Mastering the Art of Hybrid Events: A Guide 2560 1707 Alicia East

Mastering the Art of Hybrid Events: A Guide

When done well, hybrid events combine the best of both in-person and virtual experiences and can bridge geographical gaps, engage diverse audiences, and amplify your reach and impact. But of course we know they aren’t all done well. Have you ever attended a virtual event that was little more than a one-angle live stream? That’s…

Preventing Sexual Harassment in The Workplace (But With Fun Gifs) 2560 1707 Alicia East

Preventing Sexual Harassment in The Workplace (But With Fun Gifs)

If you’ve worked in an office environment and also watched “The Office,” you can probably recall a Todd Packer type. They speak in innuendos, find themselves incredibly entertaining, and generally make people around them wish they could disappear. In “The Office,” there’s one exception: Michael seems to find Todd Packer’s behavior aspirational rather than offensive.…

What to do When The Gift of Discomfort Shows up on Your Doorstep 2560 1709 Alicia East

What to do When The Gift of Discomfort Shows up on Your Doorstep

If compliments give us the warm and fuzzies, would it be fair to say criticism gives us the cold and clammies? Still, there’s a reason we are familiar with the sentiment that our way to the desirable stations in life is through some undesirable ones. It’s a familiar theme across religious traditions, philosophical studies, and…

Scammers Are More Subtle Than Ever, so You Have to Be More Savvy Than Ever 2560 1829 Alicia East

Scammers Are More Subtle Than Ever, so You Have to Be More Savvy Than Ever

At this point, we all know the Nigerian prince emails are bogus, but scammers are getting more sophisticated. That means you need to get more sophisticated, too. Some of my friends’ parents are buying a house right now. It’s right across from their daughter’s family (read: grandkids). These salt of the earth people have worked…

Here’s What to Think About if You’re Expanding Your Business (And Therefore, Your Payroll) 2560 1707 Alicia East

Here’s What to Think About if You’re Expanding Your Business (And Therefore, Your Payroll)

If you’re planning to expand your business, one of your top priorities should be making sure you’re in position to classify and pay employees and independent contractors properly. This is especially important if you’re looking to hire people in any state without any red tape. Today, we’ll talk about what it takes to run payroll…

Hall of Shame: 10 Terrible Workplaces (Plus How Not to Suck) 2560 1707 Alicia East

Hall of Shame: 10 Terrible Workplaces (Plus How Not to Suck)

We talk a lot about what to do when you’re running a business–things like accurate worker classification, paying employees properly, and generally just doing right by your workers. What we don’t always address is what not to do. 10 terrible workplace violations and the lessons we can all learn from them A lesson from Packers Sanitation: There’s no place…

🚩Looking to Engage a Payroll Partner? 3 Red Flags to Watch Out For 🚩 2560 1920 Alicia East

🚩Looking to Engage a Payroll Partner? 3 Red Flags to Watch Out For 🚩

Employers are busy working out their policies around labor laws and fair pay as the economy changes. In turn, worker classification challenges and employer missteps seem to be finding their way to the headlines more often. As we know, wherever money is on the line and laws are unclear, you’ll find controversy right behind. If you’re looking…

Three “Cheap” Things That Are Too Expensive (With Gifs) 2560 2304 Alicia East

Three “Cheap” Things That Are Too Expensive (With Gifs)

I love a good deal as much as any other Goodr-clad, middle-aged mom out there, but there are some cheap things I just won’t fork over any amount of money for. They just end up being too expensive. Three “Cheap” Things That End up Being Too Expensive High-Stakes Repairs: We recently had a leaky faucet. Since we’ve…

Here’s What Employers Are Responsible For During Record-Breaking Heat 2560 1707 Alicia East

Here’s What Employers Are Responsible For During Record-Breaking Heat

Early this week, a lightning storm caused a power outage in our area just as we were getting ready to eat dinner. We lit the candles, made a game of it with the kids, and tried to keep our refrigerator closed as much as possible. We endured a restless, sticky night without AC or fans and…

Waiting For Your Big Break? 3 Ways to be in Position For it. 2560 1707 Alicia East

Waiting For Your Big Break? 3 Ways to be in Position For it.

