• All
  • ACA
  • BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY
  • Compliance
  • Freelancer Management
  • Freelancer Payment
  • MISC MUSES
  • Movies & Shows
  • Nat's Notes
  • Payroll
  • Sick Leave
  • WORKER CLASSIFICATION
Men on stilts - PayReel
If your benefits went with you, how far would you go? 4000 4000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

If your benefits went with you, how far would you go?

The idea of a safety net takes its inspiration from a circus act. The net allows performers to leap from one bar to the next knowing that if they fall, they will be caught by the net instead of falling directly to the earth. On top of a regular paycheck, traditional employment comes with a…

Umbrellas - PayReel
Four ways to mitigate workers’ compensation risk 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Four ways to mitigate workers’ compensation risk

Who needs workers’ compensation? Anyone with employees, it turns out. Workers’ compensation provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment. Just like any other insurance, it’s one you hope you’ll never need. Still, if you do need it, you’ll be so glad you have it. Employers that ensure worker safety…

Light bulbs - PayReel
The biggest myth about the gig economy just got busted 4000 2764 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

The biggest myth about the gig economy just got busted

The internet and all its digital descendents (apps, mobile workspaces, etc.) have made it logistically easier than ever to both be and to hire a creative, freelancer, and side hustler. That much is true. Beyond that, there are a whole bunch of splashy headlines and semi-educated guesses about the gig economy’s reach and impact. Due…

2019 in fireworks - PayReel
Our most popular posts of 2019 — to help you make the most of your new year 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Our most popular posts of 2019 — to help you make the most of your new year

As we find ourselves squarely into first week of the new year, let’s not forget about some of 2018’s most popular posts. We covered everything from how to eat like an adult human (even when you’re working like a dog) to the ever-present discussions around worker classification. Dynamex Decision, anyone? Here are 5 of 2018’s most…

Jim g gif - PayReel
Open enrollment is over: What’s a freelancer to do? 490 261 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Open enrollment is over: What’s a freelancer to do?

If you missed open enrollment–either because you didn’t like your plan choices or because you wanted to take a nap every time you started the application–don’t fret. You still have options. Even if you are enrolled but aren’t happy with your coverage, you may find a solution in one of the less common approaches (read until…

Who's FICA gif - PayReel
Who’s FICA? Why’s he getting all my money? 245 245 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Who’s FICA? Why’s he getting all my money?

Today, we’re going to dive into the light, easy, totally uncontroversial world of taxes. As in, “Who’s FICA? Why’s he getting all my money?” About once a week, the PayReel office phone rings with someone on the other end of the line referring to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) with exactly the same tone…

Coffee and bed - PayReel
The paid sick leave debate rages on… 3000 2000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

The paid sick leave debate rages on…

The U.S. ranks among the 13% of countries who do not mandate paid sick leave despite the fact that Americans work longer hours and have more stress-related illnesses than their European and Japanese counterparts. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does prohibit penalties for people who take time off to care for a sick/new family member, it doesn’t guarantee the time will be paid. With…

Baby in orange pumpkin - PayReel
When an independent contractor becomes an employee: A chain of events 450 450 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

When an independent contractor becomes an employee: A chain of events

Pumpkin spiced lattes! Babies! Generation Z (move over, Millennials)! What do they all have in common? They’re a constant reminder that there’s nothing so constant as change. With its ever-narrowing definition of an independent contractor, California is embarking on the real-time evolution of the gig economy. Here’s the chain of events a company and its…

Man getting beard trimmed - PayReel
Worker classification and small businesses 4858 3239 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Worker classification and small businesses

Is the ABC rule the beginning of the end? California—home of eternal sunshine and landmark lawsuits. One of the state’s most recent rulings, in the Dynamex Operations West Inc. v. The Superior Court of Los Angeles County case, resulted in some changes to the ABC test for worker classification. While the test has existed in some…

Woman holding up money - PayReel
Worried about payroll fraud? Here’s how to prevent and detect it. 5616 3744 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Worried about payroll fraud? Here’s how to prevent and detect it.

