Journey Education Corner: Blog

Payroll & HR for Seasonal and Retail Businesses: Unique Challenges & How to Address Them Seasonal surges, shifting store hours, and high employee turnover — if you run a retail or seasonal business, you already know that managing payroll and HR can feel like a...

The Future of Payroll and HR: Trends to Watch in 2026 and Beyond As businesses look ahead to 2026, automation, AI insights, financial wellness, pay transparency, remote compliance, and platform integration will define payroll and HR—with Journey Payroll & HR...

California Paid Leave in 2025: What Employers Should Know as the Year Wraps Up  California has continued to lead the nation in employee leave protections, and 2025 has been a major year of updates for Paid Family Leave (PFL) and related benefit programs. As employers...

The Role of Payroll and HR in Employee Experience: From Onboarding to Offboarding  Employee experience is more than a buzzword it’s the heartbeat of a successful organization. Every touchpoint, from a new hire’s first day to their final paycheck, shapes how employees...

The modern workforce is changing fast. Between remote work, freelancing, and side gigs, more companies rely on independent contractors than ever before. That flexibility is great  until worker classification mistakes lead to tax penalties and compliance issues. ...

Storms, outages, cyber incidents, strikes, sudden revenue shocks, crises never show up with a calendar invite. Yet payroll has to land on time, every time. When people are worried about the future, the one thing they shouldn’t have to worry about is their paycheck. ...

Texas is famously “light” on statewide leave mandates, which makes policy design feel simpler, until you have multi-state teams. Here’s the plain-English rundown. No statewide paid sick leave or PFML. Texas doesn’t require private employers to provide paid sick leave...

An HR policy manual isn’t a binder on a shelf; it’s your company’s operating system. Done right, it removes guesswork, reinforces culture, and keeps you compliant as you grow. Done poorly (or left out-of-date), it creates confusion, inconsistent decisions, and legal...

Burnout isn’t just an individual problem; it’s a systems problem. Pay accuracy, schedules, workload, and access to time off all drive (or reduce) stress. Payroll and HR teams are uniquely positioned to spot early warning signs and build a healthier rhythm of work. ...

The Statewide Rule (PLAWA)  Most Illinois employees can earn up to 40 hours of paid leave for any reason each year. You can let time accrue at 1 hour per 40 hours worked or front-load the annual amount at the start of your benefit year. Employees can use leave after...

A payroll and HR strategy that works for a five-person startup won’t cut it once you’re managing hundreds of employees across multiple states. As your company grows, your approach to payroll and HR must grow with it.  At Journey Payroll & HR, we’ve seen firsthand...

Employee self-service (ESS) tools have become a cornerstone of modern workplaces. Whether it’s accessing pay stubs, reviewing benefits, or updating personal information, these tools empower employees to take control of their HR needs and they save HR teams countless...

If you have employees in Oregon, you’re managing two statewide programs: Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) and the Oregon Sick Time law. Add recent updates and Portland-specific thresholds, and it’s easy to miss something. Here’s what employers need to know to stay compliant in...

The holidays will be here before you know it. The season brings more than just festive cheer; it also brings unique challenges for business owners and HR teams. Between seasonal hires, time-off requests, overtime, and year-end reporting, even small oversights can lead...

Mergers, acquisitions, and business restructures can be exciting opportunities, but they also come with complex challenges, especially around payroll and HR. Overlooking the “people side” of these transitions can create compliance issues, employee confusion, and even...

If you have employees in New York, paid leave isn’t just a nice-to-have it’s table stakes for compliance and retention. 2025 brought a few meaningful updates, and there are also local rules in places like New York City and Westchester County that sit on top of the...

AI is everywhere in today’s business world, including in payroll and HR. But with all the buzz, it’s hard to tell what’s truly helpful and what’s overhyped. At Journey Payroll & HR, we believe in pairing technology with real people to deliver the best service...

Growth is the goal but it comes with growing pains.  And if you’re not careful, payroll can be one of the biggest ones.  As businesses scale, things like new locations, larger teams, multiple pay structures, and compliance requirements pile up fast. What worked for 10...

Quick overview  Arizona requires most employers to provide earned paid sick time (EPST). There is no statewide paid family & medical leave (PFML) program for private-sector employers; the State of Arizona runs a paid parental leave pilot for state employees only. ...

Paychecks keep people employed. Fair pay keeps them engaged.  Compensation reviews aren’t just a formality they’re a vital part of retention, equity, and budgeting. But many businesses still struggle with one simple question:  How often should we review employee pay? ...

Mid-year is the perfect moment to give your payroll a tune-up. You’ve accumulated enough data to spot trends, but you still have time to fix issues before year-end taxes, bonuses, and open enrollment pile on. Think of this as preventative maintenance for your...

If you’ve got employees in Idaho or plan to there are a few 2025 payroll changes you need to know to stay compliant and avoid under-withholding.  Idaho’s Income Tax Rate Drops to 5.3%  As of January 1, 2025, Idaho’s flat personal income tax rate was reduced from...

When it comes to payroll and HR, trust isn’t just a nice-to-have it’s essential. At Journey Payroll & HR, we understand that when you entrust us with your payroll and employee data, you're relying on us to uphold the highest standards of security, accuracy, and...

Payroll fraud isn’t just a big business problem it hits small businesses harder.  The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) reports small businesses are twice as likely to experience payroll fraud, with median losses over $62,000 per case.  Here’s what to...