Jennifer Garner thought she was going to be a stage actor and only took her first TV role because she was flat broke. She also slept on a futon in some woman’s kitchen for 9 months while she was waiting (and working her tail off!) to hit her stride. She now has an IMDB page…

If You Have Anyone on Payroll, You Cannot Afford to Ignore This 2560 1707 Alicia East

If You Have Anyone on Payroll, You Cannot Afford to Ignore This

Anytime you’re dealing with payroll, there is risk involved. Workers understandably care a lot about it because their livelihoods are involved and the government cares because they have rules and regulations in place both to get the taxes they are due and also to protect workers. The two most important factors of a successful payroll program…

Is Your Workplace Evolving? Get Back to Basics. 2560 1707 Alicia East

Is Your Workplace Evolving? Get Back to Basics.

In the movie Miracle, Coach Herb Brooks transforms a ragtag group of individuals from rival schools into the unlikely winners of an Olympic gold medal. During tryouts, many of the United States’ top hockey players made a show of their fancy skating. While some of the would-be Olympians hoped to be superstars, Coach Herb Brooks had…

Artificial Intelligence: The Month’s Top Headlines 2560 1920 Alicia East

Artificial Intelligence: The Month’s Top Headlines

There’s more to the AI conversation than the alarmist “It’s coming for your jobs” headlines. Fair warning: I did include one of those here, but there’s so much more to the story. Read on for a little intro for everything from the basics (i.e. what is it?) to the ethical concerns and how it’s affecting…

Do You Think it Might be Time to Hire an Employer of Record (EOR)? 2560 1703 Alicia East

Do You Think it Might be Time to Hire an Employer of Record (EOR)?

Staying on top of compliance concerns can be tedious and time-consuming. Plus, with possible fines, legal fees, and damage to a company’s reputation on the line, the stakes are high. Many companies find that having an in-house team dedicated to keeping up with the laws as they change (and then change again) is unsustainable. Handling all…

Fight For Your Work/Life Balance: Your Work Will be Better For it 2560 1707 Alicia East

Fight For Your Work/Life Balance: Your Work Will be Better For it

Hustle culture is losing its appeal with younger generations. But while they value the idea of having a work/life balance, they’re bad at it. Still, having a robust non-office life might counterintuitively benefit your work one. According to Mental Health America, “When workers are balanced and happy, they are more productive, take fewer sick days,…

The DOL Has Its 👀on YOU: Let’s Talk About Audit Prevention 150 150 Alicia East

The DOL Has Its 👀on YOU: Let’s Talk About Audit Prevention

If you employ any number of independent contractors, the Department of Labor (DOL) has an interest in your business. Yes, yours. You should take it as seriously as they do. Hiring such workers is attractive to companies looking for outside creative resources as well as those that have varying, seasonal, or event-based needs. It can…

Direct Sourcing: How to Walk The Compliance Tight Rope 2560 1707 Alicia East

Direct Sourcing: How to Walk The Compliance Tight Rope

Direct sourcing allows businesses to place workers as needed and on a temporary basis. One of the biggest benefits is that they get to keep the best workers in the pipeline between projects and tap their pool of talent as needs arise. Direct sourcing is a great tool for managing a contingent workforce, but companies…

👻 s Among Us (How to Prevent Payroll Fraud) 2560 1707 Alicia East

👻 s Among Us (How to Prevent Payroll Fraud)

Payroll fraud is incredibly common. White collar crimes can be slippery because they aren’t always as obvious as someone swiping a stack of bills from the cash register. Some perpetrators likely don’t even think of themselves as thieves. They’re just “redirecting” funds they feel should be theirs anyway, “manipulating their payroll records” to show they…

Your Secret Weapon For Eliminating Red Tape For Hiring (a Quiz) 2560 1920 Alicia East

Your Secret Weapon For Eliminating Red Tape For Hiring (a Quiz)

For companies that hire a lot of freelancers, an Employer of Record (EOR) can be a lifesaver—or at least save some headaches if not literal lives. A partner for handling hiring temporary workers can be a key to avoiding fines and court dates by keeping businesses out of trouble. An employer of record is defined as…

Do You Have Workers in Oregon?  2560 1707 Alicia East

Do You Have Workers in Oregon? 

