New I-9 form released by Immigration Services

Fresno, Calif.-  As previously reported here at Datatech, the United States Customs and Immigration Services or USCIS has released the new Form I-9 on their website. The update is designed to make it easier for employee eligibility verification on a computer.

By January 22, 2017, employers must use only the new version, dated 11/14/2016. Until then, they can continue to use the version dated 03/08/2013 or the new version.

Among the changes in the new version, Section 1 asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used,” and streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals.

Harvesting time

Other changes include:

• The addition of prompts to ensure information is entered correctly.
• The ability to enter multiple preparers and translators.
• A dedicated area for including additional information rather than having to add it in the margins.
• A supplemental page for the preparer/translator.

The instructions have been separated from the form, in line with other USCIS forms, and include specific instructions for completing each field.

The revised Form I-9 is also easier to complete on a computer. Enhancements include drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates, on-screen instructions for each field, easy access to the full instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When the employer prints the completed form, a quick response (QR) code is automatically generated, which can be read by most QR readers.

Datatech Training Manager, Hannah Tarrats says, “While the new I-9 is a fill in form, this is in the instructions:

‘Employers and employees may choose to complete any or all sections of the form on paper or using a computer, or a

combination of both. Forms I-9 obtained from the USCIS website are not considered electronic Forms I-9 under DHS

regulations and, therefore, cannot be electronically signed. Therefore, regardless of the method you used to enter information

into each field, you must print a hard copy of the form, then sign and date the hard copy by hand where required.’

You’ll note that there are links at the top of the online form to go to the instructions, to start over or print the document. So, a way you can use the online form is to have a computer set up where employees type their information in, then print and sign.”

Links:

The USCIS website I-9 form.

The USCIS Website instructions for the new I-9.

Form I-9 requirements were established in November 1986 when Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). IRCA prohibits employers from hiring people, including U.S. citizens, for employment in the United States without verifying their identity and employment authorization on Form I-9.

1095-C Q & A #3

Question: If a company did not have 50 or more full time employees, does it still need to report to the IRS or send 1095-C forms to employees?

Answer: If a company is certain that it did not employee 50 or more full time or full time equivalent employees for 120 days or more during the 2015 calendar year, then it is not an ALE subject to the ACA mandate, and it can claim the seasonal exemption.

If the company is not certain of this, it can use the Full Time Employee Count Report in either the Datatech Payroll or HRM programs to determine its status. If it is determined that it is an ALE, then it is subject to the mandate to report and print 1095-C forms for those employees that worked full time at least one month during the year. All other employees would not need to receive a 1095-C. However, even though the company must report 1095-C information, if it had less than 100 full time or full time equivalent employees, then it can claim transitional relief for 2015, and it did not have to provide Health Insurance during 2015. Starting January 1, 2016 and going forward, it does have to begin providing Health Insurance coverage to full time and full time equivalent employees.

1095-C Q & A #2

Question: If the Plan Year starts at some point during the middle of Calendar Year, and Health Benefit records are entered during a period of open enrollment, will records entered that waived coverage apply retroactively to the prior months on the 1095-C reports?

Answer: If your Medical Plan Setup in HRM accurately reflects which month the Plan Year Starts and Ends, then any Health Benefit records which decline coverage will apply from the first month the employee worked full time through the end of the current Plan Year. If the employee also worked full time for one or months during the previous Plan Year, then a separate decline record dated January 1 would need to be entered on the employee’s Health Benefits tab in order for the 1095-C compiling to apply the correct Line 16 decline code to the previous Plan Year months. Every time you hold an open enrollment for the next Plan Year, a new Active Health Benefit record needs to be created.

1095-C Q & A #1

Question: If a Medical Plan is changed from one that was previously listed in the Medical Plans setup screen in HRM, will the changes be retroactive, or will the change take effect from that day forward?

Answer: Both the old Medical Plan and the new Medical Plan should remain in the HRM Medical Plan setup. Also, both records of coverage given to the employee under the old Medical Plan and new records indicating the date coverage began under the new Medical Plan should be present on the employee’s Health Benefits tab. The old

Did You Know? – Acct # entry on Pay Crew option

One of the features of Datatech’s Daily Payroll Entry is the Pay Crew option.  This utility allows you to enter one line in the daily payroll entry and with two clicks of the mouse pay the rest of the crew the same pay (Right click in Daily Payroll, select Pay Crew). This shortcut can be used when all (or most) of the employees on a crew sheet will be assigned the same crop/field, job, hours, and pay rate.

To use this utility in the past, however, you had to have the employees previously assigned to a crew.

Many of our customers do not have stable crews and are not able to pre-assign employees to a crew.  Now, when you click on the pay crew option, you can click the Enter Accts button to enter the account #’s from your crew sheet and automatically create the daily payroll lines without having to enter through each line.

When you click the Enter Acct #’s button, the window will expand.  Then, simple enter each account # and press Enter or Tab to enter the next number.

When all account #’s have been entered, click Ok to create all of the daily payroll entry line items.

This utility was designed as a quick entry option when account #’s are available. There is no lookup in this table. However, when account #’s are available, this should be a faster entry method then entering each line manually in the daily payroll entry. Why not give it a try on your next payroll?

Did You Know? – Entry options in the Program Setup

The Program Setup (accessed from the Tools menu) contains a variety of entry settings that may speed up the data entry process, allow for more detailed records, or assist in eliminating data entry mistakes.  Due to the large number of entry options, we won’t cover every one is this posting, but following are a few of the most commonly used options:

Payables
Rate Entry on Checks/Invoices – This option allows you to enter a Rate in addition to Units on invoices and checks.  This enables you to record the number of units and price of items purchased.  This may be helpful when looking back to see the cost of items such as tools, equipment and chemicals.

