Year: 2021

Congress at Work: Infrastructure Spending, Hiring Veteran Health Heroes and Initiatives for Education, Childcare and Immigration

3 min read

HR 3684, S 1031, S 894, S 108, HR 5376Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act(HR 3684) – This legislation authorizes funding for federal highway, transit, safety, motor carrier, hazardous materials and rail programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT). The bill also addresses climate change with strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of the surface transportation system and facilitate the efficient use of federal resources. It was initially introduced on June 4; it passed in the House on July 1 and in the Senate on Aug. 10. It was passed again in the House in its final form on Nov. 5, and then was signed into law by the president on Nov. 15.

A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disparities associated with race and ethnicity with respect to certain benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. (S 1031) – This bill was introduced by Rep. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) on March 25. It passed in the House on Aug. 6, then in the Senate on Nov. 15. It is awaiting signature by the president. Within one year, a study must be conducted and Congress briefed on how race and ethnicity impact VA compensation benefits, disability ratings and the rejection of claims for VA benefits.

Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021 (S 894) – The purpose of this legislation is to identify separating service members in healthcare occupations and refer them for jobs at the VA. The bill was introduced by Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) on March 23. It passed in the Senate on July 21, the House on Nov. 15 and is currently with the president.

A bill to authorize the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease or transfer certain land, and for other purposes (S 108) – This legislation allows the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease, sell, convey, warrant or transfer any real property it owns that is not held in trust by the United States. The bill was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Jan. 28. It was passed in the Senate on May 26, in the House on Nov. 2 and is currently waiting to be signed into law by the president.

Build Back Better Act (HR 5376) – This bill is currently being debated in Congress as the second phase of President Biden’s effort to “build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out.” It includes funding for a wide array of initiatives, including education, labor, childcare, healthcare, taxes, immigration and the environment. Specifically, the legislation would provide for up to six semesters of free community college, free childcare for children under the age of 6, free universal preschool services, health benefits for eligible individuals who reside in states that have not expanded Medicaid, expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision care; provide certain aliens with a path to permanent resident status (e.g., those who entered the United States as minors); and provide up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. Funding mechanisms include increasing the tax rates for certain corporations and individuals with annual income over $400,000; and require the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate maximum prices for certain brand-name drugs under Medicare. The bill was introduced by Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) on Sept. 27 and is currently under consideration in the House.

Considerations When Automating Accounts Payables

4 min read

Automating Accounts PayablesAccounts payables (AP) is a process in the financial department that can be inconsistent and burdensome. However, today’s workforce has driven AP transformation – especially with remote working. Some businesses do not have much choice but to accept automation while others may have realized the need to automate accounts payables due to the numerous benefits that come with it.

Before hastily choosing automation, it’s important to make some careful considerations to avoid mistakes that come with the improper implementation of any business accounting technology. Here are a few guiding considerations:

  1. What is the cost-benefit analysis? Any new system comes with its expenses and as such, it is important to measure its return on investment (ROI). This can be calculated using the expected benefits. By conducting a cost-benefit analysis, it will help you know how long it will take for an investment to pay for itself and help in the investment approval for businesses with senior decision-makers.
  2. Understand and document the existing AP processes: Before settling on an automation solution, it is best to first fully understand the existing process. You must examine the format that invoices are received on, how they are numbered, where they are sent for approval and how they are recorded. Carrying out this documentation will help to identify the major pain points of the AP process that you would like to improve, such as manual data entry, missing invoices, discrepancies and more. 
    Understanding the existing process also helps in selecting the best solution that will not destabilize your entire workflow.
  3. Processing Historical Documents: Consider what to do with invoices that already exist in employee workstations or shared drives as they need to be moved to the new system’s repository. Having these documents stored in a central location in an indexed manner helps to ease their retrieval – especially during an audit.
  4. Types of the Available Solution: There are many available solutions, both cloud-based and premise-based. Some of them are ready-to-use, while others can be customized. Each of these solutions comes with varying modules and functionalities. This requires that you carry out thorough research from different AP automation solution providers. Some important features to look for include those that integrate with existing ERP or finance systems; are customizable, flexible and can scale as your business grows; include security features; use the latest technology such as artificial intelligence; and produce reports.
  5. Engage with a Vendor: After selecting several vendors whose solution sounds like a good fit, the next step is to request a discovery call or demo. At this time, the vendor should review your business AP processes and integration issues. This will help to find a vendor that can meet your specific requirements.
  6. Metrics: Have in place measures that will be used to check whether the AP automation meets the expected benefits. Some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that should be tracked include time spent on each invoice, time taken to approve invoices, cost per invoice and number of payment errors.
  7. Change Management: It may be easy to install a new AP solution, but its success is dependent on proper change management. As happens every time new technology is implemented, users can be resistant when they are used to doing things a certain way. There are also fears of losing jobs or being replaced by technology. Hence, the users must be involved in the change process. If users resist, even investing in the best solution will not help. Users need to understand that automating the AP process will give them time to shift to higher-value work. They need to understand the advanced workflows and adjust to their roles under the new automated solution.