Engaging independent contractors comes with a high level of responsibility no matter where you are. Still, some states have a reputation for being especially risky. Oregon is one of those and any business that engages independent contractors in Oregon must take extra care to stay compliant with worker classification and labor laws.  Some employers like…

Meet The Team: Kaitlyn Kimmel 992 1322 Alicia East

Meet The Team: Kaitlyn Kimmel

Kaitlyn’s background handling property tax issues and motor vehicle dealers has sharpened her customer service skills. She loves being able to help people find solutions and just generally make their day better. Kaitlyn stays extremely organized so she can be at her best in her role. She lives by her calendar and planner. Growing up,…

Head Off Workers’ Compensation Risks at The Pass 2560 1829 Alicia East

Head Off Workers’ Compensation Risks at The Pass

Who needs workers’ compensation insurance? Anyone with workers, it turns out. When employees are injured in the course of employment, such insurance provides wage replacement and medical benefits to workers as well as protections for the employer. Just like any other insurance, you hope you’ll never need it. Still, if you do, it can be absolutely imperative…

Pop Quiz: Is Your Industry The Latest to Make Misclassification News? 2560 1707 Alicia East

Pop Quiz: Is Your Industry The Latest to Make Misclassification News?

Accurate worker classification is important in every industry and for every company–large or small. That said, any business that relies on a contingent workforce is especially vulnerable. The Biden administration’s decision to rescind the Worker Classification Rule made it easier for workers to argue for minimum wage and overtime protections/compensation. We’ve all seen headlines for the big…

Engaging Independent Contractors in Washington 2560 1334 Alicia East

Engaging Independent Contractors in Washington

While California is the state that makes headlines for its frequent legislation and tough employment guidelines, Washington is very similar. It’s considered a risky state to bring on independent contractors due to its strict worker classification rules. The high stakes for mistakes mean it’s important for businesses to take care to stay in good standing. …

Event Management And The Key to Making 1+1 Equal 10 2560 1707 Alicia East

Event Management And The Key to Making 1+1 Equal 10

The adage goes “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” But what about when you’re the one known for getting it all done? Whether you’re managing a massive event or a one-camera production, it’s time to think about multiplying your time. Engaging a partner who specializes in event management works out well for…

Meet Our New Compliance Specialist 450 695 Alicia East

Meet Our New Compliance Specialist

We are very happy to welcome Jamie Pavlunenko, our new Compliance Specialist, to the team!  Jamie has owned her own Professional Branding and HR Consulting business for the last decade with a prior history in HR leadership roles. She leverages a strong attention to detail to guide businesses in crafting policies and programs that comply…

Cybersecurity: Five Digital Hygiene Practices That Protect Your Customers 2560 1707 Alicia East

Cybersecurity: Five Digital Hygiene Practices That Protect Your Customers

If you’re a production company with expensive gear, you lock it up well and insure it. You keep your wallet or purse close to you while you’re in public. Unlike tangible items though, we can’t keep our identity, data, and personally identifiable information (PII) in our sight or locked up with a key. Cybersecurity requires…

Do You Engage Independent Contractors in California? Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. 2560 1707 Alicia East

Do You Engage Independent Contractors in California? Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

It truly is a tightrope walk doing business in California, especially if you engage independent contractors. Still, you don’t panic. Let’s talk about what makes California high risk (hint: worker classification tops the list), what’s at stake, and how businesses can protect themselves.  Why is California Considered High Risk?  California is considered the riskiest of the…

Meet Our CEO, Todd Keener 299 332 Alicia East

Meet Our CEO, Todd Keener

First things first: Happy retirement to PayReel’s founder and longtime CEO, Heidi McLean! While Heidi will continue supporting the company through its transition period, we are proud to announce that Todd Keener has stepped in to fill the role. In combination with his previous experience, Todd’s 5-year tenure as COO at PayReel, and 5 years…

What to Know About 5 Hot Employment Topics (From Pay Transparency to New Minimum Wages) 2560 1707 Alicia East

What to Know About 5 Hot Employment Topics (From Pay Transparency to New Minimum Wages)

Below is a roundup of resources on the recent hot employment topics, including those touched on by President Biden in his State of the Union. While we know a possible recession and inflation is on people’s minds as well, these are the topics we’re hearing most about on the employment side of things. Roundup of…