Repeat G/L # & Job ID – This option will repeat the G/L # and Job (Phase, Operation) on additional line items.  This eliminates the re-entry of these fields when you are entering multiple lines for different cost centers.

Payroll Entry Settings
Daily Payroll Employee Entry – A new option has been added to allow for entry of the Name Key or PIN instead of the Account # in Daily Payroll.  This may be helpful for customers that do not get Account #’s on time sheets.

Batch Check Entry – An option is available to change the Day column to a full MM/DD/YYYY date entry.  This is necessary if you often enter line items that don’t fall within the pay period.  With the full date, the program can accurately apply the date worked to the employee.

Global Entry Settings – Several options are available to add additional entry fields to both daily payroll and check entry windows, including columns for Memo entry, Production Units (to record units when paying hourly) and Days Worked (used if paying multiple days with one line item)

Check Printing Settings – Several options can be enabled to print on the check stubs including Days or Hours worked, miscellaneous deduction balances, Marital Status/Dependents and Crew #.

Farm/LC Settings – For farming operations you can set whether cost centers and jobs are required on payables and/or payroll entries.  You can change the Autofind on the Cost ID to Require Exact Match to help reduce the possibility of data entry mistakes.  On both the Farm and Labor Contractor tabs you can set the entry order for Cost ID, Job and G/L #.  The Labor Contractor tab allows you to change defaults for the invoice date, whether the Employer ID & Workers Comp information prints on the invoice and the option to allow the labor report to be finalize (and generate invoice) by Previewing the Labor Report instead of having to print it to paper.

Receivables – The Invoice Entry Settings tab allows you to select which columns you want enabled on the invoice entry and whether the line items for manual invoices default to the Cost Center or Job Description.

If you have any questions on any of the program options, feel free to call our support department at (888) 222-DATA opt. 3 or email support@datatechag.com.

Did You Know? is a series on Datatech’s blog that will highlight hidden and lesser known program features that I’ve found many customers aren’t familiar with. If you have a favorite “hidden” program feature, email it to me at Hannah@DatatechAg.com.

Did You Know? – Filtering Entries in Daily Payroll

Did you know you can filter the view in Daily Payroll Entry to view entries just for a particular Employee, Crop/Cost Center, Job, etc?

In the Daily Payroll entry, click in the Field you want to view entries for.  For example if you want to view entries for a particular employee, find one of those entries (Ctrl  and F keys), then click in the Acct # field.  Press the Ctrl and = keys and only entries with this Acct # will now be displayed.

The Title Bar of the Daily Payroll Entry will display the information you have filtered:

The Totals at the bottom of the window will also re-calculate based on the entries displayed.

Press the Ctrl and = keys to go back to viewing all entries.  This filter works on all columns in the Daily Payroll entry.

Did You Know? is a series on Datatech’s blog that will highlight hidden and lesser known program features that I’ve found many customers aren’t familiar with. If you have a favorite “hidden” program feature, email it to me at Hannah@DatatechAg.com.

 

 

 

Did You Know? – How to Automatically Create Salary Payroll Checks

Did you know you can create payroll checks for all or a group of salaried employees with just a few clicks of the mouse?

Here’s what you need to set up:

At a minimum the Employee File must have their Pay Type set to Salary, the Salary Rate and a G/L

Employee File Salary Setup Basic

If you require Cost Centers, Crop Years and or Jobs entered on Payroll Checks, you can set up additional information to be created on the Salary checks using the Profile tab in the Employee File.

Employee Check Profile

Department
You can create salary checks for different groups of employees using the Department code on the Employee file. For example you may want to create Salary checks for office employees automatically, but not Supervisor Salary checks. To do this you would need to have a Department code for the Office employees.

To Create Salary Checks
In the Check Entry window (Checks > Check Entry) you must first enter the Pay Period that will be used for the payroll checks and then Right Click and select Create Salary Checks or press the Ctrl key + Y.

Create Salary Checks option

If you have departments assigned the program will bring up a selection box for you to select which departments to create checks for. You may select multiple departments at one time.

Department Selection

Confirm by answering Yes that you want Salary Checks Created. When all of the checks have been created the program will notify you of the total number of checks that were created. You can then edit any checks if needed or continue with your payroll workflow process.

Did You Know? is a series on Datatech’s blog that will highlight hidden and lesser known program features that I’ve found many customers aren’t familiar with. If you have a favorite “hidden” program feature, email it to me at Hannah@DatatechAg.com.

Did You Know? – Payroll Search & Replace Utility

Did you know there is a utility that will modify multiple entries in the Daily Payroll or Batch Check Entry file with one process without having to edit individual lines?

The Search & Replace utility is available from the Payroll > Utilities menu.  It may be used to correct the G/L #, Job ID, Cost Center, Crop Year, Wage Type, Pay Rate, Crew ID and Time Sheet # on payroll entries.

To modify payroll line items, be as specific as possible on what entries need to be corrected. In the example below, I have selected transactions on 8/15, G/L # 601, Wage Type P/W, Job 02 and Cost Center BL 102 with a Pay Rate of 1.15. In the Replace section I have entered a Rate of 1.25. The program will find all of the Line Items matching the criteria in the Search column and change the Pay Rate on just those entries to 1.25

If the entries are still in the Daily Payroll File you would checkmark Replace in… Daily Payroll File. Or, you can select Payroll Check Line Items if the entries are in the Batch Payroll Check Entry.

There is no Undo with this Search & Replace utility, so if you make a mistake, just use the utility again to correct the entries modified.

Search & Replace Utility

Did You Know? will be a new series on Datatech’s blog. Each post will highlight hidden and lesser known program features that I’ve found many customers aren’t familiar with. If you have a favorite “hidden” program feature, email it to me at Hannah@DatatechAg.com.