(Construction Executive) Understanding Employer and Employee Jobsite Responsibilities During COVID-19. The Center for Disease Control and Occupational Safety and Health Administration have developed guidance specifically for contractors to keep jobsites safe. Complying with these guidelines costs money. Contractors must include the additional costs in job estimates. Learn why from Don Kaiser, CPA.

(Accounting Today) Gifting and taxes: The sooner the better. While festivities may be somewhat dampened this year due to the coronavirus, the holiday season seems to foster a spirit of giving. This year might be a good time to indulge the spirit, according to wealth planners. Learn why.

(Accounting Today) IRS expanding IP PIN opt-in program to all taxpayers. The IRS is expanding its Identity Protection PIN opt-in program nationwide starting in January. The IP PIN is a six-digit number that is assigned by the IRS to eligible taxpayers to help safeguard their Social Security number from being used on fraudulent federal income tax returns. An IP PIN also helps the IRS verify a taxpayer’s identity and accept their electronic or paper tax return. Learn more.

(Financial Planning) How to reduce estimated tax penalties with IRA distributions. Taxpayers are generally required to pay their income tax liability throughout the year as they earn their income, with any amounts owed upon the filing of an income tax return serving merely as a truing up between what the taxpayer thought they’d owe (and paid in taxes throughout the previous year) and what they actually owe. Read more.

(Tax Foundation) Ranking sales taxes on the 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index. The 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index includes each states’ rankings on the Index’s sales and excise tax component. See how your state is ranked.

(Harvard Business Review) What inclusive leaders sound like. When leaders commit to building an inclusive organization, they tend to start with the company mission, vision, values, and a promise to ensure everyone in the organization has a voice. But if they do not change the way they communicate every day with their employees, leaders are missing a crucial piece. Learn more.

(Information Week) 7 business continuity lessons any organization can learn. Here are some habits that organizations can apply to overcome the challenges, keep employees safe, manage risk and come through any crisis stronger than ever. Read more.

(New Jersey Business & Industry Association) What Your Employee Handbook Should Say (And Not Say) About Leaves of Absence. There are more than a half dozen state and federal laws concerning leaves of absence for workers, but they all do not necessarily need to be in your employee handbooks. Read more.

(Construction Dive) Top U.S. retailers put the brakes on construction spending. The top 10 retail chains reduced construction starts 15% to $1.876 billion, in a move away from brick-and-mortar retail that has been ongoing for years but accelerated by the pandemic. Learn why.

(Construction Dive) 7 ways to prepare for potential COVID-19 construction shutdowns. Are more stop-work orders ahead? Here is what to do to be able to come back in stride. Read more.

(Construction Dive) CDC plan puts essential workers second in line for COVID-19 vaccine. Presentation materials from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee meeting put essential workers second in line for who should get the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine but did not specifically mention construction workers. Learn why.

(Construction Dive) Can employers restrict workers' personal travel? As COVID-19 cases surge, construction and other businesses have some options when it comes to employees' holiday vacations. Read more.

(Construction Dive) Trade groups: Amid COVID-19 challenges, construction has performed better than most industries. While construction has struggled through a year of unprecedented challenges, it has also proven to be one of the country’s most resilient industries considering the coronavirus outbreak. Read more.

(Forbes) 2021 Housing Forecast: Sellers will still have upper hand as buyers struggle with affordability. Amid COVID-19 uncertainty, 2021 will be a robust sellers’ market as home prices hit new highs and buyer competition remains strong, according to the realtor.com 2021 housing forecast. Inventory is expected to make a slow but steady comeback, which will give buyers some relief. However, increasing interest rates and prices will make affordability a challenge throughout the year. Learn why.

(Housing Wire) FHFA extends foreclosure and eviction moratorium to January 31. This marks the fourth time the government agency has extended the moratorium, now another month past its most recent deadline of December 31. Read more.

(Philadelphia Business Journal) SBA PPP loan database: Search for names of PPP borrowers and loan amounts. The U.S. Small Business Administration released more detailed information regarding the $659 billion federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including names of recipients and exact loan amounts. Read more.

(Philadelphia Business Journal) Small businesses ramp up PPP loan forgiveness requests — but the SBA still lags behind. Small businesses have amped up their Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness efforts — but the Small Business Administration is still lagging behind. Learn why.

(Philadelphia Business Journal) Small businesses hit with another PPP tax change. Here is what it means. The IRS has added a new wrinkle to the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program. Learn more.

We will continue to keep you updated. Please visit our COVID-19 Resource Page for more alerts.

Feel free to contact any member of our team at (610) 828-1900 (PA) or (732) 341-3893 (NJ) with questions. Rich Higgins, CPA, managing principal – New Jersey office can be contacted at Richard.Higgins@MCC-CPAs.com. I can be reached at Marty.McCarthy@MCC-CPAs.com. As always, we are happy to help.