for Free

Top Guide of How to Make a Resume for Free Employers like to realize that you are continuously developing and working to strengthen your abilities. Professionally, our resumes are often the very first impression a prospective employer gets of us. Resume is the very first thing when employers get to understand about you. Employers want people they can truly trust so when you have something to hide then it could cost you the job. While a resume builder may not supply you with the absolute most unique resume format on the current market, if youre in a rush, or merely require step by self help writing your resume, it will surely offer you that. In addition, the built-in methods and expert advice will allow you to compose the perfect resume. Also, individuals will discover that it is much simpler to contact you that way, and even if your website isnt too fancy, you will landsee that, when it has to do with creating and selling a micro job, it can be of excellent help, particularly if your idea is just one of interest. There are lots of beautiful resume templates out there, but nevertheless, it can be simple to feel as a lot of the greatest cost a ridiculous quantity of money, require special design programs in order to edit, or both. How to Make a Resume for Free Options Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any location in the creation procedure. There are some points to reflect on to make an educated option. For those purposes of a resume I feel its far better list the city and state youre in. Finding out the style you may want to use is is going to be based on the position youre applying for. A basic resume is also simpler to read. Free resume downloads can be found in a wide array of places today. If youre unfamiliar with how a builder works, you should be aware of the downloading a builder can spare you a substantial timeframe. Downloading a builder can permit you to swiftly create a resume that sells your special skil ls. Things You Should Know About How to Make a Resume for Free Or one may want a skill based resume which helps to emphasize your abilities and achievements that are directly relevant to a particular job target that is also offered. The objective of a resume is to highlight your skills, experience and accomplishments that are relevant to the role you wish to be in. All our resumes are a breeze to edit and theyre also able to be customized to your liking. You would like to use a format that highlights your abilities and abilities which are qualifying requirements for that specific position. Where to Find How to Make a Resume for Free Inflating your skills to inaccurately be eligible for a possible job might wind up hurting you in a few ways. A passive job search is something which should be a continuous thing and its most effective to start as you have work. Naturally, the ideal time to discover that new job is when you are employed. As an increasing number of people discov er the exact same job youre applying for, your likelihood of finding the job which you want gets smaller and smaller.Everyone hopes to put on an opportunity to impress kompetenz new employer at a job interview, but theres no denying that interviews can be quite stressful The skills a chronological resume may be unable to to highlight are ready to be emphasized in a functional resume. The initial one is about outlining your abilities and your availability in a specific job position. There are several creative resume templates. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you want a resume template that you may inject a little more personality into to make it pop. Sometimes all you will need is a traditional style template thats clean, clear and right to the point. Get exploring and you might be spotting something which you feel is going to earn an effect on your job seeking process. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your res ume is always a poor idea. Getting the most of a resource that wont only help save you time, but is shown to elevate your opportunity of scoring a work simply is reasonable. In an effort to improve your likelihood of success you may be considering other techniques to be noticed and nail down that job. It is possible to enter your social networking profile address for an extra point of contact. Basically as soon as an advertisement is published it is the standard trend that there are hundreds and hundreds of applications in addition to the resumes. Resume services are extremely much popular as a result of their effectiveness. It is possible to use a lot of the completely free e-mail solutions, but select a tasteful name. Up in Arms About How to Make a Resume for Free? You could consider getting another email account for every type of career youre applying for. Prepare your on-line job application before you commence looking for the best jobs in free on-line job search site O dusee. With the recent trends in our technology, applying for jobs is much easier now than it was a year or two ago. If you get a lengthy employment history, you dont will need to include everything.

The 10 Most Exciting Trends for Women in 2014 [Pt. 2]

