21Jan 2010 by Nancy Smyth

New York Certified Payroll Update Available

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News, The "Sunburst" Website
The City of New York, Office of the Comptroller, Bureau of Labor Law has revised their certified payroll reporting form; new reporting mandates no longer require contractors to display the full social security number of employees on the reports - social security numbers are now to be displayed as XXX-XX-1234.For complete details, click here.
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16Sep 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Public Contracting Consultant Services

Construction News
Michael E. Purdy Associates guides public agencies and contractors in managing the complex world of public contracting by developing and implementing strategic contracting approaches and practices...creatively solving challenging procurement and contracting problems...and providing clear, comprehensive, and focused training on a wide variety of public contracting issues, including prevailing wages...Mike Purdy also helps businesses with market development, responding to public solicitations, and interview coaching.  Mike has been meeting the needs of satisfied public agencies and contractors since 2005, drawing on 30 years as a public sector contracting manager for the largest public agencies in the State of Washington.  For more information, visit their website at www.mpurdy.com. Also be sure to read and sign up for a free e-mail subscription to Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog (https://PublicContracting.blogspot.com), a great information resource on…
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02Sep 2009 by Nancy Smyth

E-Verify Update

Construction News, Payroll Tips
In previous posts we've been following the evolution of the E-Verify program and today I'd like to post an update on this program. Beginning on September 8, 2009 (less than a week away folks) a new federal rule will require general contractors AND subcontractors - including those who are receiving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to use the E-Verify program. At this time a July 1, 2010 compliance deadline is anticipated for businesses with more than 30 employees, if the businesses plan to work on state-funded projects. From what I understand penalties can be harsh for non-compliance, violators can be fined $1,000 to $10,000 and be put in jail for 1-5 years.  Additionally, contractors will loose ALL government contracts for up to three years and possibly loose business permits…
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19Jun 2009 by Nancy Smyth

What happens when a contractor fails to pay prevailing wages and submit certified payroll reports?

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News
When a contractor works on Federal and/or state funded construction projects and fails to pay the appropriate "prevailing wages" or  overtime to their employees and/or fails to submit the required "certified payroll reports" to the appropriate agencies ---- well it's pretty serious business. The following article from SouthCoastTODAY.com will give you a little insight into just how serious it can be. New Bedford drywall firm settles wage problem By Staff Report June 17, 2009 BOSTON — Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office has reached a settlement with a New Bedford drywall company resolving allegations that the company failed to pay employees the prevailing wage rate, the correct overtime rate and failed to keep proper payroll records for work performed at four Massachusetts public works job sites. Garcia Drywall Inc. and its…
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02Jun 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Summer Hiring – Rules for 2009

Construction News, IRS Information, Payroll Tips
From the May 2009 issue of the General Ledger. Firms owned by parents that employ their children. Owners’ children can work for the firm, regardless of age, number of hours worked or time of day—if the parent(s) own 100% of the business. Children under 16 cannot do hazardous work such as use lawn mowers, sewing machines, etc., work where food is cooked, or work near flammable or hazardous material. Minimum wage: 100% of owners hiring only immediate family members need not pay the minimum wage. But if owners regularly employ nonfamily members, they must pay even family members the minimum wage. Owners’ children under 21: Wages are exempt from FUTA. Owners’ children under 18: Wages are exempt from FICA—if the parents are sole owners or sole partners—but FIT must be…
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04May 2009 by Nancy Smyth

McGraw-Hill Green Construction Conferences

Construction News
Green Construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM) are 2 hot-topics that everyone is talking about in the construction industry. McGraw-Hill Construction is offering 5 1-day courses, held in Dallas on May 13, Atlanta on May 20, Newark on May 21, Anaheim on June 16, and Chicago on June 24; to help you understand these subjects and how to capitalize on them during this slow economy. One thing is clear in this economy and that is Green Construction and BIM are bright spots - with Green Construction being a major focus of the Stimulus Package. For additional information, click here.
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29Apr 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Reporting Requirements for the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News, QuickBooks Add-Ons, The "Sunburst" Website
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), provides the State Departments of Transportation and Federal Lands Agencies with $27.5 billion for highway infrastructure investment. With this money there also comes an increased level of reporting, which we will be adding to Certified Payroll Solution to better and more fully serve the needs of our customers who may be working on these types of construction projects. ARRA Reports include: Monthly Employment Report - Form FHWA-1589 Monthly Recipient Project Status Report - Form FHWA-1585 (a summary report in addition to FHWA-1589) Initial ARRA Project Plan - Form FHWA-1586 (a summary report in addition to FHWA-1589) Monthly Summary Employment Report - Form FHWA-1587 (a summary report in addition to FHWA-1589) Periodic Grouped Project Report - Form FHWA-1588 (a summary report in…
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28Apr 2009 by Nancy Smyth