Bottom Line 

To find the best solution, you should prioritize the most crucial needs for your business. The major needs are accuracy, security, customization, integration with existing systems, data transparency and saving time.

Remember, automation does not automatically solve all your accounts payable problems. You need to first ensure that your AP process is optimized, as automation adds value to streamline processes.

5 Affordable Ways to Share the Holiday Spirit

3 min read

Holiday SpiritThe holidays are a season of giving. While much of this involves financial expenditures, you can also give in ways that are more affordable and may hold more meaning. Here are some suggestions about how you can engage in acts of generosity and return to what the season is all about.

Cook Food

Nothing nourishes the heart and soul, not to mention your stomach, like food made with love from your own kitchen. Baking cookies is always an easy and fun thing to do, but a main dish (with protein) or hearty casseroles are also good options. People who are homebound due to an illness, those going through financial difficulties or even new moms will appreciate the gift of a warm meal. You might also ask co-workers, local churches or homeless shelters if they’re looking for some extra sustenance during this time of year.

Create Necessity Bags

Giving to those on the streets during the holidays is an easy, inexpensive way to make a difference. Fill a gallon-sized food storage bag with things like gloves, toothpaste and toothbrush, hand sanitizer, sanitary wipes, bottled water, snacks and a gift card to a grocery store. Then contact your local organizations and charities to see where the needs lie. You might also carry these bags in your car and when you see someone, give it to them. Moments like these are invaluable to those in need and for you, too.

Volunteer Time

Showing up with an extra pair of hands is often what someone needs. A great place to check out is VolunteerMatch. Just type in your ZIP code and you’ll find all kinds of opportunities to help everyone from seniors to children in many sectors, including education, arts and health. You might also find ways to help animals or read to the blind. These are feel-good, money-free ways to experience the joy of giving.

Donate Craft Items

How many times have you thrown away your toilet paper rolls or egg cartons? This year, save and donate them to nearby schools or community centers. All it takes is a few phone calls to find out what their craft needs are. You’ll also be helping the environment – sharing some love for Mother Nature. How simple is that?

Declutter Your Dwelling

This one has so many terrific benefits. You can get rid of clothes and belongings that crowd your closets, which is a wonderful feeling. One option is to sell them on eBay Charity and donate to a nonprofit of your choice. You choose what percentage of the sale goes to the organization (from 10 to 100 percent). eBay will even give you a credit on your selling fees based on the percentage you choose. If you want to give away gently used professional clothes, Dress for Success and Jails to Jobs, are groups that empower people to look their best when making a fresh start. If you’d like to rid yourself of shoes you’ll never wear again, Soles4Souls is a great resource and you can ship up to 15 pairs of shoes without paying a fee through the Zappos for Good program. Talk about good for the sole, er, soul!

For the most part, should you choose to get into the holiday spirit with these activities (aside from a few costs here and there), the main thing you’ll be spending is time. However, experiencing the joy of the giving is priceless.

Sources

https://www.discover.com/online-banking/banking-topics/affordable-ways-to-spread-generosity-holiday-season/

How Businesses Can Recognize and Combat Employee Burnout

4 min read

Employee BurnoutAccording to the job site Indeed, COVID-19 has taken a toll on workers even more in 2021, compared to 2020. The survey conducted by Indeed found that 52 percent of those surveyed felt “burned out” in 2021. Sixty-seven percent of those asked said that feeling burned out has become more pronounced as COVID-19 has progressed. It’s more noticeable among remote workers (38 percent), compared to 28 percent of employees working in person.

Gallup reported in October 2020 that between 2016 and 2019, worker burnout was already on the radar. Once COVID-19 hit workers in 2020, those working remotely 100 percent of the time are reporting even higher levels than those who work outside the home.

