#employee-benefits
Employee Benefits
Discover employee benefit options to attract talent and reduce turnover in small businesses
SECURE 2.0's Paper Benefit Statement Rule: What the DOL's Temporary Relief Means for 401(k) Plan Sponsors
SECURE 2.0 requires 401(k) and other defined contribution plans to mail at least one paper benefit statement per year starting with plan years after December 31, 2025. With Q1 2026 statements due around May 15 and the DOL's implementing rule still a proposal, Field Assistance Bulletin 2026-02 pauses enforcement for plan sponsors who comply in good faith — here's what small businesses must still do.
Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans in 2026: How Small Businesses Skip Nondiscrimination Testing
A safe harbor 401(k) automatically passes IRS ADP/ACP nondiscrimination testing in exchange for a fixed employer contribution — a 3% nonelective or a match of up to 4%. Here's how the three formulas compare in cost, the December 1 retroactive adoption deadline, and the 2026 limits ($24,500 deferral, $72,000 total additions, mandatory Roth catch-ups for high earners).
Do Quarterly Bonuses Require Overtime Recalculation? DOL Opinion Letter FLSA2026-6 Explains the Exception
DOL Opinion Letter FLSA2026-6 (May 28, 2026) confirms that a quarterly bonus paid as a fixed percentage of total earnings — straight-time plus overtime — satisfies FLSA overtime requirements under 29 CFR § 778.210 with no workweek-by-workweek recalculation. Here are the four conditions the exception depends on and a compliance checklist for small businesses.
DOL Opinion Letter FLSA2026-2: When a "Discretionary" Bonus Isn't — and What It Does to Overtime Pay
DOL Opinion Letter FLSA2026-2 (January 5, 2026) holds that a formula-driven safety and attendance bonus of up to $9.50/hour is nondiscretionary and must be included in the FLSA regular rate — turning a $12/hour base into a $21.50 regular rate and adding $107.50 of overtime pay in DOL's own 50-hour example. Here is the three-part test, which common bonus types fail it, and how to fix the payroll math.
The DOL's Fiduciary Rule Just Died Again: What Small Employers Running a 401(k) Need to Know Now
Texas federal courts vacated the DOL's Retirement Security Rule in March 2026, reverting fiduciary status for retirement advice to the 1975 five-part test — the second such rule struck down since 2018. Here's what 401(k) plan sponsors should check now: advisor fiduciary status in writing, compensation disclosures, and a documentation checklist, plus what the DOL's new alternative-assets safe harbor proposal means for small plans.
The Free Lunch Is Officially Over: What OBBBA's 0% Meal Deduction Means for Your Business in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, OBBBA's new IRC §274(o) cuts the employer deduction for on-site cafeterias, office snacks, and "convenience of the employer" meals from 50% (or 100%) to zero, while client meals, travel meals, and restaurant employee meals keep their old treatment. Here's the math on what the change costs and how small businesses should restructure their books.
Gusto vs. OnPay for Teams Under 10: Which Payroll Pricing Model Actually Fits?
Gusto's Simple tier runs $49/month + $6 per employee but gates multi-state payroll behind an $80 Plus tier; OnPay's single ~$40–59 + $6 plan includes it standard. A feature-by-feature cost comparison for businesses with 2–9 employees, covering PTO, direct deposit, benefits availability, support, and integrations.
Illinois' New NICU Leave Law: What Employers Need to Know Before June 2026
Illinois' Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act takes effect June 1, 2026, requiring employers with 16 or more employees to provide 10 to 20 days of unpaid, job-protected leave for children hospitalized in a NICU, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per affected employee.
2026 HSA Contribution Limits: What Small Business Owners Need to Know
The IRS raised 2026 HSA limits to $4,400 self-only and $8,750 family (Revenue Procedure 2025-19). A small business owner's guide to the S-corp more-than-2% shareholder rules, the 35% comparability excise tax, cafeteria plan workarounds, and how to avoid excess-contribution penalties.
Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Law Now Covers 11+ Employees: What Changed in 2026
Connecticut's paid sick leave law now covers employers with 11 or more employees as of January 1, 2026, dropping to zero threshold by 2027, while 17 states plus D.C. mandate some form of paid sick leave with accrual typically at one hour per 30 hours worked.
HSA Comparability Rules: Why You Can't Pay Yourself More Than the Front Desk
Employer HSA contributions outside a Section 125 cafeteria plan must be identical across comparable employees, or the IRS imposes a 35% excise tax on the full contribution pool, not just the excess.
Portable Benefits for Independent Contractors: A Guide to the New State Laws
Utah, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and West Virginia now let businesses contribute to an independent contractor's portable benefit account without that contribution counting as evidence of employment. How the state safe harbors work, what Utah's 50% tax credit (up to $2,000 per contractor) covers, and how to track contributions in your books.