White House Delays rule requiring electronic verification

Construction News, IRS Information, Payroll Tips
{from the American City Business Journals/Denver on 4/27/09} Federal contractors will now have until June 30 before they have to use the E-Verify system to check the eligibility of their employees to work in the U.S. The Obama administration postponed the date the electronic verification rule would apply to government contractors and subcontractors in order to have more time to review it, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The rule was issued by the Bush administration in November. Business groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the rule, contending the government doesn't have the authority to make use of E-Verify mandatory. Congress created the E-Verify system as a voluntary program, they noted. More than 117,000 employers now use the Web-based system, which compares information supplied by employees with government records.…
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28Apr 2009 by Nancy Smyth

U. S. Department of Labor Revises Certified Payroll Reporting Requirements for Form WH-347

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News, The "Sunburst" Website
Effective January 18, 2009 Prime/General contractors and subcontractors who perform work on federally funded construction projects are no longer required to display the home address and social security numbers of employees on the certified payroll report form WH-347 that they submit; instead you are now required to display the employees full name and the last 4-digits of his/her social security number as follows XXX-XX-1234.  This revision was established to better protect worker privacy and identity theft. Given the new reporting requirements it would not be in violation of 29 CFR 5.5 (a)(3)(i) for a prime/general contractor to require a subcontractor to proved employee addresses and social security numbers for the prime/general contractors own records, without including this information in weekly submissions. The U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour…
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06Apr 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Construction Workers on “stimulus” projects will receive prevailing wages

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News
And contractors will be required to complete and submit certified payroll reports. {From an article in the Washington Independent written by Jefferson Morley on 3/31/09} Though stymied on the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to form unions, organized labor is about to claim a big consolation prize: the massive application of a law guaranteeing "prevailing wages" for hundreds of thousands of construction workers hired under President Obama's economic stimulus program. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is now preparing guidelines that will expand the scope of the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act, according to a department spokesperson. "In some cases, the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage provisions will apply to federal construction contracts in the same manner as they currently apply," said spokesperson Dolline Hatchett in an email. "In…
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27Mar 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Government stimulus projects include prevailing wage requirements

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News
{from an Associated Press article} A note from Sunburst Software Solutions, Inc. - Prevailing Wage requirements also require the submission of "certified payroll reports" on a weekly basis. Gov't stimulus projects include wage requirements By SCOTT BAUER - 23 hours ago MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Welders, bricklayers and other construction workers under the U.S. government's $787 billion stimulus law would earn significantly higher wages in some areas than crews on private, non-stimulus projects. Wage rules in the law are a potential bonus to workers' wallets but they're upsetting contractors who say it will increase their costs and reduce the numbers of projects that can be funded. Tucked within the 407-page law is a requirement that laborers and mechanics employed on government stimulus projects be paid "prevailing wages," which is defined…
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26Mar 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Economic Recovery Resource Center

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News
(from Public Works Online) Almost 20% of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be spent on improving the nation's infrastructure, this means that their will be more and more "public works" construction projects that require certified payroll. Will you be ready?  Will you be in compliance?  Do you know what a certified payroll report is or how to fill one out?  Check out our Free (upon request) Certified Payroll Training Guide https://www.sunburstsoftwaresolutions.com/component/option,com_performs/formid,5/ Interested in finding out how this money will be spent?  Check out Public Works Online Economic Recovery Resource Center at https://www.pwmag.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=0&articleID=878887
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03Mar 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Economic Stimulus Plan – Your Business and Payroll

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News, Payroll Tips
The new stimulus legislation means changes to payroll no later than April 1, 2009. {This information is from Intuit's website and posted here for your information.  Visit Intuit's payroll website for additional information.} What does the stimulus plan mean to your business? New payroll tax credits and COBRA provisions will mean changes to how you handle payroll taxes and quarterly tax filings. The IRS asks that employers calculate federal withholding and advance earned income credit payments with new tables just issued as soon as possible, but no later than April 1st, 2009. Why not let Intuit Payroll handle the burden of tracking these changes so you can focus on running your business? Over one million small businesses trust us to do just that already, more than any other payroll service.…
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19Jan 2009 by Nancy Smyth

Press Release

Construction News, The "Sunburst" Website
PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact Nancy Smyth Sunburst Software Solutions, Inc. (888) 348-2877 phone (866) 684-5157 fax sales@sunburstsoftwaresolutions.com https://www.sunburstsoftwaresolutions.com SUNBURST SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. RELEASES FEDERAL WH-347 COMPLIANCE UPDATE FOR "CERTIFIED PAYROLL SOLUTION" AND CONTRACTORS USING QUICKBOOKS. "Certified Payroll Solution" Integrates with QuickBooks to Help Contractors Working on Government Funded Construction Projects Comply With Certified Payroll Reporting Requirements, Saving Them Time And Money. West Charleston, VT - January 16, 2009 Sunburst Software Solutions, Inc., an Intuit Gold Developer, is pleased to announce the release of a compliance update, on January 14, 2009, for their flagship QuickBooks integrated application "Certified Payroll Solution."  This compliance update meets new Federal WH-347 certified payroll reporting requirements which become effective January 18, 2009, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Labor on December 18, 2008.…
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