Michigan withholding rates: Michigan has issued the 2024 withholding rate and wage-bracket tables for wages paid on and after January 1, 2024. The Michigan personal income tax withholding rate is 4.25% for 2024. The personal exemption amount will be $5,600.

California pay reporting portal opens February 1; ends May 8: For Reporting Year 2023, the California  pay data portal will open on February 1 and reports must be submitted on or before May 8, 2024. Templates, FAQ, and User Guides are in the final stages of preparation and should be available on the website shortly.   CRD has issued detailed guidance regarding California’s pay data reporting system, including answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) available at  https://www.calcivilrights.ca.gov/paydatareporting/faqs/. This guidance is to assist employers in complying with Government Code section 12999 and CRD’s instructions, but it does not constitute legal advice.

Michigan providing training grants to develop pipeline for semiconductor industry:  The Michigan Economic Development Corporation will provide $4.6 million in grants toward semiconductor education and training programs— reflecting ongoing need for newly trained workers in the high-demand industry.  The grants are set to support eight higher education institutions in the state in response to projected 11% job growth predicted over the next five years in Michigan, as well as ongoing investments from various semiconductor manufacturers in need of talent in the state. The higher education institutions listed in the announcement will focus on training for adult learners, including certification and micro-credential programs, and outreach to local schools to expose students to the industry as a whole. There is a severe worker shortage in the industry.   Source:  January 16, 2024

Work at office no longer a dealbreaker? According to a December 20, 2023 report from TalenTrust, Overall, 50% of workers prefer a fully remote work environment, while 33% prefer a hybrid schedule, and 17% favor fully on-site work. If given a mandate to return to the office for fully on-site work, 41% said they would ask for more flexibility, and 34% would return without questioning. However, 19% said they would begin searching for a new position with more flexibility.  In addition, despite the preference for remote or hybrid schedules, 55% said they wouldn’t turn down a new position that was only on-site if the opportunity appealed to them otherwise.  Source:  HR Dive 1/4/23

Remote working impacts promotion opportunities: In a recent survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com, remote workers were found to be 24% less likely to receive promotions compared to their in-office colleagues. The survey included 1,190 full-time employees whose jobs allowed remote work. It sought the responses of 417 remote workers, 567 hybrid workers, and 206 fully in-office employees.  It found that only 46% of remote workers said they were up for promotions in 2023. This is much lower than the 60% of in-office employees and 59% of hybrid workers who said they were up for promotions last year.  In terms of who got a promotion, only 42% of remote workers said they did, still much lower than the 55% of fully on-site and 54% hybrid counterparts.  With respect to raises, it found that only 67% of remote staff received a raise in 2023, lower than the 79% of on-site and 83% of hybrid colleagues who said the same.  Among those who received raises, only 41% of remote employees said they received a 10% increase or more. They are still behind the 51% of hybrid staff and 52% of fully on-site colleagues who got a similar amount.  Source: Human Resource Director 1/4/23

Will raises keep up? While 74% of business leaders anticipate giving raises this year, half noted that pay increases will impact 50% or less of their workforce, according to a survey from Resume Builder. Of employers giving raises, 69% will offer cost-of-living bumps; 50% will offer a raise of 3% or less. And while inflation is expected to drop below 2.5% in 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis, a 3% raise will not make up for prices increasing by as much as 9% in 2022. 8% of business leaders surveyed say their company will not give raises to any employees in 2024, while 18% say the company has not yet decided. While three-quarters of businesses do plan to give raises, not all employees will get one.  Half of business leaders say 50% or less of employees at their company will actually receive a raise, and only 14% say all employees at the company will get a raise.  On the other hand, more than half of business leaders say they anticipate their company having layoffs in 2024.  Source:  Source: Resume Builder