ClearPath - Latest News

WEBCAST: Legal update for companies using Independent Contractors in California

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0800

Effective 1st January a new California law introduced huge penalties for cases of 1099 Independent Contractor misclassification. Leading industry experts from ClearPath and Ogletree Deakins to present Webcast on advice and strategies for managing new risks.

With the new California regulations that just came into effect this month, businesses utilizing contract workers should attend the webcast presented by ClearPath Workforce Management as they need to be aware of how the new law will affect them. Jason Posel and Douglas Farmer are two of the leading experts on independent contractor compliance, and following the huge demand from a similar Webcast for HR.com, have scheduled two further Webcasts on the subject.

The new California law, SB 459, subjects companies and individuals to penalties of up to $25,000 for each violation for misclassification, creates employer liability for fees and deductions imposed on misclassified contractors, and makes consultants and others who advise businesses on independent contractor issues subject to liability.

This new regulation has received a lot of publicity, with workers themselves becoming increasingly aware of their rights, and comes hot on the heels of the new IRS amnesty program for IC misclassification.

“The current federal budget allocated $46 million to both the IRS and DOL to investigate and prosecute worker misclassifications” said Jason Posel, SVP strategy and solutions for ClearPath, adding “the amount of audits has increased dramatically, and now states such as California are showing they are just as determined to pursue the tax dollars they would receive if ICs are reclassified as common law employees. For many companies, the results of an audit could be financially crippling”.

This Webcast will:

Provide insight on SB 459 that will become law on January 1, 2012;
Cover the latest legislative and regulatory issues focused on worker misclassification, including the IRS’ contractor “amnesty” program;
Examine ways to determine who qualifies as a 1099 contractor and who should be a W-2,
Evaluate the risks companies have who misclassify workers, including possible financial penalties of reclassification, co-employment risk, wage and hour related issues;
Identify strategies for mitigating the risks of misclassification;
Reveal best practices for engaging contingent labor and Independent Contractors

WECAST DETAILS

DATE AND TIME:

26th January at 3pm EST / 12pm PST
8th February at 2pm EST / 11am PST

PRESENTERS: Jason Posel; SVP Strategy & Solutions; ClearPath Workforce Management
Douglas Farmer; Attorney & Managing Shareholder; Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart

ClearPath joins industry leaders for IHR advisory board discussion

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:48:46 +0800

ClearPath Workforce Management, a leading HRO with a focus on contingent labor compliance and engagement, has been invited to share its expertise on “Industry Trends in Contingent Workforce Management” during the Institute for Human Resources Virtual Workshop on January 30th. The webcast is part of a two day virtual conference that is the fourth in a series of workshops in the IHR Contract Workforce & Talent Exchange Certification Program.

The panel will focus their attention on looking at ways in which organizations can be positioned to properly address the challenges today’s economic climate places on their contingent workforce planning and management.

Jason Posel, senior vice president of strategy and solutions for ClearPath, will join James Ware, chair of the advisory board for the IHR – Contract Workforce and Talent Exchange, and executive director of The Future of Work Institute, as well as Jerome Gerber, vice president at Volt Workforce Solutions, Elaine Orler, president at Talent Function Group, and Peter Carr, general manager at Flextrack on the panel.

Topics on the agenda to discuss include:

Preliminary IHR Contingent Workforce Survey data
Talent acquisition in contingent workforces – how effective is your sourcing practices?
Integrating the contingent workforce into the overall talent mix – how are “temporary” workers incorporated into your organization?
Vendor neutrality truths and myths
Risks associated with contingent workforces – legislative trends and legal precedence
Cost/value assessment of contingent workforces

Click here for more information on attending.

“Compliance is becoming an increasingly important factor when engaging temporary workers, particularly when it comes to classifying Independent Contractors and exempt versus non-exempt status”, says Jason Posel, senior vice president for ClearPath, “but it can be challenging to manage all risk areas and one of the main trends for 2012 will be for companies to leverage a specialist firm to ensure they are compliant with the ever changing federal and state laws and regulations”.

IHR’s certification and accreditation process is developed through an independent Advisory Board composed of industry experts including ClearPath President, Renee Fink.