Pre-COVID-19, when employees worked remotely either 100 percent of the time or via a hybrid approach, they had lower levels of burnout compared to those who worked at their place of employment full-time.

When it comes to remote-only employees who “experience burnout at work always or very often,” levels have gone from 18 percent pre-pandemic to 29 percent during the coronavirus pandemic.

This phenomenon is blamed on not being able to choose to work remotely or at the workplace – the choice is not there with COVID-19. As of September 2020, 4 in 10 full-time employees worked exclusively from home, compared to 4 percent pre-COVID.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “job burnout is a special type of work-related stress.” Internal factors, according to the Mayo Clinic and Gallup, include uneven treatment by management, excessive work assigned to an individual, a toxic workplace and ambiguous or unclear assignment instructions.

Outside factors such as their personal life, their natural disposition, mood disorders, etc. may add to it. When a worker is fatigued, physically or intellectually, this also grips the worker with a feeling of lower productivity and a loss of who they are professionally.

For those who can’t manage job-related stressors, burnout often leads to negative results. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this includes feeling dubious about one’s future at the company, experiencing an inability to sleep, an inability to concentrate, feeling tired and having little motivation to complete one’s work.

If there’s a completely new way of working, unpredictability of being exposed to COVID-19, having to juggle work and personal obligations throughout the workday and the inability to have the right tools to get work tasks completed, burnout will likely ensue.

Managing Burnout

There are many recommendations to regain control and keep work-related stress in check. This includes creating a schedule for both regular sleep and time to fulfill work tasks, if feasible. Taking strategic breaks and finding constructive non-work interests can lessen the stress of work as part of a balanced schedule.

According to Gallup, managers must harmonize maintaining high-performance expectations with employee commitment to the organization and worker welfare.

Gallup credits effective managers and “organizational communication” with keeping full-time remote workers fully engaged by making them feel like an integral part of their company. Through purposeful training and crystal-clear expectations, workers are set up for success.

The CDC recommends how workers can reduce the effects of burnout. Staying diligent with emotional wellbeing treatments and recognizing and getting treatment for new substance abuse issues is recommended. Staying in touch with others can help both sides feel supported mentally and lower stress. Taking a break from constant negative news is also recommended.

Much like businesses, employees are unique. With COVID-19 impacting each of us differently, managers must evaluate their organization’s circumstances and employees to find a balance between employee performance and their ability to maintain wellbeing.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/mental-health-non-healthcare.html

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/323228/remote-workers-facing-high-burnout-turn-around.aspx

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642

https://www.indeed.com/lead/preventing-employee-burnout-report

Year-End Tax Planning Tips for Individuals and Businesses

3 min read

Year-End Tax Planning 2021Here we are again, nearing the end of another year. While the tax deadline for 2021 isn’t until April 2022, now is the time to plan and make some strategic moves to optimize your tax situation. Below we’ll look at some tax planning ideas for both small businesses and individuals.

Business Tax Planning

Business owners should consider a few potential planning areas. Below we’ll look at a handful of relevant topics.

Section 163(j) Interest Expense Limitation

Businesses can deduct interest expenses, subject to a limit at 30 percent of adjusted taxable income (ATI). The calculation for determining ATI is changing in 2022, so some planning might be in order.

Currently, ATI is calculated as taxable income with depreciation and amortization added back. Starting in 2022, depreciation and amortization will no longer be an add-back, effectively lowering the amount of deductible interest a business can claim.

Taxpayers should consider their current year forecast and 2022 projections to see if there is opportunity in converting debt financing to equity financing.

COVID-Driven Innovation

Many businesses needed to change and adapt processes and products to survive or thrive during the pandemic. Depending on the nature of the activities, some of the expenses might qualify for R&D tax credits. Now is the time to investigate what will qualify and begin to gather the documentation.

Remote Workers and Nexus

With so many companies allowing remote work in this new normal, consideration should be given to year-end planning for state and local taxes. State laws around nexus are evolving, and remote workers may create new reporting and payment requirements for both income and employment taxes.

Net Operating Loss Carryforward

Net operating loss (NOL) rules are changing. First, NOLs created from activity in 2021 and beyond can only be carried forward; no carry-back is allowed. Also note that NOLs generated in 2017 and can be used to offset 100 percent of current year taxable income, whereas those generated 2018 and after can only offset up to 80 percent of taxable income in any year.

