Supporting you during COVID-19: Our Resources ➔
YOUR QUEST…
Run payroll without falling victim to common pitfalls
Payroll errors can cost you
When you’re trying to juggle countless local, state and
federal regulations, it’s easy to make mistakes. And even seemingly small
payroll errors can put a big dent in your armor (aka your business’s money,
resources and talent).
Let a dedicated team guide you
The journey toward error-free payroll and full compliance
can be long and riddled with pitfalls. Find out how Heartland spots the
dangers before you reach them and keeps you protected every step of the way.
Swipe to continue 
THE PIT
of incorrect employee classification
Classifying employees into the right categories (exempt vs.
nonexempt; full-time vs. contract) is an essential step in ensuring your payroll and tax
filings are error-free.
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
Our payroll specialists are trained in employee classification. They can help you identify
opportunities to make changes that could improve your
bottom line.
In the famous Vizcaino v. Microsoft
case, Microsoft was ordered to pay $97 million for employee
misclassification.1
Swipe
THE SWAMP
of overtime miscalculation
Calculating the correct overtime payments for all of your employees
is challenging, especially with the most recent 2020 overtime salary thresholds going
into effect.2
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
Heartland’s payroll specialists keep up with all the latest regulations, so your rep
can help determine whether you’re compliant with the most recent
overtime update.
In 2010 Walmart agreed to pay up to $86 million to settle a lawsuit over
unpaid wages, including overtime pay.3
Swipe
The haunted
FOREST
of minimum wage changes
Minimum wage rules undergo frequent changes and vary by state. If you
don’t stay up to date with the latest requirements, you risk coming up short on employee
pay as well as the income taxes you owe on behalf of your employees.
The dangers:
- Employee dissatisfaction
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
We send our clients automated emails to let them know when a minimum wage change has
taken place. Plus, our payroll specialists keep up with the latest payroll
changes and have specialized knowledge of the regulations for your specific
state.
Swipe
The dreaded tax rate error
DRAGON
Tax rates undergo frequent changes, so the rates you used to pay may no longer be
accurate.
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Audits, plus all associated business resources
How Heartland can help:
Our specialists can help you weed through even the most complicated tax issues, as well as
industry-specific tax challenges for businesses like restaurants and medical
offices.
Swipe
THE RIDDLE
of the missing account application
Certain states require some businesses to apply for a payroll tax
account.
The dangers:
- Fines
- Audits
- Extensive paperwork
How Heartland can help:
Your Heartland payroll team keeps you informed of upcoming deadlines and sends
reminders to make sure you submit all applications on time.
Swipe
The narrow
BRIDGE
over missed employment tax deadlines
You’re required to make regular, on-time payments of your employment
taxes, which are the taxes you withhold on behalf of your employees.4
The dangers:
- Legal trouble and associated costs
- Late fees
- Personal liability, if you’re the party responsible for paying employment taxes5
How Heartland can help:
Your Heartland payroll specialist can help you stay aware of upcoming employment tax
deadlines and avoid personal liability issues that may be associated
with tax errors.
Swipe
THE CAVE
of late payroll processing
Any delay in payroll—no matter how small—can have a ripple of
negative effects on your employees.
The dangers:
- Legal trouble and associated costs
- Employee dissatisfaction and turnover
How Heartland can help:
Heartland sends out an automatic reminder for clients to turn in information by the
deadline, so payroll can be processed on time. In addition to this automatic
reminder, Heartland’s payroll specialists will often send additional follow-up as
the deadline approaches.
“If I don’t hear from you by noon, I’ll send another email reminder and follow
up with a phone call.” —Heartland lead payroll specialist
Swipe
The erroneous checks
TROLL
There are numerous paycheck errors employers can commit, including
overpayment, underpayment and missed deductions.
The dangers:
- Employee dissatisfaction and turnover
- Cancelled employee benefits
How Heartland can help:
When you have the same team of Heartland professionals running your payroll each time, it’s
easy for them to spot when something’s not quite right.
Swipe
QUICKSAND
of outdated Forms I-9
To prove all your employees are eligible to work in the U.S., you’re
required to maintain up-to-date Forms I-9, and keep the Forms I-9 of former employees
for a specified period of time.
The dangers:6
- Extensive paperwork
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspections
- Fines of up to thousands of dollars per violation
How Heartland can help:
Your dedicated team of Heartland payroll specialists will be there to help you with all the
forms and documentation
you need to remain compliant.
Swipe
You could make this journey alone, or you could have a trusted team by your side,
anticipating potential payroll problems and giving you immediate help when you need
it.
Heartland’s payroll specialists are dedicated to making sure your payroll is easy, accurate and right—every time.
Heartland’s payroll specialists are dedicated to making sure your payroll is easy, accurate and right—every time.
Want to process payroll with greater peace of mind?
Sources:
- The New York Times – Temp Workers at Microsoft Win Lawsuit
- U.S. Department of Labor – Final Rule: Overtime Update
- Reuters – Wal-Mart in $86 million settlement of wage lawsuit
- Internal Revenue Service – Employment Taxes and the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP)
- Internal Revenue Service – Trust Fund Recovery Penalty
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Form I-9 Inspection Overview
YOUR QUEST…
Run payroll without falling victim to common pitfalls
Payroll errors can cost you
When you’re trying to juggle countless local, state and
federal regulations, it’s easy to make mistakes. And even seemingly small
payroll errors can put a big dent in your armor (aka your business’s money,
resources and talent).