Attendees are not required to be enrolled in the certification program; however, the event is eligible for IHR, PHR, SPHR, and GPHR credits.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading certified woman-owned HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With almost 20 years of experience in delivering contractor engagement, payroll and compliance programs, the firm’s solutions include ClearPayroll and ClearIC. ClearPath provides its clients with seamlessly integrated solutions that enable them to engage the contract talent they require in a compliant, cost-effective and efficient manner. ClearPath delivers solutions throughout the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada.

ClearPath SVP joins industry leaders in discussion for Institute for Human Resources

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0800

ClearPath Workforce Management, a leading HRO with a focus on contingent labor compliance and engagement, were invited to share their expertise on “The Changing Economy, Future Trends, and the Impact on the Contract Workforce” during the IHR’s Virtual Workshop on October 12th.

Jason Posel, senior vice president of strategy and solutions for ClearPath, joined James Ware, chair of the advisory board for the IHR – Contract Workforce and Talent Exchange, and executive director of The Future of Work Institute, as well as Jim Mann, CFO of Allegis Group Services on the panel.

Discussion focused on the impact the current economy is having now and why companies are using contract workers, and the trends that will likely impact the way organizations utilize contingent labor in the future.

The webinar was part of a two day virtual event that is the third in a series of workshops in the IHR Contract Workforce & Talent Exchange Certification Program. “What was clear from the discussion was that contingent labor is an increasingly important part of the workforce mix” said Posel “but companies have to ensure they have a clear strategy for utilizing contractors effectively and compliantly. For example, Independent Contractor classification is receiving a huge amount of focus at both the state and federal level, particularly from the IRS, and the potential cost of getting things wrong means organizations need to make certain they keep up with the evolving rules on how to correctly engage their contingent workers”.

IHR’s certification and accreditation process is developed through an independent Advisory Board composed of industry experts including ClearPath President, Renee Fink.

About ClearPath

ClearPath is a leading certified woman-owned HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With almost 20 years of experience in delivering contractor engagement, payroll and compliance programs, the firm’s solutions include ClearPayroll and ClearIC. ClearPath provides its clients with seamlessly integrated solutions that enable them to engage the contract talent they require in a compliant, cost-effective and efficient manner. ClearPath delivers solutions throughout the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada.

ClearPath sponsors CW Risk Forum 2011

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0800

The CW Risk Forum event, now in its third year, has become more important than ever as the scrutiny of temporary labor by government agencies intensifies. It is the only conference of its kind designed for corporate managers of contingent labor programs to help them stay ahead of the myriad of changing legislation and regulations in the contract labor arena.

The event is produced by Staffing Industry Analysts, who recently ranked ClearPath as one of the top 35 Fastest Growing US Staffing Companies in 2011, and as one of the top 25 Diversity Staffing Firms. The Forum provides a perfect arena for ClearPath’s areas of expertise: helping companies outsource the engagement, payroll and compliance of their contingent workers.

Jason Posel, ClearPath’s SVP, Strategy and Solutions, is a panelist on a topic that has received significant attention of late titled “Is There an Independent Contractor Class Action Lawsuit in Your Future?” while VP of Compliance & Client Services, Sue Ortiz, will be sharing her expertise by hosting a roundtable discussion on “Exempt or non-exempt contingent workers and why you should care”.

“With the IRS and state agencies significantly ramping up IC misclassification audits, companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of ensuring their Independent Contractors are properly classified” said Posel. “ClearPath makes it easy to efficiently and cost-effectively engage and pay your contract workforce. And we manage all the administration and mitigate the risks involved. Making sure our clients stay focused - and protected”.

ClearPath receives National Certification as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:00:00 +0800

ClearPath Management Group, Inc. parent company of ClearPath Workforce Management, a business specializing in managing the administration and risks associated with paying and engaging contract workers, received national certification as a Women Owned Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

“With the use of contract workers continuing to increase, our ability to help clients reduce the costs and risks associated with contingent labor has ensured we continue to grow as a company,” said Renee Fink, CEO. “This WBENC certification status will help us to further expand our company’s visibility and enable us to build relationships with key decision makers at companies that place value and emphasis on working with women-owned businesses”.

The WBENC certification for women-owned businesses is the most recognizable and sought after certification of its kind. WBENC's national standard of certification consists of a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business, application process, detailed notarized affidavit, a site visit and final determination by the Certification Committee.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs.

About The Women's Business Enterprise National Council
The WBENC is recognized as the nation's largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on WBENC's certification as an integral part of their diversity programs.