The ragtag group of employees who set out to redirect “fractions of pennies” to themselves in the movie Office Space didn’t think of it as stealing. They’re even portrayed as the heroes in the movie—sticking it to the man and finding themselves in the process. Likewise, payroll fraud is so common in the real world that…

Food prep - PayReel
How to turn one hour of food prep into a week of good choices 2428 2428 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

How to turn one hour of food prep into a week of good choices

What’s worse than going to the grocery store hungry? Working all day without opportunity, time, or access to food that’s actually food. That’s when a Big Mac and Biggie fries start to seem like a good idea. These recipes provide an alternative to the “just get something in my belly” options we sometimes have working…

Paper on fire - PayReel
3 reasons you can’t afford to ignore worker classification rules 768 951 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

3 reasons you can’t afford to ignore worker classification rules

With its settlement just this week, General Assembly is the latest to make news on the worker classification issue. Companies aren’t the only ones paying attention. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) have enough skin in the game to keep a close eye on the subject, too. When those two pay close…

Vans in desert - PayReel
What a college lineman’s death reveals about worker safety 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

What a college lineman’s death reveals about worker safety

I hate to admit it, but I tune out a bit when I hear that the elderly, very young, and otherwise vulnerable among us are most at risk for something. I may not identify myself among that list, but researching heat-related illnesses has me sipping coconut water and thinking about the whole thing differently. Simple measures…

Man on dessert - PayReel
Worker safety resources for wild weather 3000 2000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Worker safety resources for wild weather

What does it mean to do right by your workers with weather that’s getting wilder by the day? I’ll tell you what it doesn’t mean: waiting until someone has a heat stroke to think about worker safety. As we head into August — historically one of the hottest months of the year in much of the…

Broken pencil and paper - PayReel
What is the lifetime value of the skill/training you seek? 5548 3699 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

What is the lifetime value of the skill/training you seek?

In today’s ultra-competitive environment, learning skills that are in high demand can up your game and make you ultra-hirable. But what if it’s going to require some sacrifice on your part, like money, time, and energy?   It’s easy to think about the short term cost, but without considering long-term effects, you don’t get the…

4 Summer blockbuster hits to bring you back to the ’80s 150 150 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

4 Summer blockbuster hits to bring you back to the ’80s

Summers are for grilling out under the golden sun. For chasing fireflies. For lingering on the porch with a cold beer. They’re for homemade blueberry pancakes on Saturday mornings and for stretching out in front of a movie with a bowl of popcorn on Saturday nights. These 80s summer hits—in all their adventurous, witty, and nostalgic…

computer code - PayReel
5 skills that will make any freelancer ultra-hirable and profitable 5760 3840 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

5 skills that will make any freelancer ultra-hirable and profitable

Freelancing is a balls to the wall, pride-swallowing siege and these days, it seems everyone is fighting it out for business. How do you make that business yours? One way is to solve the problems clients have (the ones they called you about) and then go even further by solving the ones they haven’t even thought…

sign in lights - PayReel
3 common freelancing myths, plus the truth (can you handle it?) 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

3 common freelancing myths, plus the truth (can you handle it?)

To overworked, underappreciated 9-5ers, freelancing may seem like the holy grail. But going out on your own isn’t just a world of free-flowing creative juices, coffee breaks, and wads of money. Freelancing can make you feel just as burnt out and unstimulated as whatever made you take a hike from your previous gig in the…

lyft and uber cars - PayReel
The gig economy: What California’s ruling means for business 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

The gig economy: What California’s ruling means for business

Gray areas: the stuff of messy legal battles, public relations disasters, and HR headaches. Among the grayest of the gray is worker classification. While it isn’t a new topic, the gig economy is forcing the worker classification debate to a head, leaving the task of finding clarity to the courts. The latest ruling to make headlines continues to…

worker classification - PayReel
Worker classification confusion, no more 6875 3958 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Worker classification confusion, no more