Three Business Principles to Avoid Compliance Woes 2560 1920 Alicia East

Three Business Principles to Avoid Compliance Woes

There are many perks of hiring independent contractors, including being able to: Outsource tasks not core to your business Engage workers for specific, short-term, or highly specialized tasks End engagement whenever it makes sense Avoid much of the onboarding hassle Avoid paying a premium for benefits Engaging independent contractors is very appealing, but is only…

Introducing Our New VP of Technology: Mark Lindley 648 648 Alicia East

Introducing Our New VP of Technology: Mark Lindley

Overseeing all things tech is a big job for just about any company, and with the software that’s core to our business and the level of information that crosses our paths, PayReel is no exception. That’s why we’re so happy to welcome a long-time expert to our team! Mark Lindley: VP of Technology  Mark oversees…

What to Know Before Engaging Independent Contractors in High Risk States 2560 1697 Alicia East

What to Know Before Engaging Independent Contractors in High Risk States

Hiring independent contractors can be a great way to advance your business goals without hiring additional employees for the long term. Often, contractors are the best bet for accomplishing specific, creative tasks like rebuilding a website. However, if you engage independent contractors in any of the high-risk states, it’s important to take extra care to…

Meet The Team: Ethan Morse 450 940 Alicia East

Meet The Team: Ethan Morse

Meet Ethan Morse–our market researcher. Ethan’s background in computer science and his penchant for both programming and creative endeavors make him a natural fit for his role at PayReel. As a market researcher, Ethan identifies and reaches out to prospects who could benefit from PayReel’s services and software. Previously, Ethan spent a decade as a…

Hiring: Employees Versus Independent Contractors 2560 1707 Alicia East

Hiring: Employees Versus Independent Contractors

If you’re looking to bring on some independent contractors or employees to help you accomplish your goals for 2023, you better have worker classification on the mind. How you classify workers affects what paperwork they’ll need as well as how you’ll pay them, what benefits they’ll be entitled to and how/when they execute their responsibilities.…

5 EASY Ways to Improve Your Life in The New Year 2560 1702 Alicia East

5 EASY Ways to Improve Your Life in The New Year

There are scores of folks getting ready to join CrossFit, go vegan, or relocate in an attempt to make some drastic, life-altering changes in the New Year. That’s not what we’re doing here. We’re talking small. We’re talking manageable. We’re talking low commitment with BIG results. To finish out 2022, we’re talking about some things…

Itching For Something New? These States Offer Relocation Incentives 2560 1920 Alicia East

Itching For Something New? These States Offer Relocation Incentives

Do you ever get a little antsy about your life and find yourself wanting to change careers, remodel your house, or even cut bangs? In certain ways, it’s getting easier than ever to scratch that itch by getting a change of scenery without having to establish a new career. Between the increase number of self-employed folks…

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1099-K Requirements Are Changing: Here’s What You Need to Know 2560 1799 Alicia East

1099-K Requirements Are Changing: Here’s What You Need to Know

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 changed the way businesses report income from payment cards and third party network transactions such as Venmo and CashApp. Here’s What You Need to Know Which Transactions Qualify? Any payment after December 31st, 2021 is subject to the new rules, which indicate that a threshold of $600 in aggregate…

Do You Engage Independent Contractors? The States Where it’s Riskiest And What You Can do About it 2560 1703 Alicia East

Do You Engage Independent Contractors? The States Where it’s Riskiest And What You Can do About it

No matter where you are, engaging independent contractors comes with some risk to your business. You need to be ready to abide by a zillion (give or take) laws and regulations to make sure you stay compliant and in good standing with state and federal rules and regulations. In any of the high-risk states, it’s…

What to Look For in a Video Production Payroll Service 2560 1707 Alicia East

What to Look For in a Video Production Payroll Service

A good payroll service is effective with even the most intricate, multifaceted, heavily-regulated industries around. Video production is up there with the toughest industries (it’s called a production for a reason)! Media managers oversee an incredible about of details for multiple teams of independent contractors and freelancers and, when their productions get big enough, it can be…

10 emotions of Thanksgiving Week (Brought to You by Will Ferrell) 150 150 Alicia East

10 emotions of Thanksgiving Week (Brought to You by Will Ferrell)

Once a year, a holiday that calls to mind all we have to be grateful for rolls around. And every year, we think of you–the clients and customers who make our work possible. We also think of pie. This year, we’re sharing 10 emotions of Thanksgiving week (with a little help from Will Ferrell gifs). 10…

What do Supply Chain Shortages, $1.2 Billion, and Compromised Healthcare Have in Common? 2560 2048 Alicia East

What do Supply Chain Shortages, $1.2 Billion, and Compromised Healthcare Have in Common?