Albany Services signifies bright future as company rebrands to ClearPath Workforce Management

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA: Albany Services, one of the top ranked contingent labor engagement and compliance specialists, announced today the rebranding of the company as ClearPath Workforce Management.

The change in name and branding is the realization of a distinct identity for a firm that has been a pioneer in the field for almost 20 years. It follows the management-buyout of the company from its UK based former parent company.

“We believe ClearPath Workforce Management more accurately describes and better aligns with our company’s mission to provide compliant and cost effective solutions for our client’s contingent workforces,” said president and CEO Renee Fink. “This change in name and branding is the next natural step toward the vision we hold for our company. In the coming months we will be making several more exciting announcements about our service offerings”.

With both federal and state agencies increasing their scrutiny and enforcement of non-compliance in the use of Independent Contractors, ClearPath is well positioned to prosper in this environment. The company has a long history of successfully delivering contractor payroll and engagement programs that focus on risk mitigation, with a management team that has almost 100 years of combined experience in the contingent workforce field.

ClearPath's proprietary web-based ClearIC service serves as one of the industry’s leading Independent Contractor compliance programs. This web-based program is designed to evaluate whether a worker should be classified as an IC versus employee, and protect companies from the risks of 1099 misclassification. ClearPayroll enables companies to compliantly engage and pay their pre-identified contract workers - those sourced through internal referral channels - as Independent Contractors, 1099s or W-2s of ClearPath.

“Last year we were ranked in the top five specialist contractor payrolling and compliance firms by Staffing Industry Analysts,” said Jason Posel, senior president of strategy and solutions, adding “our continued growth and enviable client retention levels over the last several years reflects not only the satisfaction our clients have with our services, but the increasing focus corporations large and small have on efficiently dealing with the compliance and administrative challenges associated with contingent labor”.

About ClearPath

Ogletree Deakins in association with ClearPath present a Labor and Employment Law Webinar

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:00:00 +0800

Mountain View, CA – April 19th, 2011

As the use of contingent labor increases, both federal and state agencies and plaintiffs’ attorneys are increasing their focus on independent contractor misclassification. Leading labor law attorney Kevin Hishta of Ogletree Deakins, together with industry expert Jason Posel, senior vice president of strategy and solutions for ClearPath Workforce Management, will explore strategies and practices for compliantly engaging contract workers, both individually and via third-party firms, to help companies ensure they avoid ending up on the wrong side of an audit or class action lawsuit. The webinar is titled "Contingent Workers - Managing the Risks".

Mr. Hishta has extensive experience in advising clients on contingent worker issues while Mr. Posel has over 10 years experience in managing contract workers and associated tax and labor law issues for corporate clients and both are regular speaker on such issues.

The webinar will cover:

The rules and regulations determining independent contractor status. Understand the key distinctions between independent contractors and employees;
The risks of independent contractor misclassification and the penalties of reclassification;
The strategies and practices for mitigating misclassification risk, including key contract terms, defensible policies and procedures, and comprehensive training programs;
The benefits of using a third party for evaluating independent contractor status; and
Reclassification strategies.

When:
Date: Thursday April 28, 2011
Time: 11am Pacific, 12pm Mountain, 1pm Central, 2pm Eastern

Who:
Human Resources, Contingent Workforce Managers, Finance, Procurement, Legal executives, Corporate recruitment

Speakers:
Kevin P. Hishta (Olgletree Deakins)
Jason Posel (ClearPath Workforce Management)
James M. McGrew - Moderator (Olgletree Deakins)

Cost:
$99.00
$49.00 (Ogletree Deakins client discount)

About ClearPath
With ClearPath's contractor management solutions, companies can more efficiently and cost-effectively engage, pay and manage the talent they need while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your pre-identified contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); and the most comprehensive Independent Contractor Compliance program available.

About Ogletree Deakins
Ogletree Deakins is a national labor and employment law firm, representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. The firm has more than 500 lawyers located in 40 offices across the United States. In addition to handling labor and employment law matters, the firm has thriving practices focused on business immigration, construction, employee benefits, environmental, and workplace safety and health law. Ogletree Deakins represents a diverse range of clients, including more than half of the Fortune 50 corporations in the United States. www.ogletreedeakins.com

ClearPath IC compliance experts present on 1099 worker misclassification.