If you manage a contingent workforce, you’ve thought a lot about worker classification, compliance, and risk. If you haven’t, but you do manage freelancers, then you are likely either willfully ignoring it, hoping it will go away (it won’t) or drinking too much. First, we’ll talk about why you should care about the subject. Then we’ll get to the…

home office solutions - PayReel
Home office solutions for form and function 3393 5090 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Home office solutions for form and function

The growing number of freelancers and independent contractors in recent years means that more and more people are working from home. While those unable to step away from their desks to do a load of laundry may have a little work-from-home envy, working from home has its challenges, too. A freelancer’s home office that is…

avocado toast - PayReel
The avocado toast generation and the case for hiring Millennials 5397 3598 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

The avocado toast generation and the case for hiring Millennials

Gone are the days when you could rely on your workers to put in their time at the office and stay loyal to one company from cradle to grave. These self-indulgent, entitled youngsters want to get promoted just for showing up. Millennials want avocado on their toast, purpose in their jobs, and a healthy work/life…

How have “work relationships” changed as offices become obsolete? 150 150 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

How have “work relationships” changed as offices become obsolete?

Gone are the days when “work relationships” are made up of people we see on a regular basis. We can literally have an entire functioning relationship without ever seeing a person or even hearing their voice. Talk about an evolution from the days when sharing an office building was a prerequisite. Here are some of…

work relationships - PayReel
How have “work relationships” changed as offices have become obsolete? 400 266 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

How have “work relationships” changed as offices have become obsolete?

Gone are the days when “work relationships” are made up of people we see on a regular basis. We can literally have an entire functioning relationship without ever seeing a person or even hearing their voice. Talk about an evolution from the days when sharing an office building was a prerequisite. Here are some of…

telephone booth - PayReel
Throwback Thursday: Hiring contingent workers pre e-anything 4404 2477 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Throwback Thursday: Hiring contingent workers pre e-anything

On the rare occasion I pay a bill the old-fashioned way, I marvel. It wasn’t so very long ago that, for each bill, we’d sit down, handwrite a check, and then actually put it in the mail. Just as online bill pay has become the way of the modern world, so too have email, job…

happy birthday balloon and cake - PayReel
February 2018: Month in review 5808 3876 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

February 2018: Month in review

January took forever and February flew. Just like that, the second month of 2018 is over. Below are a few of the topics in employment and politics that made news in the shortest month of the year.   The FMLA turned 25…and had a quarter life crisis  On Feb. 5th, 1993 the Family and Medical…

woman working with tea and laptop - PayReel
States double down to support women workers 3000 2000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

States double down to support women workers

Between the famous gender wage gap and a dead last ranking among developed countries for paid maternity leave, the United States isn’t winning the Olympic gold for female-friendly business practices. While the federal government is scrapping Obama-era changes aimed at promoting pay equity, some states are enacting new protections.   Protections for family New York requires paid…

January 2018: The Month of Many Mondays 150 150 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

January 2018: The Month of Many Mondays

January 2018 is over (finally?) and it’s official: this year is already a doozy. It’s not that it’s all been bad, it’s just been…a lot. Below are a few (really, these are only a few) of the topics in employment, politics, and entertainment that made news in the first 31 days of 2018. In employment January…

2018 lights - PayReel
Questions we’re asking about the contingent workforce in 2018 4412 2941 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Questions we’re asking about the contingent workforce in 2018

The relationship between workers, employers, and government regulations is a balancing act. Each affects the others as inter-connectedly as any of nature’s most delicate symbiotic relationships. The contingent workforce is changing the employer/employee landscape everywhere. Similarly, government changes in healthcare and tax codes are sending a ripple effect through the system. Here’s just a taste…

An 11th hour gift guide for your favorite techie 150 150 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

An 11th hour gift guide for your favorite techie

From turntables to everyone’s favorite OG droid: Everything old is new again. We work with techies both inside and outside the office every day and these are some of the gifts causing a buzz in our corner of the world. They’re sure to excite the technophile in your life. The most endearing Star Wars droid of…

doctor - PayReel
Open enrollment ends Friday. Are you ready? 3543 2362 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Open enrollment ends Friday. Are you ready?