To quote the Fiddler on the Roof: “That I can tell you in one word.” Ransomware Ransomware is an ever-growing global threat where the attackers hide behind computer screens. It’s a growing concern for governments, industries, and individual private citizens because it can cause serious disruptions in everything from the food supply to healthcare. Short-term…

Which Independent Contractors Should You Require to Have General Liability Insurance? 2560 1707 Alicia East

Which Independent Contractors Should You Require to Have General Liability Insurance?

We’re like anyone else: if there’s not a good reason for red tape, we’ll happily skip it. Sometimes, though, it seems there’s no work without a mountain of paperwork. Still, there’s one thing we know is important enough to require our independent contractors to carry: general liability insurance. We are so serious about it because…

It’s That Time Again: Gift Guide For Everyone From The Minimalist to The Techie in Your Life 2560 1707 Alicia East

It’s That Time Again: Gift Guide For Everyone From The Minimalist to The Techie in Your Life

The holidays are upon us and so are the sales. You’ll find tech, entertainment, gadgets and experiences for everyone from those who are averse to letting new items cross the threshold of their home to your tech savvy loved ones. Here’s our curated list for just about everyone in your life—from the tech junkies to…

Fines, Jail Time, & Reputation Damage: The 👻, 👿, and 🧟‍♂️ of Misclassifying Workers 2560 1707 Alicia East

Fines, Jail Time, & Reputation Damage: The 👻, 👿, and 🧟‍♂️ of Misclassifying Workers

If you engage a contingent workforce and would rather avoid fines, jail time, and damage to your reputation, this post is for you. This month, the Biden Administration rolled out a proposal that would make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors. From the beginning, the administration has had its sights set…

If You Hire a Contingent Workforce, Security MUST be a Top Priority 7952 5304 Alicia East

If You Hire a Contingent Workforce, Security MUST be a Top Priority

Ransomware attacks have caused supply chain disruptions, compromised medical care, and even canceled flights. The issue simply isn’t going away. Most of us have added two-step verification to everything from our NestCams to our grocery chain apps and taken increased steps in our own personal security. This is a good start, but businesses that have access to…

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Video Marketing: Three Strategies to Master And One Myth to Bust 1080 1416 Alicia East

Video Marketing: Three Strategies to Master And One Myth to Bust

What’s the most common advice you’ve heard regarding consumer behavior when watching videos online? Hold on to that bit of so-called wisdom for a moment because we’ll come back to it. In the meantime, let’s talk about three strategies to level up your video marketing efforts. Three Strategies to Engage Customers Personalized Videos My lender…

Nichole Rose - Payreel
Meet Nichole Rose—Our New Risk & Compliance Manager 250 333 Alicia East

Meet Nichole Rose—Our New Risk & Compliance Manager

Nichole Rose—our new Risk & Compliance Program Manager—stays ahead of the game to help clients with their compliance practices. She covers Human Resources matters such as benefits, workers’ compensation, and wage and hour compliance. Staying on top of the ins and outs of risk and compliance is hard, time-consuming, high-stakes work. Isn’t it nice to…

Tried and True Worker Classification Solutions to End Your Audit Concerns 150 150 PayReel

Tried and True Worker Classification Solutions to End Your Audit Concerns

If you are a consumer of HR newsletters, you are well aware that the government is serious about targeting misclassification of employees as independent contractors. More attention on worker classification means an already risky business is about to get riskier. It behooves any business to pay attention before infractions hurt a business’s reputation or their bottom…

money and clock - PayReel
The Closest Thing to an Easy Button For Contingent Workforce Management 800 534 Alicia East

The Closest Thing to an Easy Button For Contingent Workforce Management

Ask anyone who manages a contingent workforce and the answer will be swift: an easy button to make it simple, convenient, and organized would be worth an awful. Any system or company that handles contractor payroll should include certain features (like online timecards, approvals, benefits-tracking, and more) to get as close to an easy button…