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0800

Mountain View, CA – March 21st, 2011

ClearPath Workforce Management, a leading HRO with a focus on contingent labor compliance and engagement, have been asked to share their expertise on issues surrounding Independent Contractor misclassification at the IHR’s Virtual Workshop on March 23rd.

ClearPath’s VP of Compliance and Client Services, Sue Ortiz, along with Jason Posel, SVP, Strategy and Solutions will be hosting an educational webinar titled ‘The Slippery Slope of Independent Contractor Misclassification’. The webinar is part of a 2 day virtual event that is the second in a series of workshops in the IHR Contract Workforce & Talent Exchange Certification Program.

Attendees are not required to be enrolled in the certification program; however, the event is eligible for IHR, PHR, SPHR, and GPHR credits.

“While the basic rules and guidelines for classifying Independent Contractors have been in place for years, the level of risk for non-compliance has grown exponentially over the last few years and the legal framework continues to evolve,” said Posel. “Claiming a tax gap of billions of dollars, federal and state agencies, led by the IRS, are pursuing corporations who might be misclassifying workers more aggressively than ever, so companies need to understand how best to protect themselves from the risks involved in this critical workforce component”.

This session will:
• Look at the latest legislative and regulatory issues focused on worker misclassification
• Provide insight in to what is driving the increasingly aggressive federal and state approach to Independent Contractor status
• Review recent court cases and the impact they could have on your business
• Examine ways to determine who qualifies as a 1099 and who should be a W-2, including IRS, DOL, EDD and other federal and state agency guidelines
• Evaluate what the risks are for companies who misclassify workers, including possible financial penalties of reclassification, co-employment risk, wage and hour related issues
• Assess the different triggers for an audit, and the implications of this
• Discuss policies that your company can implement to balance legal risk against commercial needs
• Identify strategies for mitigating the risks of misclassification
• Reveal best practices for engaging contingent labor and Independent Contractors

IHR’s certification and accreditation process is developed through an independent Advisory Board composed of industry experts including ClearPath President, Renee Fink.

ClearPath announces the launch of an Employee Discount Program

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - February 22nd, 2011

ClearPath employees and consultants will now have access to the ClearPath -Working Advantage member’s only program. This gives them access to exclusive discounts at premium shopping websites and a host of other options including retail gift cards, hotels and restaurants, and tickets for movies, theatre shows, theme parks, museums and other attractions nationwide.

ClearPath, recently recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as one of the top five contractor payrolling and compliance firms, provides an outsourced solution for companies to engage and pay pre-identified contract workers. This talent pool typically includes skilled alumni, retirees, project-based and other types of workers sourced through internal channels and referrals.

“ClearPath workers can already take advantage of our corporate style benefits package, and the addition of this employee discount portal helps ensure they have access to a program better than those offered by many Fortune 500 firms” said Jason Posel, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Solutions for ClearPath.

Sue Ortiz, Vice President of Compliance and Client Services for ClearPath added “Just about everyone uses online shopping or ticketing websites so we are excited to be able to offer those working through us a convenient, easy to use website that has all the discounts and tickets on a single site.”

Purchases made through the portal earn members advantage points through the Advantage Points Loyalty Program. These points never expire and can be redeemed for reward movie tickets or gift cards. The program will include monthly raffles and promotions with members able to subscribe to various newsletter emails by category and region that interests them.

About Working Advantage
Working Advantage is the premier savings portal for more than 8,000 companies and organizations and their ten million employees and members nationwide. Founded in 1995 as Corporate Movie Club and originally offering a focused program of movie theatre and movie rental discounts, they rebranded in 2001 as Working Advantage to better reflect an expanded variety of entertainment and shopping discounts.

IHR Contract Workforce & Talent Exchange Workshop

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:00:00 +0800

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - December 1 & 2, 2010

ClearPath’s President and CEO, Renee Fink, is proud to be on the advisory board for IHR Contract Workforce & Talent Exchange Certification Program that launched in San Francisco earlier this month. This program is the first accreditation of its kind within the contingent labor space and has been developed by the Institute for Human Resources (IHR), a division of HR.com.

IHR’s certification and accreditation process is developed through an independent Advisory Board composed of industry experts with access to the latest technology, best practices and thought leaders in their respective spaces. The year-long certification program kicked off with the two day workshop at the South San Francisco Conference Centre on Dec 1st and 2nd, where attendees received access to over 30 hours of certification credits while attending the event.