While its future is uncertain, the healthcare marketplace is still up and running for now. So if you rely on the Affordable Care Act for your coverage, it’s time to get busy. We are now within the final hours of open enrollment for the healthcare marketplace.   Here are some answers to common questions: What…

myth button - PayReel
This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business 2000 2000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

This Worker Classification Myth is Hurting Your Business

Sorry, y’all: The five-second rule is bogus. Germs don’t offer a grace period before jumping on your food. Not even your last bite of the really delicious stuff. But that one about metal objects dissolving in a glass of Coke? Still up for debate. And we won’t be testing it to find out. Myths can be…

What we’re thankful for (with GIFs!) 150 150 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

What we’re thankful for (with GIFs!)

YOU, of course!   2. Stretchy pants!   3. Friendship   4. Family   5. Pie! About PayReel Producing multimedia content and executing live events is chaotic. At PayReel, we make sure our clients are able to hire who they want, when they want and that everyone is paid properly. Leave the details up to the PayReel team so…

pencil espresso and pens - PayReel
February 2018: Month in review 500 500 wpengine

February 2018: Month in review

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

payreel payroll services - PayReel
5 ways PayReel Online makes your life easier 6000 4000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

5 ways PayReel Online makes your life easier

We think working with us should be easy as all that pie we’ll all be eating next week–but without the need for stretchy pants. That’s why our system is as secure as it is convenient. At PayReel, we pride ourselves on having that perfect mix of convenient automation and personal service from real, live humans. What…

game changer written on black board - PayReel
Contract work: It ain’t your father’s career track! 1000 750 PayReel
  • PayReel

Contract work: It ain’t your father’s career track!

The workforce is evolving. There are fewer full-time positions and more project-oriented, “we’ll call you when we need you” jobs. Funny thing is many young, culturally diverse people coming into the workforce don’t necessarily want to be anchored to a single employer. They certainly aren’t looking for the stable but inflexible gigs their parents coveted.…

client relations payreel
Four easy steps to improve client relations 5379 3663 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Four easy steps to improve client relations

We all like compliments. What a nice shirt! Great job on that presentation! Those jeans make you look skinny! But what about complaints? Can we honestly say that we always appreciate this type of feedback? Maybe not. But the best thing we can do for client relations is to treat those complaints as the gift…

woman with globe - PayReel
Meet the team: Crystal Somers, The Ambassador 7203 4807 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Meet the team: Crystal Somers, The Ambassador

While our online payroll systems make our clients’ and employees’ lives easier, there’s simply no replacement for the real live people behind the scenes. We are proud to have a stellar team, including Crystal Somers, our Client Experience Manager (also known as The Ambassador). If you haven’t already experienced Crystal’s stellar customer service yourself, you…

contract work payreel misclassification - Payreel
Misclassification in the news: What you need to know 3000 2000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Misclassification in the news: What you need to know

While the workforce has plenty of people legitimately doing contract work, when employees are misclassified as contractors, the worker and the government are both likely to miss out. The government loses potential tax dollars and workers lose out on benefits and more. Employers should care about it, too (and not just because the legal stakes…

payreel hurricane harvey - PayReel
Hurricane Harvey: How to get support plus unique ways to give it 400 300 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Hurricane Harvey: How to get support plus unique ways to give it

Hurricane Harvey has left much of America’s fourth largest city underwater. We’ve seen photos of harrowing rescues, and of submerged homes, buildings, and highways. We’ve heard reports of the months of cleanup and billions of dollars in recovery efforts ahead for Houston. Like so many, we at PayReel have been wondering what we can do. The…

Michelle event payroll payreel
Meet the team: Michelle Bowersox, Operations Team Leader 800 552 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Meet the team: Michelle Bowersox, Operations Team Leader