As a result, taxpayers should consider revenue recognition and other tactics to maximize the use of NOLs.

Individual Tax Planning

Start Gathering Your Documents Now

Taxpayers should start gathering their documents now as there are two main benefits to this. First, it will make things more manageable and organized in 2022. Second, it will get them thinking about their financial picture. Gathering documents forces you to give your year-to-date a mental review so you don’t forget about any new or unusual events that could provide planning opportunities.

Retirement Accounts Review

Generally, everyone should consider topping off tax-advantaged retirement accounts such as IRAs or 401(k).

Perhaps more importantly, consider a back-door Roth conversion. This tax savings strategy permits taking deductible or non-deductible IRAs and converting them to a ROTH IRA. There are a lot of nuances to this move depending on the individual’s situation, but it’s very important to consider since 2021 may be the last year this is allowed, depending on legislative developments.

Required Minimum Distributions

In 2020, required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts were suspended. RMDs return for 2021 however, so taxpayers who are 72 or older need to remember to make the calculation and withdrawal by Dec. 31.

Conclusion

There is no better time than now to step back and look at the past year, your financial situation, and the changes to tax laws this year and next. Remember, tax planning only works if you act before the end of the tax year. Once we reach 2022, it will be too late to make much of an impact on your 2021 tax situation.

Increasing the Debt Limit, Extending Government Funding, and Protecting Vets, Veteran Moms and the Capitol Police

3 min read

Increasing the Debt Limit, Extending Government Funding, and Protecting Vets, Veteran Moms and the Capitol PoliceIncrease of Public Debt Limit(S 1301) – This bill was enacted on Oct. 14 in order to increase the public debt limit. The debt was increased by $480 billion, the amount projected by the Treasury Department to be needed through early December in order to avoid surpassing the public debt limit. Had this stopgap legislation not been passed, it would have created the potential for a severe economic crisis in which the government would have run out of money to pay back existing debts, government salaries and other pre-existing obligations. The bill was initially introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on April 22; it passed in the House on Sept. 29 and in the Senate on Oct. 7. It was signed into law on Oct. 14.

Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (HR 5305) – The bill was both introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and passed in the House on Sept. 21; then passed by the Senate on Sept. 30. It authorizes appropriations for federal agencies for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2022, including providing emergency assistance for activities related to natural disasters and evacuees from Afghanistan. The bill is also known as a continuing resolution (CR), which prevented a government shutdown that would otherwise have occurred if the 2022 appropriations bills had not been enacted by Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year began. The legislation was signed and enacted in the nick of time by the president on Sept. 30.

Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021 (S 716) – This bill was introduced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) on March 17. The purpose of the legislation is to codify maternity care coordination programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the VA must work with local non-VA maternity care providers for training and support related to the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum veterans, particularly with regard to mental and behavioral health conditions. The bill passed in the Senate on Oct. 7 and is currently under consideration in the House.

A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate one week each year as Buddy Check Week for the purpose of outreach and education concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, and for other purposes. (S 544) – This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to designate one week each year as Buddy Check Week for veterans to conduct peer wellness checks. It also mandates that the VA ensure the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan to handle potential increases in calls during that week. The bill was introduced by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on March 2 and passed in the Senate on Oct 7. It is currently under consideration in the House.

Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (HR 3237) – This legislation provides $1.9 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for the legislative branch and federal agencies for preventive measures in response to what happened at the U.S. Capitol Complex on Jan. 6. Because this funding is designated as emergency spending, it is exempt from discretionary spending limits. The funding is allocated for expenses such as security-related upgrades, repairs to facilities damaged by the attack, reimbursements for the costs of responding to the attack, support for prosecutions, the establishment of a quick reaction force within the District of Columbia National Guard to assist the Capitol Police, and mandatory use of body-worn cameras by Capitol Police officers who interact with the public. The bill was introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) on May 14. It was passed in the House on May 20, in the Senate on July 29, and signed into law by the president on July 30.

Why you should automate your accounts payables

4 min read

automate your accounts payablesAccounts payable (AP) is a crucial function to any business, as errors in the process put a company in problems. Although many businesses still use manual methods as they find the system to work fine, it requires a lot of precision from the accounts payable team. There are better – and more efficient – ways to manage AP through automation.