The 10 Most Exciting Trends for Women in 2014 Pt. 2 In the first part of this article we talked about how 2014 is the Year of the Woman, and with the help of prominent thought leader, speaker and accomplished author Dr. Tracey Wilen, we listed five of 10 exciting trends for women this year. They were Women sharks on the rise (increase of women-owned businesses)Women in the drivers seat (mora female CEOs)Young firms offering jobs for womenWomen going for the gold andWomen becoming tech headsRead on to discover the final five fruchtwein exciting trends and why 2014 will be such an influential year for the ladies.Trend 6 Money-making MusiciansYou noted that women can sing and dance all the way to the bank. What do you mean by that?I recall growing up that there were predominately male bands and musicians on the radio, TV, etc. and very few women. Interesting enough today two women Madonna (age 55) an d Lady Gaga (age 27) are the highest paid of all women and men in music and there is a pipeline of women following them such as Taylor Swift, Beyonc, Rihanna, Katie Perry, Pink, etc.The point is that women have many options and can and have achieved in multiple areas. I am excited about shows (e.g. American idol) that help emerging artists gain visibility and technology (streaming, YouTube,) where artists can promote themselves.Trend 7 Woman-to-woman marketingWhy is it essential to have more women marketing gurus?I read some interesting statistics on how much spending power women have in the U.S. (85% of all purchases) and yet how many felt that they were being mis-marketed (91%) to because it was men in marketing, not women. A recent case and point I think the move of Mary Barra shows that GM knows that women buy cars.Women buy more than half of the new cars in the U.S., and influence up to 80 percent of all car purchasesWomen spend over $200 billion on new cars mechanical servici ng of vehicles each yearAnd we are seeing the trend of women having powerful positions at Advertising firms, as creative directors and key consumer influencers in a number of sectors. This is extremely important to reduce the amount of mis-marketing because women control over $20 Trillion in worldwide spending.Women are earning, spending, and influencing spending at a greater rate than ever before, accounting for $7 trillion in consumer and business spending in the U.S.Women account for 85 percent of all consumer purchases, including everything from autos to healthcareWomen influenced $90 billion of consumer electronic purchases in 2007Trend 8 Women are financially independentWhat do you mean by Beyond the bling? I think women understand and are concerned about money, investments, savings more than just buying bling. I think women understand the importance and value of financial independence. In the interviews conducted for Women Lead (Peter Lang, 2013) we found that many women had strong mothers as role models who emphasized financial independence and self-sufficiency.And MediaPost offers some very powerful stats when it comes to women and financesThe average American woman is expected to earn more than the average American male by 202851 percent of U.S. private wealth is controlled by womenWomen account for over 50 percent of all stock ownership in the U.S.Women control more than 60 percent of all personal wealth in the U.S.Over the next decade, women will control two-thirds of consumer wealth45 percent of American millionaires are women60 percent of high-net-worth women have earned their own fortunesTrend 9 Women are hitting the booksYou state that women are Smart cookies. What do you mean by this and why is it important?In the U.S., the trend is that women are becoming more educated than men. For example, women earned 10 million more college degrees than men since 1982 (61.6 percent AA degrees, 56.7 percent bachelor degrees, 59.9 percent masters degrees, 5 1.6 percent doctors degrees).The pipeline of women with education is exceeding the pipeline of men and we will see that women will have more options than men as the demand for an educated workforce continues to increase.Trend 10 Breaking through occupational barriersWhat other professional areas do you see where women will excel?I think women area making breakthroughs in a number of professional areas such as doctors, lawyer, accountants, etc., and a key factor is working in environments that hilfe integrative lives for women and men so that people can have successful careers and families. For example, the physicians I interviewed for Women Lead (Peter Lang, 2013) noted that many women are pursuing medicine because there are part-time options, which make more sense for familiesOn the finance side, I see a lot of opportunities for women as many finance recruiters confided that firms are seeking executive female leaders for finance roles because they are perceived as more trustworthy than men. I would suggest that women are not your average bean counters.Why is 2014 the breakout year for women?History accelerates future momentum. 2012 was a record year for women running for congress. In 2014 I think we will see the pattern sustain or accelerate. Also, 2012 and 2014 were record years for women in sports (Olympics).There are increased expectations of younger women and role models will help. We will see more women pursue CEO roles as we have role models from Marissa Meyer (younger age), to Ursula Brown, to Indra Nooyi (Pepsi), to Meg Whitman, to Marry Barra. Women are sharp if they can see a role model that is like them and make it more tangible.We have a number of key female leaders at technology firms (Marissa Meyer, Sheryl Sandberg, Meg Whitman, Ursula Brown) this excites me because we have women who can show women the way in technology, and I think this will help more women pursue technology fields as they are already fast adopters.