At PayReel, we keep things running smoothly with one of the easiest-to-use online payroll systems around. But it’s important to us that technology serves as a complement to the human touch, not the other way around. Somewhere behind all your on-time paychecks are the real people we are proud to have on our team. One of…

onboarding contractors - Payreel
How to simplify onboarding your freelancers 5616 3744 PayReel
  • PayReel

How to simplify onboarding your freelancers

How much time are you spending setting up your freelancers? If the answer is too much, then maybe it’s time to reconsider your methods. Let PayReel handle onboarding paperwork so you can spend your time and energy on the creative parts of your projects instead.   So what’s the problem? Worker classification: One of the most difficult things about…

event payroll - Payreel
Is there something you need to tell us? 5184 3456 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Is there something you need to tell us?

Keep in mind that anytime you move, change your phone number or email address, or have an update to your tax status, it’s important to keep your profile with PayReel updated. That way, we can keep you paid.    How do I update my profile? Submit any changes to your profile (address, tax status, direct deposit information, email address, phone number, oh…

How to set up an independent contractor - PayReel
Are you an independent contractor? Be sure you know your rights 5000 2813 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Are you an independent contractor? Be sure you know your rights

Like many employers, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) has independent contractors (ICs) on the mind. And for good reason: They’re taking over the world! Or at least the world economy. ICs now make up 34% of the national economy and the trend is increasing internationally, too. To that end, the US DOL has put…

worker classification - PayReel
Our in-house HR specialist works hard to keep businesses compliant 6875 3958 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Our in-house HR specialist works hard to keep businesses compliant

Angie—our in-house HR specialist and newest member of the PayReel team—stays ahead of the game to ensure PayReel keeps our clients compliant. Keeping on top of the ins and outs of compliance is hard, time-consuming, high-stakes work. Isn’t it nice to know you have someone in your corner to keep your payroll services running smoothly and accurately?…

payreel payroll services - PayReel
Introducing Angie: Our in-house HR specialist 6000 4000 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Introducing Angie: Our in-house HR specialist

Working live events can be chaotic and challenging. It’s nice to know you have someone in your corner. Angie, our in-house HR specialist and the newest member of the PayReel team helps us ensure our employees (like you!) get paid timely and accurately. Quick and accurate payment You submit timecards by end of business on Monday; your supervisor…

freelance payroll payreel - PayReel
The gig economy is here to stay: Here’s what it means for businesses 4256 2832 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

The gig economy is here to stay: Here’s what it means for businesses

The gig economy now makes up 34% of the US workforce. Gone are the days when cubicles dominate workers’ worlds from 9 to 5 Mondays through Fridays. Independent contractors are more likely to do the bulk of their work from home or from Starbucks than from a cubicle or brick and mortar offices. Tax laws, employment laws,…

labor laws payreel - PayReel
When America’s pastime and labor laws collide 5404 3603 PayReel
  • PayReel

When America’s pastime and labor laws collide

Unpaid training. Unpaid overtime. A $25 stipend for an entire day spent in a city you don’t live in. If that sounds great to you and you know your way around a baseball diamond, head on over to your city’s minor league baseball team. You’d be a great fit. We’re not talking about the guys…

worker classification - PayReel
How to navigate the increasingly dangerous waters of worker classification 4449 3675 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

How to navigate the increasingly dangerous waters of worker classification

Just as the stakes are getting higher, worker classification is getting trickier. The rise of the gig economy has led to an exponential increase in the number of independent contractors it brings into the labor pool each day. Lawmakers are taking note,  and the government ain’t playin’. Tax and employment law violations can lead to…

event payroll - Payreel
Six reasons PayReel projects are better projects 560 315 Alicia East
  • Alicia East

Six reasons PayReel projects are better projects

Whether it’s a massive event or a one-camera shoot, when PayReel manages your projects, it’s the best for clients and workers alike. At PayReel, we’re devoted to making every single client and worker interaction a good one.   We make your life easy and your workers happy   1. We do it all. Unlike the…

Enter your
text here

LOG IN TO PAYREEL ONLINE

Contact Us