Challenges of the Process 

An AP team is responsible for receiving invoices, reviewing invoices, approving invoices, and paying suppliers and vendors. Some AP departments also handle other functions, depending on the nature of the business. However, AP can be a time-consuming, strenuous and paper-intensive process.

An AP team helps a business control costs, maintain a good supplier relationship and analyze spending. Various challenges might indicate that your business is using outdated practices. Such challenges might include:

  • Dealing with double payments
  • Difficulties in tracking invoices, especially when your business has many transactions
  • Forgotten payments
  • Fraud
  • Disappearing invoices
  • Missing purchase orders
  • Poor business reputation as suppliers lose trust in your business
  • Negative cash flow
  • Too much paperwork taking up employees’ time to sort and organize
  • Skipped processes
  • Manual processes that result in errors and delays

These challenges not only affect your business negatively, but they also affect your supplier’s business. Consider that late payments cost small businesses $3 trillion per year, which means your late payments create a domino effect. Your business will also be subjected to late payment fines.

To avoid the challenges mentioned above, you should automate the accounts payable process.

Accounts Payable Automation 

Automation removes slow and repetitive manual tasks and lets you digitally submit and approve purchase orders and invoices.

However, when making any investment, businesses are more concerned about the return on investment (RIO). Rest assured that through automation, you can achieve ROI through reduced employment costs, fewer late fees, savings on invoice processing costs, and reduced losses caused by errors, among other non-financial benefits.

Following are the benefits achieved by streamlining the accounts payable workflow through automation:

  1. Get a more accurate picture of your finances – using automation software gives you access to reporting capability that makes it is easy to get a quick overview of business spending.
  2. Have a better command over cash flow – manage cash better with the help of reports that can be created and reviewed in real-time, which improves AP team visibility and forecasting. Automation will help in invoice prioritization as well.
  3. Improve user productivity – employees do not have to waste time sorting documents. With the data centrally stored, employees only need to run a query to find the necessary invoice or purchase order.
  4. Enable remote work – using cloud-based software makes remote access possible and enables approvals to be done remotely.
  5. Auditing is easy – all data is stored in a central database and can be easily accessed.
  6. Cost-effective – it enables timely payments and helps avoid unnecessary penalties and interest fees.
  7. Reduce overhead staff costs – automation will help reduce the accounts payable team, with no need to hire more staff even when a business grows.
  8. Dashboard and analytics tools – allow access to separate dashboards for the team and approvers, each using individual login credentials. At the same time, analytics gives a quick overview of the whole process.
  9. No manual data entry – scan documents to capture data and avoid manual data entry.
  10. Standardized accounts payable workflow – ensures consistency even if your business has different teams responsible for handling the invoicing data.
  11. Payment reminders – set your system to have reminders when pay dates are near. This will help avoid late or forgotten payments.
  12. Qualify for discounts – with a smooth workflow, the accounts payable cycle will require less time, and you may qualify for discounts from suppliers for early payments.

Conclusion 

A disorganized accounts payable process can run your business down. Choosing the right AP automation software will help improve accuracy, efficiency, quality and speed for your business accounts payable function. Your business also will have a balance between a healthy cash flow and, at the same time, maintaining a good supplier relationship.

10 Ways to Pay Off Student Debt Faster

4 min read

Pay Off Student DebtIf the thought of paying off your student loan causes a bit of anxiety, worry no more. Here are some ways to pay it off faster. Check them out.

Sign Up for Auto-Pay

This might seem like the most obvious thing to do, and yet, some alums don’t take full advantage of it. The psychology of this works well. When you decide to put your payment on auto-draft, you never miss it. You get used to living on a certain amount of money. Better still, there are lenders who offer refinancing at lower rates, ranging from 1.8 percent to 7.84 percent. But there’s more: Some lenders offer cash-back bonuses. With that said, the catch is you give up important benefits like income-driven repayment and student loan forgiveness. However, refinancing can help you save a bunch – like thousands of dollars.

Pay Bi-Weekly

If you can swing this, it makes good sense. Why? Interest on your student loan accrues daily. Just cut your monthly payment in half and make two payments per month. This way, it might be easier to juggle your finances, as opposed to doling out one big chunk every month. Also, paying more often gives you the feeling that you’re making progress – and you are because of the daily accrual. #WinWin

Use the Debt Avalanche Method

With this approach, you’re paying off your highest interest debt first. Makes sense, right? After you do this, make minimum payments on all of your other loans. If you have any extra cash left over, pay your highest interest loan. Keep at this until you’re paid in full.