Let a dedicated team guide you
The journey toward error-free payroll and full compliance
can be long and riddled with pitfalls. Find out how Heartland spots the
dangers before you reach them and keeps you protected every step of the way.
Swipe to continue
THE PIT
of incorrect employee classification
Classifying employees into the right categories (exempt vs.
nonexempt; full-time vs. contract) is an essential step in ensuring your payroll and tax
filings are error-free.
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
Our payroll specialists are trained in employee classification. They can help you identify
opportunities to make changes that could improve your
bottom line.
In the famous Vizcaino v. Microsoft
case, Microsoft was ordered to pay $97 million for employee
misclassification.1
Swipe
THE SWAMP
of overtime miscalculation
Calculating the correct overtime payments for all of your employees
is challenging, especially with the most recent 2020 overtime salary thresholds going
into effect.2
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
Heartland’s payroll specialists keep up with all the latest regulations, so your rep
can help determine whether you’re compliant with the most recent
overtime update.
In 2010 Walmart agreed to pay up to $86 million to settle a lawsuit over
unpaid wages, including overtime pay.3
Swipe
The haunted
FOREST
of minimum wage changes
Minimum wage rules undergo frequent changes and vary by state. If you
don’t stay up to date with the latest requirements, you risk coming up short on employee
pay as well as the income taxes you owe on behalf of your employees.
The dangers:
- Employee dissatisfaction
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Legal fees and potential settlements associated with lawsuits
How Heartland can help:
We send our clients automated emails to let them know when a minimum wage change has
taken place. Plus, our payroll specialists keep up with the latest payroll
changes and have specialized knowledge of the regulations for your specific
state.
Swipe
The dreaded tax rate error
DRAGON
Tax rates undergo frequent changes, so the rates you used to pay may no longer be
accurate.
The dangers:
- Back wages, interest and penalties
- Audits, plus all associated business resources
How Heartland can help:
Our specialists can help you weed through even the most complicated tax issues, as well as
industry-specific tax challenges for businesses like restaurants and medical
offices.
Swipe
THE RIDDLE
of the missing account application
Certain states require some businesses to apply for a payroll tax
account.
The dangers:
- Fines
- Audits
- Extensive paperwork
How Heartland can help:
Your Heartland payroll team keeps you informed of upcoming deadlines and sends
reminders to make sure you submit all applications on time.
Swipe
The narrow
BRIDGE
over missed employment tax deadlines
You’re required to make regular, on-time payments of your employment
taxes, which are the taxes you withhold on behalf of your employees.4
The dangers:
- Legal trouble and associated costs
- Late fees
- Personal liability, if you’re the party responsible for paying employment taxes5
How Heartland can help:
Your Heartland payroll specialist can help you stay aware of upcoming employment tax
deadlines and avoid personal liability issues that may be associated
with tax errors.
Swipe
THE CAVE
of late payroll processing
Any delay in payroll—no matter how small—can have a ripple of
negative effects on your employees.
The dangers:
- Legal trouble and associated costs
- Employee dissatisfaction and turnover
How Heartland can help:
Heartland sends out an automatic reminder for clients to turn in information by the
deadline, so payroll can be processed on time. In addition to this automatic
reminder, Heartland’s payroll specialists will often send additional follow-up as
the deadline approaches.
“If I don’t hear from you by noon, I’ll send another email reminder and follow
up with a phone call.” —Heartland lead payroll specialist
Swipe
The erroneous checks
TROLL
There are numerous paycheck errors employers can commit, including
overpayment, underpayment and missed deductions.
The dangers:
- Employee dissatisfaction and turnover
- Cancelled employee benefits
How Heartland can help:
When you have the same team of Heartland professionals running your payroll each time, it’s
easy for them to spot when something’s not quite right.
Swipe
QUICKSAND
of outdated Forms I-9
To prove all your employees are eligible to work in the U.S., you’re
required to maintain up-to-date Forms I-9, and keep the Forms I-9 of former employees
for a specified period of time.
The dangers:6
- Extensive paperwork
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspections
- Fines of up to thousands of dollars per violation
How Heartland can help:
Your dedicated team of Heartland payroll specialists will be there to help you with all the
forms and documentation
you need to remain compliant.
Swipe
You could make this journey alone, or you could have a trusted team by your side,
anticipating potential payroll problems and giving you immediate help when you need
it.
Heartland’s payroll specialists are dedicated to making sure your payroll is easy, accurate and right—every time.
Heartland’s payroll specialists are dedicated to making sure your payroll is easy, accurate and right—every time.
Want to process payroll with greater peace of mind?
Sources:
- The New York Times – Temp Workers at Microsoft Win Lawsuit
- U.S. Department of Labor – Final Rule: Overtime Update
- Reuters – Wal-Mart in $86 million settlement of wage lawsuit
- Internal Revenue Service – Employment Taxes and the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP)
- Internal Revenue Service – Trust Fund Recovery Penalty
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Form I-9 Inspection Overview