Chicago Chapter - APA
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November, 2008 Volume 2, Issue 10 |
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Newsletter of the
Chicago Chapter of the American Payroll Association |
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2008 Calendar January No Meeting February 2– CPP Review Class 16–
CPP Review Class 21—Chapter Meeting Compliance Auditing March 1– CPP & FPC Review Class 15--CPP
& FPC Review Class 29– CPP & FPC Review Class April 12–
CPP Review Class 25—25th Anniversary Celebration May 13-17 – 26th Annual Congress, Austin, TX June 5–
Chapter Meeting Payroll Basics 20-21-
Relay for Life July No Meeting August 8 – Chapter Meeting Payroll All Day Meeting Officer
Elections September 1-5 National Payroll Week Celebration
15th Annual Illinois Statewide October 29—Chapter
Meeting Preparing For Year End November Holiday Party Official newsletter of the Chicago Chapter |
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Silver Bells –Ringing in the Future!! Chicago Chapter Annual Recognition
and Holiday Party Celebration Did you celebrate when
you got your CPP or FPC certification?
Did you cry when you didn’t? Are
you thinking about taking the test or are you just in the mood to
CELEBRATE!! This is the time to do
it all! Come cheer on our newest
group of CPP & FPC. Recognize their hard work along with our teachers and
sponsors. Come enjoy an evening of Fun, Food, Awards, Prizes and
Entertainment! When: Saturday, November 22, 2008. Where: At the Wellington of Arlington, 2121 South
Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Time: 6:00 PM Cocktail Reception 7:00 PM Dinner and Awards Guest Speaker: Emily Rook, CPP President American Payroll
Association Entertainment by:
Sidney Friedman ”Psychic & Mentalist to the Stars Music by: DJ Rob!! Please bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Off The Street Club. Representatives will be there. |
Eligible for the Educational Grant: By attending the Holiday Party you are eligible for
the Educational Grant for our CPP/FPC Class for 2009. Attendees to the Holiday Party will be
entered in the drawing that night. Cost for the evening: $55 for Members $60 for Non-Members. Join us
in Congratulating our newest FPC/CPP individuals who will be receiving their
Pins. Also join us in Congratulating our
new officers: Mary
Kazmierczak, CPP President Paula
Black, CPP- Vice President Kathy
Mizejewski, CPP- Recording Sec Katie
Staffeldt, CPP- Educational Director Carolyn
Kerkman, CPP- Government Liaison . |
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2008
Chapter Officers
President Chris O”Hara, CPP Vice President Mary Kazmierczak, CPP Recording Secretary Gabriel Vergara, CPP Treasurer Hank Mazik, CPP Gov. Liaison Katie Staffeldt, CPP Correspondence Secretary Mary Weiner, CPP Education Director Carolyn Kerkman CPP |
New Educational Grant: Winner to be announced at the Recognition
and Holiday Celebration!! The
Chapter will be offering a chance to earn an Educational Grant for our
CPP/FPC Class for 2009. All attendees
to our up coming meetings, Golf Outing, Sept. 5th, Year-End
Meeting, Oct 29th and the Holiday Party, Nov. 22nd will
be entered into this drawing. We
will have a winner for both the CPP and the FPC class. If you have taken the CPP test and passed,
the grant will be used for your RCH (Recertification Credit Hours). The
winner will be announced at the end of the Holiday Party. Winner need not be presented to win. An email will be sent to the winner. Prize
must be claimed by Nov. 25th Anymore
Pop Can Tabs.-We are almost there!!
1 more Event to bring your POP TOPS!! The
Recognition Celebration will be the last time to bring your saved POP
TOPS. We almost have a full 50 lb. container filled with pop can
tops. Please ask your family and
friends to continue to save pop can tops.