Claim the Student Loan Tax Deduction

This is cool. You can write off up to $2,500 of your student loan interest. Now, the amount you can write off depends on your income because there are phaseouts and gradual reductions in place. Just use the 1098-E form (you can get this from your loan servicer) to figure out how much interest you’ve paid. Then get going.

Pay While Still in School

Talk about getting a head start.You’ll cut down on interest (a good thing) while forgoing in-school deferment, and start paying down your debt pronto.

Pay Off Private Student Loans First

Should you have public and private student loans, this is the best strategy. Here’s why: private loans don’t offer student loan forgiveness or income-driven repayment. And they have limited deferment options. You’ll be better off doing this, given all the stipulations that exist for these kinds of loans.

Use Employer Repayment Assistance Programs

This is a sweet deal. Check with your employer to see if they offer such a program. Generally, they offer reimbursement or allocate funds to help you. Don’t forget to ask!

Pay During the Grace Period

This is the six-month period after graduation. While this might not be something that’s initially appealing, think it through. It helps keep interest in check and prevents your balance from growing during your grace period. Also, starting earlier means you’ll finish earlier. Gotta love that.

Consolidate Federal Student Loans

This is a great idea for those with limited resources. You can lower your payment and extend the repayment terms. You’ll most likely pay more interest, but for a short-time solution it’s a good one.

Exceed the Minimum Payment

If you have the means to make this happen, by all means, do it. Another great way to make incredible progress is to make double payments. If you can’t pay double, at least try to pay over the required amount. It’ll help eat away at the interest and eventually, the principal.

Student loans are great while you’re in school, right? They enable you to get the education you want. And while paying them off might be overwhelming, if you use these methods, you’ll be ahead of the game and pay them off sooner than you think.

Sources

107 Ways to Pay Off Student Loans and Save

How to Develop Company Travel Policies Post-COVID

5 min read

Company Travel Policies Post-COVIDAccording to a recent U.S. Travel Association forecast, only about one-third of companies are requiring their employees to travel. With business travel still at a low, how can companies develop a travel policy that reduces the risk of COVID-19?

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

When it comes to business travelers, whether employees are traveling domestically or internationally, OSHA recommends employers consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for guidance.

Travel Guidance

The CDC advises against traveling internationally if someone is not vaccinated, is exposed to, sick with, tests positive and/or is waiting results from COVID-19 exposure. Even for travelers who are fully vaccinated, the CDC reminds us that becoming infected and/or spreading the virus is still possible.

Travelers should similarly follow all guidelines at their point of departure, on the airline, and at their destination (e.g., wear face masks, get tested to show proof of being COVID-19 negative, maintain social distancing) to be compliant with requirements during each point of the journey.

For those returning to the United States, fully vaccinated travelers must have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel. Fully vaccinated individuals are suggested to test three to five days post travel, keep an eye out for symptoms and test and isolate if there are symptoms. Travelers who are not fully vaccinated must have a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of travel. Travelers who are not fully vaccinated are advised to test three to five days after, along with self-quarantining for seven days, post return. Even if the COVID-19 test is negative, self-quarantining for seven days after travel is advised. If the COVID-19 test is positive, travelers should isolate. If you don’t get tested, stay at home and self-quarantine for 10 days post travel. If symptomatic, test and isolate.

When it comes to domestic travel, differences exist between fully vaccinated and partially/non-vaccinated travelers. Along with masking and government mandates for fully vaccinated travelers, upon return they need to keep an eye out for symptoms and isolate if any develop. However, there are no recommendations for testing or self-quarantining for fully vaccinated or those who have recovered from an infection within the past three months.

For unvaccinated travelers, along with following masking, social distancing, hand hygiene practices, and government mandates, testing 24 to 72 hours before departure is recommended. Upon return, travelers are advised to get tested three to five days later and isolate for one week. If non-vaccinated travelers don’t test, a 10-day quarantine is recommended. If a test is done and it’s negative, a one-week isolation period is recommended.

