covid-19 - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

California Tax Updates from 8/20

Update 1:

Three southern California grocery stores will pay fines of $447,836, for violations of certain COVID-19-related employee benefits. The CA Labor Commissioner’s Office has cited three El Super stores for failing to inform employees of their rights to supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL). In addition, employees who had COVID-19 symptoms were forced to work while sick or were told to file for unemployment while under quarantine or isolation. Others waited months to be paid. The violations affected 95 El Super workers. Employers having more than 25 workers must provide those affected by COVID-19 with up two weeks of SPSL. This law remains in effect until Sept. 30, 2021.

Update 2:

New information is available regarding the California Competes Tax Credits. The CA Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has revised its announcement about the allocation of these credits for fiscal year 2021-2022. The total amount to be allocated is now $394,707,469 (up from $284,707,469). The allocation dates haven’t changed and […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-08-20T18:10:01+00:00August 20th, 2021|ca, CA tax, california, covid-19, tax credit|0 Comments

Working in the Gig Economy Results in Tax Obligations

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy had been growing, according to several reports. And reductions in working hours during the pandemic have caused even more people to turn to gig work to make up lost income. There are tax consequences for the people who perform these jobs, which include providing car rides, delivering food, walking dogs and providing other services.

Bottom line: If you receive income from freelancing or from one of the online platforms offering goods and services, it’s generally taxable. That’s true even if the income comes from a side job and even if you don’t receive an income statement reporting the amount of money you made.

Basics for gig workers

The IRS considers gig workers as those who are independent contractors and conduct their jobs through online platforms. Examples include Uber, Lyft, Airbnb and DoorDash.

Unlike traditional employees, independent contractors don’t receive benefits associated with employment or employer-sponsored health insurance. They also aren’t covered by the minimum wage or other protections of federal laws and they aren’t part of states’ unemployment insurance systems. In addition, they’re on their own when it comes to […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-05-12T16:54:49+00:00May 12th, 2021|business, covid-19, deduction, deductions, expensing|0 Comments

COBRA Provisions Play Critical Role in COVID-19 Relief Law

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees and their families have lost group health plan coverage because of layoffs or reduced hours. If your business has had to take such steps, and it’s required to offer continuing health care coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes some critical provisions that you should be aware of.

100% subsidy

Under the ARPA, assistance-eligible individuals (AEIs) may receive a 100% subsidy for COBRA premiums during the period beginning April 1, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2021.

An AEI is a COBRA qualified beneficiary — in other words, an employee, former employee, covered spouse or covered dependent — who’s eligible for and elects COBRA coverage because of a qualifying event of involuntary termination of employment or reduction of hours. For purposes of the law, the subsidy is available for AEIs for the period beginning April 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2021.

Extended election period

Individuals without a COBRA election in effect on April 1, 2021, but who would be an AEI if they did, are eligible for the subsidy. Those who elected but discontinued COBRA coverage before April 1, 2021, are also eligible if they’d […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-03-24T21:18:41+00:00March 24th, 2021|covid-19, Health care, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

California Tax Updates for 3/24

Update 1:

Two more California cities, Pomona and Santa Ana, have adopted Hero Pay Ordinances to give extra pay to certain workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pomona’s ordinance is effective from 3/1/21 through 6/29/21, requiring qualifying retail businesses to pay an additional $4.00 per hour to their workers. Here are the details for Pomona, including which businesses are affected: https://bit.ly/3cCcAkt. Santa Ana’s ordinance also requires $4 per hour of additional pay (from 3/3/21 through 6/30/21). Here are the details for Santa Ana, including which businesses are affected. https://bit.ly/3cEREsX. Or, contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions.

Update 2:

In his 2021 State of the State address, California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t propose new or higher taxes. The address was delivered virtually from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles earlier this month. Newsom devoted most of his address to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the state’s progress in battling […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-03-24T18:46:37+00:00March 24th, 2021|ca, CA tax, california, covid-19, small business|0 Comments

The Latest on COVID-Related Deadline Extensions for Health Care Benefits

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01, which is of interest to employers. It clarifies the duration of certain COVID-19-related deadline extensions that apply to health care benefits plans.

Extensions to continue

The DOL and IRS issued guidance last year specifying that the COVID-19 outbreak period — defined as beginning March 1, 2020, and ending 60 days after the announced end of the COVID-19 national emergency — should be disregarded when calculating various deadlines under COBRA, ERISA and HIPAA’s special enrollment provisions.

The original emergency declaration would have expired on March 1, 2021, but it was recently extended. Although the agencies defined the outbreak period solely by reference to the COVID-19 national emergency, they relied on statutes allowing them to specify disregarded periods for a maximum of one year. Therefore, questions arose as to whether the outbreak period was required to end on February 28, 2021, one year after it began.

Notice 2021-01answers those questions by providing that the extensions have continued past February 28 and will be measured on a case-by-case basis. Specifically, applicable deadlines for individuals and plans that fall within the outbreak period will be extended (that is, the disregarded period will last) until […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-03-12T17:53:12+00:00March 12th, 2021|covid-19, Health care, New Tax Laws|0 Comments