We will be donating them to the Ronald McDonald House at the end of
the year. Thanks for your continued support in this project. |
Just for fun!! You Might Be From Chicago
If: 1. The
"living room" is called the "front room". 6. You understand that no
person from Chicago can be a
Cub fan AND a White Sox fan. 16. You carry jumper cables in your car. Page
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Upcoming Chapter
Meetings
February 21 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Compliance Auditing Kronos 425 N Martingale Rd Suite 40 Schaumburg, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am April 25 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm 25th
Anniversary Special Guest: Dan Maddux Exec Dir APA June 5 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Payroll Basics Continental
Breakfast 8:30 am June 20-21 6:00 pm-6:00 am Relay for Life American Cancer Society Oak Brook August 8 9:00 am-4:00 pm Tax Day Officer Elections Continental Breakfast 8:30 am White Eagle Banquet October 29 9:00-12:00 pm Preparing For Year End ADP 100 Northwest Point
Blvd Elk Grove, IL Continental
Breakfast 8:30 am November 22 Holiday Party Wellington Elk Grove Village |
Great way to get your RCH Credits before the end of the year or at
anytime? Audio Seminar Series With APA's Audio Seminar Series, you will learn the
latest on payroll, human resources, and benefits topics, prepare for
certification exams, and earn continuing education credit. Additionally, the
Q & A session during the live teleconference allows you to share
information, ideas, and problem-solving techniques with your colleagues
nationwide. This series is ideal for Payroll Professionals who
cannot afford additional time away from the office but want to prepare for
the FPC and CPP exams, continue accumulating recertification credit hours, or
learn the latest information. Seminars are presented by James Medlock, CPP,
APA Director of Education and Training, unless otherwise noted. All calls are toll-free. Also Payroll Webinars On Demand: With
APA's Payroll Webinars On Demand, you will learn the
latest on payroll, human resources, and benefits topics, ensuring you
understand the most important compliance issues, prepare
for certification exams, and earn continuing education credit. These
webinars are ideal for Payroll Professionals who cannot afford additional
time away from the office but want to ensure their company's compliance,
prepare for the FPC and CPP exams, earn recertification credit hours, or
learn the latest payroll information. Seminars
are presented by members of APA's National Speaker's Bureau. Please note that Payroll Webinars On
Demand are available for viewing at your convenience. Format:The Webinars will be
delivered over the Internet. For each webinar for which you have registered,
you will receive an e-mail with instructions and links to download course
materials, access the Webinar, evaluate the Webinar, and get a completion
certificate. |
APA Seminar Series Con’t Schedule All audio seminars are 90 minutes, and will be held at the following times: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET 12 Noon - 1:30 p.m. CT 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. MT 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. PT Recertification Credit Earn** 1.5
Recertification Credit Hours (RCH), 0.15 Continuing Education Units (CEU) or
1 Continuing Professional Education Hour (CPE) for each seminar. ** Each
Primary participant must call in on their own line to receive RCH, CEU or CPE
credit for this seminar. Additional Listeners at the same location should
listen in with the Primary participant. See registration form for details. In
order to qualify for credit, the additional listener must be registered with
the primary participant at the Listener price. The number of additional
listeners is limited to 4. Auditing Your Payroll Records for
Compliance Product Code 080011 11/13/2008 Auditing Your Payroll
Records for Compliance Audio APA Member $111.00 Colleague $130.00 Non-Member $140.00 For more information go to http://www.americanpayroll.org Page 3 |
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Government Corner Social
Security Continues to Make Progress Expediting Backlogged Disability Cases;
Limited Resources Under a Continuing Resolution Already Slowing Momentum In fiscal year
(FY) 2008, Social Security made impressive progress in the agency’s efforts
to resolve its backlog of disability cases. Social Security
hired and trained 190 new Administrative Law Judges, opened a National
Hearing Center, virtually eliminated its entire aged case backlog of more
than 135,000 cases, and implemented a quick disability determination process
in all 50 states. As a result of these and many other activities, the
disability backlog at the hearings level, which had been growing at the rate
of about 70,000 cases each year for most of the decade, grew by less than
14,000 cases in FY 2008. In fact, had new receipts not substantially exceeded
our expectations, the hearing operation would have seen a decrease in its
pending cases. “The plan we
presented to Congress in May 2007 is working,” said Social Security
Commissioner Michael J. Astrue. “We have moved quickly to utilize new
technologies, improve our business processes, and add new staff. Combined
with the hard work of our employees and the support of Congress, we are
clearly on the right track to providing Americans with disabilities the
prompt service they deserve.” Looking ahead to
FY 2009, Commissioner Astrue warns that the effects of an extended continuing
resolution are slowing progress. “We simply cannot address the challenges we
face without adequate and timely funding. Many things we need to do, such as
increase support staff and add new hearing offices, will not happen if
Congress is unable to pass an adequate appropriations bill soon.” |
Government Corner –(con’t) Recently
Released Rates for 2009
The
Social Security Administration announced on Thursday, October 16, 2008, that
the 2009 social security wage base will be $106,800. The maximum social
security tax employees and employers will each pay in 2009 is $6,621.60. 401(k): Annual
Compensation Limit: increased from $230k to $245k 401(k)
contribution increased from $15500 to $16500 Catch-up
contribution increased from $5000 to $5500 Commuter: Parking
Limit: increased from $220 to $230 per month Voucher
Fare Media Limit increased from $115 to $120 Social
Security Announces Nationwide Launch of Compassionate Allowances On October 27,
Commissioner Astrue announced the national rollout of the Compassionate
Allowances initiative, a way to expedite the processing of disability claims
for applicants whose medical conditions are so severe that their conditions
obviously meet Social Security’s standards. “Getting benefits
quickly to people with the most severe medical conditions is both the right
and the compassionate thing to do," Commissioner Astrue said.
