Compliance

On Dec. 23, Congress passed a measure that allows for an extension of a two-percentage-point payroll tax cut. When is the tax scheduled to increase again?

Human resource departments across the country had a perfect opportunity to test their own ability to communicate with their work forces this week when the House decided to wait until the last minute to renew the payroll tax cut (for a whopping two months).

Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday signed legislation that blocks taxpayer-paid health insurance from being offered to domestic partners living with some public employees.

Their isolation complete, House Republicans on Thursday caved to demands by President Barack Obama, congressional Democrats and fellow Republicans for a short-term renewal of payroll tax cuts for all workers.

Some say they'll spend less on groceries. Others expect to cut back on travel. For many, there would be fewer meals out.

Seeking to break a stalemate that is threatening 160 million workers with Jan. 1 tax increases, President Barack Obama urged the top leaders of Congress Wednesday to first pass a short-term extension while promising to work with lawmakers on a full-year measure.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. released Tuesday advance informational copies of the 2011 Form 5500 annual return/report and related instructions.

House and Senate leaders traded demands Wednesday but remained mired in a bitter holiday-season stalemate that is threatening 160 million workers with Jan. 1 tax increases and millions of the long-term unemployed with an end to their benefits.