Renee Fink, as part of the advisory board, was invited to share her expertise at the event by giving a presentation on "Integrating Contractor Payroll & Compliance into your program." This covered issues related to best practice for payrolling contract workers, the associated risks from independent contractor misclassification, and ways to implement solutions to these issues into a company’s current contingent labor program.

ClearPath’s Jason Posel, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, also participated on a panel discussing "Are all contract labor suppliers created equal?” alongside Todd Mohr, COO of Aerotek, Karen Maarouf, VP Product Marketing from Workforcelogics, Dana Shaw, SVP Strategy and Solutions from Staffing Industry Analysts and Deb McGrath, CEO of HR.com who moderated the discussion.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your internally sourced contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor Compliance solutions.

ClearPath Ranked In Top Five Specialist Contractor Payrolling and Compliance Firms

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - November 10, 2010

ClearPath Workforce Management, a leading HRO with a focus on contingent labor payroll and compliance, has been included on a list of the largest US firms providing payrolling and Independent Contractor compliance services.

The list, compiled by Staffing Industry Analysts as part of their special edition annual report, is based on net revenue, and also includes several staffing firms who also provide these types of services.

The recently released report, defines contractor payroll services, also known as W-2 Employer of Record services, as those that enable companies to engage contract labor through a third party employer, and incorporates items such as payroll processing, funding, and tax withholdings.

According to Staffing Industry Analysts, “an independent contractor is a self employed individual performing services for a company under contract rather than as an employee, either on or off site. In the US, there are federal and state laws that govern the relationship between a company and contractors. Firms providing compliance services help their customers determine correct employment status for their workers in order to be in compliance with government regulations related to independent contractors”.

ClearPath’s web-based program for independent contractor classification helps protect companies from unintentionally violating federal and state-specific 1099 regulations. It features a simple online questionnaire for both hiring managers and prospective contractors, and the answers are then assessed by ClearPath compliance specialists who provide a recommendation as to whether the person should work as a contractor or employee.

“ClearPath has long been acknowledged as a pioneer and leader in field of contractor payroll and compliance, and this type of recognition is always welcome” said Renee Fink, CEO and President for ClearPath. “With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost-effectively engage, retain and manage the contract talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers”.

ClearPath announces Sponsorship of Greater Miami Society for HR, 2010 Legal Update Seminar

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0800

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - September 3, 2010

ClearPath Workforce Management is a proud sponsor of GMSHRM’s 2010 Legal Update seminar being held at the Hotel Sofitel, Miami. The annual event, produced by the Greater Miami Society for Human Resource Management, focuses on the significant legal issues facing human resource professionals in today’s workplace.

The daylong seminar features a range of well-known labor and employment attorneys speaking on a range of relevant topics including recent Employment Law Updates, Health Care Reform, Internal Investigations, FMLA, Wage and Hour, Telecommuting, Virtual Workplace, FMLA, Counseling and Terminating Protected Employees and Independent Contractor Misclassification.

This year’s addition of Independent Contractor misclassification to the agenda is reflective of the upsurge of legislation and enforcement by both federal and state agencies around the use of contract workers.

“With the legislative environment becoming ever more daunting for companies, ClearPath is excited to be able to contribute to educating HR professionals around the legal minefield of engaging contingent labor”, said Fort Lauderdale based Jason Posel, ClearPath’s SVP, Strategy and Solutions. “Engaging contract workers can help companies achieve their goals and often makes good business sense. This event gives us the opportunity to demonstrate how we help them efficiently engage and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent labor”.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost-effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

Risks and solutions for using contingent labor discussed at global forum

Wed, 19 May 2010 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - May 19, 2010

Contingent workforce professionals from across the globe gathered at this year’s CWS Risk Forum to seek solutions to one of the most complex problems facing procurement and HR professionals today, the risks associated with engaging contingent labor.

The conference, co-sponsored by ClearPath, is the only one of its kind that serves as a forum for sophisticated buyers and suppliers of contingent labor who must know best practices for managing contingent workforce related risks including Independent Contractor Compliance, Co-employment, Intellectual Property Protection, Worker Misclassification, Wage and Hour Compliance Risks, SOW spend, global risks, and pending changes in legislation.