“This initiative will allow us to make decisions on these cases in a matter
of days, rather than months or years.” Social Security
is launching this expedited decision process with a total of 50 conditions.
Over time, more diseases and conditions will be added. A list of impairments,
as well as more information about Compassionate Allowances, can be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/. Page 4 Page 4 |
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Time to Join or Renew
APA Memberships 2009! Chicago Chapter
Membership 2009 Who
needs to pay dues? Per our by-laws Chapter Dues apply to everyone – board
members, CPP & FPC attendees and teachers, continuing members, etc. To
maintain benefits, members are required to renew their membership each
year. Like the rising gas costs, Chapter Dues for 2009 are increasing to
$50.00 beginning December 16, 2008. This
year only, we are offering an Early Bird Special! If you join or
renew your membership between September 1, 2008 and December 15, 2008, you
can do so at the current $40.00 dues rate. You can pay by Credit Card at www.chicagopayroll.com and join/renew online
or by sending us a check payable to Chicago Chapter APA at Chicago Chapter
APA, P.O. Box 836, Chicago, IL 60690-0836. Be sure to include your name,
company name, address, email and phone number and APA National Membership
Number. Chapter Purpose and
Member Benefits The
Chicago Chapter exists to share and promote knowledge, professionalism, high
standards of performance, networking and communication among payroll
professionals in the Chicago area through offering educational events and
community service activities. Chapter
Benefits include: ·
Organization
website www.chicagopayroll.com featuring chapter
educational events, compliance updates, job opportunities, networking events
and vendors; links to National APA site and other key payroll websites ·
Monthly
Newsletter – keeps members up to date with the latest and upcoming events ·
Hotline
Service –assistance with payroll topics provided by member volunteers ·
Education
and training – members receive admission discounts and recertification
credits for attending quarterly educational sessions, FPC & CPP review
and study groups and the IL Statewide conference ·
Access to
200 local Members - networking with professionals in your same industry,
size, software services and expertise on various payroll topics ·
Participation
in award-winning Chapter that is acknowledged at APA National level for their
achievements; past presidents who have also become presidents at the national
level ·
Promote
community service through payroll education for various groups and charity
events |
·
·
National
Payroll Week – chapter participates in special events and community education
events that recognize payroll professionals and their support of the payroll
withholding system. ·
·
Annual
Recognition & Holiday Party – celebrate/award member and chapter
achievements; members receive discounted admission National APA Membership
2009 If
you have not joined the National APA Membership or you were a member and let
your membership lapse, now is the time! Through December 15, 2008 APA is
waiving the new member $35.00 enrollment fee which means instead of enrolling
for $230 you can enroll for just the One Year Membership fee $195. Payment by Credit Card can be processed
online at www.americanpayroll.org/promo and enter the promo code: MEMBRMGM or send check in by
mail. All of the information is found online and as well as information about
membership benefits! This
option is not available for current members who are renewing their membership
for 2009. Membership renewal for One Year is $195; Two Years $390. Don’t let
your membership lapse! Go to www.americanpayroll.org and renew today! ---------------------------------------------------- Exclusive! For Chicago Chapter Members Joining/Renewing Both Memberships! Want to be able to
attend an educational session and earn recertification credits for free? Beginning
September 1, 2008, any Chicago Chapter Member who joins or renews their
Chapter Membership by December 15, 2008 and
who joins or renews their National Membership by December 15, 2008 can
receive one coupon for free admission
to one of our chapter payroll educational sessions held in 2009 (excludes
review classes, Statewide Meeting and Annual Recognition & Holiday
Party). To
receive your coupon, you must provide us with proof of membership
join/renewal to Chicago Chapter (Acknowledgement Email) and to the National
APA (Order Confirmation and National ID Number) that documents both
membership payments were made before December 16, 2008. In order to be
eligible, both memberships must be secured before December 16, 2008 – no
exceptions! All proof records must be
mailed to Chicago Chapter APA, P.O. Box 836, Chicago, IL 60690-0836 by
January 31, 2009 to be considered. Page 5 |
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Mailing Address: Chicago Chapter APA PO Box 836 Chicago, IL 60690-0836 Phone: (773) 631-8480 {24-hr.