Assessing Financial/Legal Risk

Employers must determine if the work that requires travel is truly essential, and if it is in all jurisdictions, it should be documented. There are a few types of potential financial and/or legal liabilities if employees travel to perform their work duties. If an employee becomes infected, a workers’ compensation claim could be opened. If an employee does not receive an accommodation, either not having to travel or unable to work safely in the office with a worker who may have been exposed to COVID-19, legal issues may develop. Additionally, a whistleblower lawsuit may exist if an employee alleges the company has violated public health requirements. However, if business travel can’t be delayed, there must be guidelines to reduce the risk of travel becoming a way to catch COVID.

Protect Employees Before Travel Begins

Businesses are advised to give their employees adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Depending on how and where the employee is traveling, he or she is required by federal law to wear a mask in and on mass transit (e.g., airplanes, trains). It also may help to provide gloves, hand sanitizer and wipes.

Study Transit and Destination COVID-19 Policies

Whether it’s domestic or international travel, different cities, states and countries have different requirements for those who are vaccinated and those who are not. Depending on where the traveler has a layover, there could be testing, proof of vaccination or masking/social distancing requirements in place at various spots.

Agree to Travel-Related Activities

By highlighting the risks of visiting certain venues that may pose higher risks (e.g., restaurants, gyms), an employer also can mandate employees to wear masks, socially distance, wash hands frequently, etc., regardless of the locale’s requirements.

Plan Ahead for Post-Travel Office Work

Another important component of a travel policy is how the business and its employee(s) will return safely to work and interact with co-workers and clients. For the most extreme cases, there could be a 14-day work-from-home policy to reduce the risk. Businesses can mandate testing for employees as long as they cover testing costs and testing requirements are applied fairly companywide.

While the world is reopening to commerce, especially instances when business deals necessitate face-to-face meetings with people from different cities and continents, safety with COVID-19 is paramount.

Sources

https://www.ustravel.org/press/new-forecast-signals-long-road-recovery-business-travel

https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/control-prevention/business-travelers

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html

Potential New Tax on Stock Buybacks and What it Could Mean for the Financial Markets

3 min read

Tax on Stock BuybacksPresident Biden’s latest spending bill could result in a new tax on corporate stock buybacks. In its most recent incarnation, the Senate version of the plan includes a 2 percent excise tax on stock buybacks. Still, this isn’t enough for many critics of stock buybacks, who claim they incentivize short-term behavior in lieu of long-term investment.

Short-Term Incentives

Stock buyback programs have long been criticized for giving a short-term boost to share prices with funds that could have been used for long-term investment instead. Critics, including the current president, believe stock buybacks come at the expense of capital investment in new or updated factories, research, worker training, etc. These critics believe this type of long-term investment is the key to sustainable growth.

Changing Behavior with Taxes

Some critics advocate for an outright ban on stock buybacks, but they are in the minority. Instead, the recent Senate bill proposes a 2 percent tax on stock buybacks. This tax is dual purpose. First, it aims to discourage buybacks and encourage longer-term investment. Second, it’s a revenue generator to help fund the trillions in new spending in the bill.

Will the 2 Percent Tax be Enough to Matter?

While a 2 percent excise tax on buybacks may not be draconian, it appears to be significant enough to drive a change in behavior. In a CNBC poll, more than half of CFOs indicated the 2 percent tax is enough for them to curtail their buyback program. Only 40 percent said they would not change their buyback program plans (CNBC Global CFO Council Survey).

Impact on the Capital Markets      

Stock buybacks have had a significant impact on the markets. Not only are companies using excess cash to buy back shares, but with interest rates so low for so long, many companies have even taken on debt to buy back shares. Still, excess cash that can’t just sit on the corporate balance sheet is the main driver of the largest buyback programs. Established, cash-flush tech companies such as Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft are the dominant players, accounting for nearly one-third of all buyback activity in the first half of 2021.

Given the recent run-up in the markets, buyback programs have not kept up. Couple this with the proposed increases in corporate tax rates from 21 percent to 25 percent, and there’s even less cash to fund buyback programs. Generally, most experts believe these macro-economic factors combined with the new 2 percent tax will cause a shift toward dividend payouts as they will be more favorable to shareholders.

Conclusion

The main idea behind the proposed 2 percent excise tax on stock buybacks is to both raise revenue and encourage corporate investment. Critics of stock buyback programs believe this is better for the economy and workers, whereas buybacks favor corporate shareholders at their expense. While a 2 percent tax might not be enough to create wholesale change, it appears to have enough teeth combined with corporate tax rate changes to change most public company CFOs.