During the two-day conference, attendees were able to choose from sessions covering a variety of issues including healthcare reform and discussions on “hot cases” and pending legislation

ClearPath’s VP of Compliance and Client Services, Sue Ortiz, joined other subject matter experts on a moderated panel titled “Surviving an Independent Contractor Audit”. Other speakers on the panel were Laura Schuchardt of Autodesk, Gregory Homer of Drinker Biddle & Reath and Ley Mills of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The panel was well received in light of the IRS recent announcement of plans to hire hundreds of additional auditors to conduct 6,000 random audits of business, with a focus on contractor misclassification.

Jason Posel, ClearPath’s SVP of Sales and Marketing facilitated one of the roundtable discussions on “Rolling out a successful independent contractor compliance program”.. “It is becoming increasingly clear that companies engaging temporary labor will become the IRS’s new target to fill the $350 billion tax gap” said Posel. “Additionally the Obama administration has taken bold action in elevating the issue of independent contractor misclassification, and the forum highlighted that companies can no longer afford to ignore the risks associated with using contract labor”.

The event also saw enormous interest in ClearPath’s ICQ 2.0 program which protects its clients from unintentionally violating federal and state-specific 1099 regulations. ICQ 2.0 is ClearPath’s proven online tool which synthesizes IRS and state law into a consistent, repeatable and documented process for contractor compliance.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. WithClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost-effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

Contingent Workforce management pioneer announces management buyout from its former parent company

Sun, 09 May 2010 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - May 10, 2010
A management buyout of Albany Services, Inc. from its former parent company has been announced. The acquisition includes all current US operations and staff, as well as those in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The US operation was originally founded in 1992, since when it has continually proven itself to be a pioneer and leader in contingent workforce management and compliance solutions.

Company president Renee Fink commented that "We are well positioned to prosper in this environment. We have a long history of successfully providing contingent workforce management programs, a solid base of clients, established relationships with key partners and a well seasoned and knowledgeable management team. We also intend to become a certified woman owned business, which may give some additional benefit to our clients, and will look to change our name and branding".

"The current management team has been in place for between 9 and 17 years," added Jason Posel, senior vice president. "We believe that becoming an employee owned business will give us the flexibility, independence and focus to further develop our programs and reinforce our commitment to the highest levels of customer service".

ClearPath to Sponsor Contingent Workforce Risk Forum 2010

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Apr. 01, 2010 –Contingent workforce management company ClearPath will be a Pinnacle Sponsor of the 2010 Contingent Workforce Risk Forum, to be held May 11-12 at the Gaylord National Hotel, Maryland.

Produced by Staffing Industry Analysts, Inc., The Risk Forum is the only conference that focuses on the risks associated with managing a contingent workforce. The expert presentations, case studies and networking provide attendees a clear sense of best practices and next steps to optimize their contingent workforce programs.

ClearPath’s VP of Compliance & Client Services, Sue Ortiz, will be speaker on the panel on the topic “Surviving an Independent Contractor Audit”.

The Forum provides a perfect arena for ClearPath’s areas of expertise, helping companies outsource the employment, compliance and administration of contingent workers through several programs options. Through its Employer of Record service, ClearPath acts as a traditional employer, hiring contingent workers as W2 employees, handling new hire paperwork, processing payroll and paying taxes, benefits and required insurance. Its costs are a fraction of the cost of staffing companies. Via its Agent of Record service, ClearPath hires, payrolls and manages 1099 independent contractors, and handles all sub-vendors to provide choice for customers.

ClearPath’s Independent Contractor compliance services protect customers from unintentionally violating federal and state-specific 1099 regulations. ICQ 2.0, ClearPath’s proven online tool, synthesizes IRS and state law into a consistent, repeatable and documented process for 1099 compliance.

“The Risk Forum is an ideal opportunity for contingent workforce personnel to keep abreast of new legislation, best practices and to connect,” said Jason Posel, SVP Sales and Marketing of ClearPath.

About ClearPath

ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

ClearPath joins experts to discuss Independent Contractor Compliance and Co-Employment

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Nov. 12, 2009 – Companies involved in co-employment of independent contractors are assuming more risk than ever due to changing legal requirements, according to industry experts.

As most organizations now realize, they must carefully balance the benefits of deploying independent contractors with the legal and financial risks. That is a significant change from conditions within the last five years, according to Jason Posel, ClearPath senior vice president.