Recording) E-mail : Chicago_Chapter_apa@hotmail.com NPW Corner : Tell us what
you are planning for NPW. |
THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with
Robert Wilson The Pleasure Principle Swing
and miss. “Strike Two.” cried the
umpire. I threw one more pitch right
in at the player’s wrists. He swung
hard, but the ball just dribbled right back to the pitcher’s mound. I picked it up and gently tossed it to the
first baseman for the out. As
the batter turned back toward the dugout, his team captain stepped out and
screamed, “Darrell, you’ve got to get over your fear of this guy!” The
words poured like sweet honey into my ears.
It
was the third time I had gotten him out that night including two strike
outs. I had completely shut down the
best hitter on the best team in the league.
It was the most fun I’d had in weeks. No,
I wasn’t throwing heat. Quite the
contrary, I’m talking about slow-pitch recreational softball for the
over-thirty crowd. But,
I was totally into it. Once a week I
stood on the mound under the lights with everyone’s eye on me. Despite the
butterflies in my stomach, I can’t image anything more exciting (OK, maybe
skydiving!). And,
I was totally motivated! I spent
several hours each week tossing balls in my driveway. I set up an area with a pitcher’s rubber
and home plate laid out to the exact dimensions of those on the playing
field. After I mastered the two
standard softball pitches, I developed two of my own. The best was a softball version of the
knuckleball. A spin-less ball that
baffled batters the first time they saw it, but even when they did hit it -
they could never get any distance on it. I
have friends who are obsessed with golf; others with tennis. None of them have a clue what drives me to
play softball. But, then again, I
don’t get why they play golf or tennis. |
The
Pleasure Principle Cont. What
motivates me to play softball or for that matter my friends to play golf and
tennis? That’s easy... it’s fun! It is all about having fun... pleasure is
very motivating. We all seek some
pleasure in life. It’s what keeps us going.
And, for those pursuits that we enjoy, we are never too tired; we
always seem to find time and energy for them. It comes to us easily. If only we could find that kind of
relaxed energy for work. What
is it that you can’t wait to do everyday? Is it a hobby? A
sport? Sigmund Freud described that
driving creative spirit as the Pleasure Principle. But, he also spoke of a contrasting
principle that existed to put the brakes on our desire called the Death
Instinct. Thankfully that theory
has been disproved; however, it’s still very true that “all work and no play
make Jack a dull boy.” Not only
dull. Where happiness is absent -
health is often absent too. I
look forward to work every day. I have
clearly followed the advice of my father who encouraged me to
find a job I enjoyed so that I would never “work” a day in my life. In her book Do What You Love, The Money
Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood, Marsha Sinetar tells us
to do the same thing. But, what
should you do if you’re not happy in your work? Make changes! That may
be easier said than done. So, if you
can’t change your job, then change your work environment. It’s
a well known fact that employees who enjoy their work are more
productive. This is so true that
people frequently turn down better paying jobs to stay with one that is fun.
There are many ways to make your workplace more fun. Authors Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes in
their book offer us 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work. Every company is different so it will be
up to you to discover what you can do to make your place of business more
fun. But, if you want to motivate
your staff – I always say, “Give them something to laugh about!” Robert
Evans Wilson, Jr. is a motivational speaker and humorist. He works with
companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think
like innovators. For more information on Robert's programs please visit
www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com. Page 6 |
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Chicago Chapter -APA PO Box 836 Chicago,
IL 60690-0836 |
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