The federal government is helping to pick up the tab for certain business meals. Under a provision that’s part of one of the COVID-19 relief laws, the usual deduction for 50% of the cost of business meals is doubled to 100% for food and beverages provided by restaurants in 2022 (and 2021).
The Commonwealth is providing eligible Massachusetts employers with funding to hire and train new workers. The HireNow program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and was created in response to the hiring challenges experienced by Massachusetts employers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From its share of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made a total of $75,000,000 available to support small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will be administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) through two different grant programs, the New Applicant Grant Program and the Inclusive Grant Program.
The pandemic has changed the work landscape dramatically, and for many companies—as many as 70% according to a recent study—the massive transition to remote and hybrid work is here to stay. Remote work has many benefits for both employees and employers, but these benefits come with some major compliance requirements. With remote work policies varying from state to state, navigating key issues like tax compliance, workers compensation, payroll compliance, and insurance coverage can be complicated—especially when employees are working remotely in different states than the company’s headquarters location.
If you were an early Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrower who has not yet applied for forgiveness, your loan payments may be due soon.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which is currently waiting to be signed by President Biden, would retroactively end the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) as of September 30, 2021.
The IRS recently issued Notice 2021-49, which provides updated and additional guidance related to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), including guidance on employer eligibility.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Tuesday that they have awarded more than $7.5 billion in Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG) to approximately 10,000 live entertainment venues, small businesses, and non-profits.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a new temporary sick leave program related to COVID-19. Under Chapter 16 of the Acts of 2021 (An Act Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave), employers are now required to make paid leave time available to employees for COVID-related illnesses, quarantine, and vaccinations. Employers may then apply for reimbursement from the state.
As mitigation measures related to COVID-19 ease, it will be interesting to see which practices and regulatory changes taken in response to the pandemic remain in place long-term. One might be relief from a sometimes-inconvenient requirement related to the administration of 401(k) plans.