Posel and a team of experts recently spoke to a packed room during “Everything you Ever Needed to Know about Independent Contractor Classification and Co-Employment…But Were Afraid to Ask,” at the 2009 Contingent Workforce Strategies (CWS) Summit.

“We’re no longer evangelizing independent contractor compliance like we did.,” said Posel. “Now almost every Fortune 1000 company has at least one person, if not teams, dedicated to managing their contingent workforce and the associated compliance risks. They’re interested now in practical solutions to compliance and ways to educate their C-level management.”

A legal expert from Littler Mendelson and a contract labor executive from Shell joined Posel on the panel to discuss legal issues and practical guiding policies to avoid independent contractor classification risks.

ClearPath has focused on contingent worker compliance for the past 15 years. The company alleviates independent contractor employment concerns through a variety of compliance services. Through its Employer of Record service, ClearPath hires contingent workers as W2 employees, handles new hire paperwork, processes payroll and pays taxes, benefits and required insurance. ClearPath also hires, payrolls and manages 1099 independent contractors via its Agent of Record service.

Independent Contractor compliance services protect ClearPath customers from unintentionally violating federal and state-specific 1099 regulations. ICQ 2.0, ClearPath’s proven online tool, synthesizes IRS and state law into a consistent, repeatable and documented process for 1099 compliance.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

ClearPath to Sponsor Contingent Workforce Strategies Summit 2009

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0800

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Oct. 30, 2009 –Contingent workforce management company ClearPath will be a Pinnacle Sponsor of the 2009 Contingent Workforce Strategies (CWS) Summit, to be held November 3-4 at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

Produced by Staffing Industry Analysts, Inc., The CWS Summit is the only conference that focuses on the issues of sourcing and managing a contingent workforce. The expert presentations, case studies and networking provide attendees a clear sense of best practices and next steps to optimize their contingent workforce programs.

The summit provides a perfect arena for ClearPath’s areas of expertise, helping companies outsource the employment, compliance and administration of contingent workers through several programs options. Through its Employer of Record service, ClearPath acts as a traditional employer, hiring contingent workers as W2 employees, handling new hire paperwork, processing payroll and paying taxes, benefits and required insurance. Its costs are a fraction of the cost of staffing companies. Via its Agent of Record service, ClearPath hires, payrolls and manages 1099 independent contractors, and handles all sub-vendors to provide choice for customers.

“CWS Summit is an ideal opportunity for contingent workforce personnel to keep abreast of new legislation, best practices and to connect,” said Jason Posel, senior vice president of ClearPath.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

Increased IRS Audits means closer scrutiny of Worker Misclassification

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0800

Mountain View, Calif. – Oct. 20, 2009 – New IRS programs and increasing scrutiny by states will catch more employers in the misclassification of temporary and contract workers, according to ClearPath, a contingent workforce management firm.

The IRS has announced it will begin an intensified audit program in February 2010 that will review 6,000 randomly selected companies for underpayment of employment taxes.

In addition, states such as Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maryland have recently ruled in favor of stringent legal standards for independent contractor classification, and increased penalties. Other states are expected to similarly clamp down on worker misclassification.

"Over 70 percent of all audits result in finding misclassified workers, and the IRS and EDD prevail in over 90 percent of cases that go to hearing or trial," said Jason Posel, senior vice president. "Employers need to look at how they currently deal with independent contractors and implement processes for ensuring compliance with all regulations.

With audits going back three years, most companies have a hard time proving past compliance when they don’t have a reliable process in place, according to Posel.

Penalties are onerous and so are the subsequent claims of non-payment for overtime and benefits. Northwestern Mutual was recently hit with a $200 million lawsuit by employees claiming to have been misclassified as 1099's, joining the likes of Microsoft, HP and Time Warner that have faced various judgments in the tens of millions of dollars. Fed-Ex, who were issued a multi million dollar fine by the IRS, continue to face multi-state class action law suits by former misclassified contractors.

ICQ 2.0, ClearPath’s Web-based Independent Contractor evaluation program, combines IRS and state law to produce a clear, consistent, and documented process for 1099 compliance. A simple online questionnaire for hiring managers and prospective contractors enables ClearPath to advise employers so they don't unintentionally violate federal and state-specific 1099 regulations.

ClearPath also offers co-branded and private labeled compliance "microsites" that are easily integrated into an organization's existing process, educating all stakeholders on compliance risk.

