Kathleen Coulombe is Senior Associate, Government Relations at SHRM. She is on Twitter at @KCnSHRMGA.
As many folks were winding down the year getting ready for the holidays, House and Senate Republicans were busy passing sweeping tax reform, sending the legislation to President Trump last week. He signed the bill, and with it, delivered several wins to HR, employers and employees. Those include:
Yesterday, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady introduced H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I have to admit, it took me a little while to get through the 429-page bill—and, boy, are these some items to report! Here are the five most important HR provisions you need to know about in the legislation:
As the topic of tax reform continues to dominate the news cycle, don’t just pay attention to the hot topics like tax brackets, mortgage interest deduction and the AMT! There’s some potential changes on the horizon for employer-sponsored benefits and employers and employees alike are going to be affected.
It’s been nearly 40 years since employers first were able to offer tax-free education assistance for undergraduate, graduate or certificate level work to their employees. The benefit was semi-permanent, with Congress reauthorizing it (sometimes retroactively) numerous times until it was finally made a permanent part of the law in early 2013.
As efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act continue to plod along in Congress, House and Senate tax writers have been working with the Trump administration to find a way forward on tax reform.
Did you happen to attend the SHRM 2017 Employment Law & Legislative Conference? No? I think you may have missed out! I know, you’re probably thinking, another work-related conference? More bad conference food, freezing cold session rooms and just adequate speakers. Not at this conference!
Some time ago, after I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I was lucky enough to get a job working for the governor of Nevada (see, internships can pay off!). I was also fortunate to have a great boss (the governor himself) who impressed upon me how important it is to start saving for retirement, even at the tender age of 22. I started saving early because I was able to make a small contribution with my modest salary. Had I been saddled with huge amounts of student loan debt, that wouldn’t have been possible.
As an HR professional, finding qualified talent that is a good fit with your organization’s culture can sometimes be a challenge. And sometimes it can be darn right impossible. The term “skills shortage” gets tossed around a lot lately, and the truth is, many employers know all too well how difficult it can be to match organizational needs with individuals that possess those skill sets.
SHRM and CFGI successfully wrapped up participation in the Republican National Convention (RNC) this week and are now preparing to take on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia, PA next week. To say the convention experience is exciting, is certainly an understatement! 
Every year around this time, I’m reminded to take a closer look at my retirement account balance and to either smile and breathe a sigh of relief or cringe and increase my monthly contribution.
As the congressional recess began last week, Members of Congress made a mad dash out of DC. For members of the Congressional Black Caucus, their destination was Tunica, Mississippi.
The elections last month made it clear that the Halls of Congress will look a little different in January 2015. Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives, retaining control in that chamber with a historic margin, and took control of the U.S. Senate. Republicans also saw gubernatorial pickups, in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Florida.
Hopefully you had the opportunity to submit your taxes and are in the group of folks who are eagerly awaiting (or have received) a refund! Preparing your taxes can be tricky, and whether you utilize a professional to file or you go it alone, understanding the tax code can be intimidating at times.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t spend too much time thinking about how much money is in your retirement account. Yes, I know, I’m a tax and benefits lobbyist, so you’d think that I’d know what my balance is down to the penny! But the truth is, like many employees, although I know that I’m contributing to my retirement account, I don’t fret about the details on a daily basis. That’s about to change, as pending tax reform could significantly impact not only the types of investment options available but whether employees will have access to a retirement account at all.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t spend too much time thinking about how much money is in your retirement account. Yes, I know, I’m a tax and benefits lobbyist, so you’d think that I’d know what my balance is down to the penny! But the truth is, like many employees, although I know that I’m contributing to my retirement account, I don’t fret about the details on a daily basis. That’s about to change, as pending tax reform could significantly impact not only the types of investment options available but whether employees will have access to a retirement account at all.
It’s not what you know that can hurt you; it’s what you don’t know.
That adage is particularly appropriate today as Congress quietly considers an issue that could affect every American—yet few are aware of it.
While every conscientious HR professional has been working overtime to keep up with the evolving status of the Affordable Care Act, developments with immigration reform, and the implications of new workplace rules, something else has been happening behind closed doors on Capitol Hill.
