Federal Alerts

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the 2023 version of Publication 15-B (Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits), which contains information for employers on the employment tax treatment of various fringe benefits, including accident and health coverage, adoption assistance, company cars and other employer-provided vehicles, dependent care assistance, educational assistance, employee discount programs, group term life insurance, moving expense reimbursements, health savings accounts (HSAs), and transportation (commuting) benefits. (Publication 15-B uses the term "employment taxes" to refer to federal income tax withholding as well as Social Security and Medicare (FICA) and federal unemployment (FUTA) taxes.) Publication 15-B is a supplement to Publication 15 (circular E) and IRS Publication 15-A (Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide).  

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has posted the 2023 version of Publication 15-A, the Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide located at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdf .

On Jan. 13, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule via the Federal Register that revises civil penalties for many violations of federal labor laws, including certain violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 directs federal agencies to adjust civil penalties for inflation each year.

President Joe Biden has signed legislation that expands the protections for employees who are pregnant or nursing a child. Some of the changes took effect immediately, whereas others are effective in June.

We want to let you know that Arizona Form A-4 has been modified because the previous Form A-4 is no longer representative of new lower income tax rates.

Effective Dec. 12, 2022, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards) for lawful permanent residents who have properly filed a Form N-400 Application for Naturalization.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2022-59, which establishes the applicable dollar amount for policy and plan years ending on or after October 1, 2022 and before October 1, 2023 in relation to the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released an updated poster that federal nondiscrimination laws require employers to display. Covered employers must post the new version as soon as possible.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that employers should continue using the current Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) until further notice. Separately, the DHS announced that employers will be allowed to inspect Form I-9 documents remotely in certain situations related to COVID-19 until July 31, 2023. Prior to the announcement, this temporary policy was set to expire on Oct. 31, 2022.