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

ClearPath offers Webinar Series

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0800

Mountain View, CA - September 16, 2009 - ClearPath is announcing a new webinar series to help recruiters and staffing companies develop a contract staffing model with no start-up costs.

Webinars will be held monthly with the first webinar scheduled for Wednesday, September 23 at 2:00 PM EST.

The economic turbulence in the U.S. has reduced revenues for staffing firms and recruiters that focus on the delivery of direct hire, executive search and retained search services. As those opportunities shrink due to corporate hiring freezes and layoffs, many recruiters are looking for other revenue streams and ways to continue supporting their clients.

ClearPath's webinar series shows recruiters how they can easily implement or expand into the contractor placement business with no start up costs and no administrative responsibilities or capital expenditures.

"Contract staffing is one of the few growth areas in the current economy, and provides an excellent opportunity to generate new or additional revenue streams." said John Smith, ClearPath vice president, recruiter outsourced services.

The webinar will cover:

HR Services: for onboarding, ongoing candidate management, employee and independent contractor agreements
Payroll Processing: dealing with multi-state processing, tax withholdings, reporting and year end issues
Payroll Funding: how to fund your contractor placement business
Administration: client contract negotiations, timesheet collection, expense processing, client invoicing
Credit Checks and Credit Control: how to make sure you get paid
Insurance: how to meet client commercial insurance requirements and deal with workers comp issues

"Now is the time for recruiters that have never placed contract workers to develop new channels with existing clients" added Smith, "or for staffing firms dealing with the fallout of the credit crunch to find new ways to fund weekly payroll or new contractor projects".

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (ClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.

ClearPath’s IC Compliance services address concern over Worker Misclassification

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0800

Mountain View, CA - June 18, 2009 – Recent legislation and a history of record settlements of independent contractor misclassification suits is causing increased concern among companies who use temporary or contract workers.

To address this, ClearPath today unveiled a new version of its Independent Contractor Qualification (ICQ) Web tool at the 2009 Contingent Workforce Strategies Co-Employment and Risk Forum. ICQ 2.0 combines IRS and state law to produce a clear, consistent, repeatable and documented process for 1099 compliance, and now has a range of value-added features.

The misclassification audits by the IRS and other Federal and state agencies-common within markets known for high use of contractors, have onerous penalties. Microsoft was sued by misclassified workers for denial of benefits, including stock options, resulting in a $97 million settlement. The Department of Labor's suit against Time Warner resulted in a $5.5 million settlement, specifying unpaid benefits for independent contractors.

Newer and pending legislation guarantees such investigations will increase, including The Obama-Durbin Independent Contractor Proper Classification Act of 2007, and the House of Representative's proposed Employee Misclassification Prevention Act. The IRS has also budgeted $86 million for contract worker classification audits.

ClearPath's ICQ 2.0 tool helps protect companies from unintentionally violating federal and state-specific 1099 regulations. It features a simple online questionnaire for both hiring managers and prospective contractors, and the answers are then assessed by ClearPath compliance specialists who provide a recommendation as to whether the person should work as a contractor or employee.

ICQ expands the available talent pool by enabling ClearPath's clients to engage contractors who request and comply with 1099 status. For those who cannot, ClearPath can act as the Employer of Record, converting the individual to W-2 compliant status and handling payroll, insurance, and tax withholdings. New features include IC Compliance microsites that can be co-branded, private labeled and easily integrated into existing internal processes. The small Web sites help educate all stakeholders on compliance risk, addressing common problems and explain reasons for the company policy. This centralized communication center automates the process of deploying independent contractors who comply with state and federal regulations.

"As a sponsor of the CWS Co-Employment and Risk Forum, we felt it was the perfect arena to launch the upgraded version of this increasingly in-demand tool," said Jason Posel, senior vice president for ClearPath. "We will be demoing it to representatives of some of the largest companies in the U.S., and the demo will also be available on the ClearPath website."

About ClearPath
ClearPath is a leading HRO with a focus on the contingent labor market. With 17 years of experience our contractor management and payroll programs include: Employer of Record (AClearPath hires your contractors as our own W-2 employees); Agent of Record services (billing and payment consolidation for Independent Contractors); Direct Source (leveraging your brand to drive internal recruitment); and Independent Contractor compliance solutions. With ClearPath, companies can efficiently and cost –effectively engage, retain and manage the talent they need, while mitigating the risks associated with contingent workers.