Payroll News

White House Report on State Income Tax End Draws Scrutiny

A White House report encouraging states to eliminate their income taxes has drawn criticism over the economic and political reality of how exactly states would fill the huge holes such a move would leave in their budgets.

Michigan to Launch New Unemployment Insurance Platform

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is launching its new unemployment insurance tax portal Feb. 23, according to an update on the state’s employer portal.

Trump Accounts Prompt Caution Over Employer Matches for Workers

Employers that plan to join Bank of America Corp., Intel Corp., and other major companies in making Trump Account contributions must weigh potential benefits with continued regulatory uncertainty that can carry legal risk.

IRS Finalizes 2026 General Instructions for Forms W-2, W-3

Final instructions for 2026 Forms W-2 and W-3 were released Jan. 30 by the Internal Revenue Service.

Bloomberg Tax Hosts 2026 Payroll Outlook Webinar

Bloomberg Tax will host a webinar for payroll professionals that will provide details on new and developing tax and labor issues on the international, federal, state, and local level. The webinar will take place Feb. 4 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET.

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Hawaii’s Income Tax Cut U-Turn Muddles Relief for Working Class

Tom Yamachika

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

Immigrant Visa Pause Tests Employers, but Some Doors Remain Open

Rachel Magaziner

Munsch Hardt

Georgia’s Plan to Eliminate Income Taxes Would Burden Businesses

Alla Raykin

Asbury Gardner

Latest Stories

Wisconsin Burger King Franchise Amasses 1,600 Child Labor Claims

A Burger King franchise owner faces allegations that it violated Wisconsin’s child labor laws more than 1,600 times, including requirements for work permits and hour restrictions.

By Robert Iafolla

Connecticut Top Court Backs Amazon Workers on Screening Wages

Connecticut law requires Amazon.com Inc. and other employers to pay workers for time spent going through security screenings, and there’s no exception for short bits of worker time, the state’s highest court said.

IRS Hiring Efforts Likely Stymied in Trump’s Worker Firing Rule

The Trump administration’s sweeping changes to how federal workers are classified likely will harm the IRS’s ability to hire, and renew concerns that the agency could succumb to political pressures.

Massachusetts Teaching Hospital Inks $595,000 ERISA Settlement

Cambridge Health Alliance signed a $595,000 class settlement with former workers who accused the Massachusetts-based teaching hospital of failing to rein in excessive fees in their retirement plan.

Labor Department Sets $13.65 Minimum Wage for Contractors

The Labor Department set the minimum wage for some federal contractors to $13.65 per hour, after President Donald Trump canceled a Biden-era executive order that had set it at $15 per hour.

IRS Gets Money-Moving Authority at Same Time It’s Losing Funds

Congressional appropriators gave the IRS a lifeline to shift money around to stave off funding cliffs, but some are saying it might not be enough.

Appellate Judges Scrutinize Net Earnings as Partnership Tax Item

A panel of appeals court judges Thursday primarily focused on whether net earnings from self-employment are considered a taxable partnership item, with limited discussion of whether state-law limited partners can qualify for a tax exemption.

IRS Finalizes January 2026 Revision of Form W-2c

A final January 2026 revision of the form for correcting federal wage and tax statements was released Feb. 2 by the Internal Revenue Service.

Scotland Gets Extra Bank Holiday June 15

An extra bank holiday for Scotland will take place June 15, the day after their first game in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Scottish government said Feb. 5.