IRS tax refund update: Recovery rebate error notices sent | Fast Company

August 12, 2021August 9, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Remember what it felt like when your teacher marked something as “incorrect” on your homework, but then the correction itself turned out to be incorrect? Well, millions of American taxpayers may feel like they’re in that very situation right now.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued some 5 million “math error notices” that neglected to inform people of their full legal rights, according to an update from the Taxpayer Advocate Service this week. The letters, sent as a result of corrections the IRS made to people’s tax returns, made no mention of a key detail: that taxpayers only have 60 days to dispute the error in question.

Coming Soon For The Unvaccinated: A $50 Monthly Paycheck Deduction From Your Employer | Forbes

August 12, 2021August 9, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Employers are beginning to tack on a special surcharge of $20 to $50 a month to their unvaccinated workers, according to one of the nation’s largest health benefits consultancies.

To date, employers have offered gift cards, a day off from work, cash and other financial incentives to convince their workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

But the carrot approach is about to be joined by a stick that could cost employees up to $50 a month, according to Mercer, the large employee benefits consultancy that works with thousands of employers around the world.

11 Effective Negotiation Strategies to Help Seal the Deal | AllBusiness.com

August 11, 2021August 9, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Whether it’s about a job offer or a potential business partnership, every professional will find themselves negotiating at some point in their career. The secret to achieving a positive outcome for both parties doesn’t have to be a mystery, however, and the key is often in thorough preparation and knowing some effective negotiation strategies. To help professionals who are looking to hone their negotiation skills, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared important steps to negotiating well. In business, what’s the most important step in any effective negotiation strategy, and why?

Knowing the Cheapest Days to Fly will Cut Business Travel Costs | Small Business Trends

August 11, 2021August 9, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Saving money on business travel isn’t just about choosing the least expensive airline and finding the best travel site. Selecting the right days to fly can also make a major impact on pricing. Read on for a full guide on finding the cheapest time to fly for business travelers looking to cut costs.

Cutting Costs on Business Travel

Business travel can help you connect with clients, network with others in your industry, and attend large events around the world. But all those flights can weigh on your budget. Luckily, there are ways to save money on business travel while still reaping many of the benefits.

First, check sites like Airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner for deals on flights for affordable travel. Then consider changing your travel plans to find lower fares during slow travel seasons or days when airplanes generally aren’t full.

NASA Wants You to Live In a Simulated Mars Environment | Digital Trends

August 10, 2021August 8, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live on Mars, now is your chance to find out. NASA is recruiting crew members for a simulation mission who will live on a Mars-like environment on Earth for one year.

Simulated missions help agencies figure out what the psychological response to a year of isolation and potentially stressful tasks will be. This is particularly important for a future mission to Mars, which will be farther away from Earth than any human has traveled before.

How Cuyana Took On Fast Fashion and Became a Cult Favorite With a Two-Word Mission | Inc.com

August 9, 2021August 8, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you want your company to be mission-driven yet scalable, every employee you hire and every action you take must be fully committed to the cause.

It’s this all-or-nothing mentality that Shilpa Shah, co-founder of San Francisco-based sustainable retailer Cuyana, attributes to her brand’s success for the past 10 years, as the entire company has embraced Cuyana’s “fewer, better” ethos. The brand has gained a cult following, particularly for its classic leather tote. First introduced in 2012, it’s still the brand’s bestseller.

Planted raises another $21M to expand its growing plant-based meat empire (and add schnitzel) | TechCrunch

August 5, 2021August 2, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Swiss alternative protein company Planted has raised its second round of the year, a CHF 19 million (about $21 million at present) “pre-B” fundraise that will help it continue its growth and debut new products. A U.S. launch is in the cards eventually, but for now Planted’s exclusively European customers will be able to give its new veggie schnitzel a shot.

Planted appeared in 2019 as a spinoff from Swiss research university ETH Zurich, where the founders developed the original technique of extruding plant proteins and water into fibrous structures similar to real meat’s. Since then the company has diversified its protein sources, adding oat and sunflower to the mix, and developed pulled pork and kebab alternative products as well.

Are Virtual Surround Gaming Headsets Worth It? | WIRED

August 5, 2021August 2, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

GAMERS LIKE MYSELF love to obsess over graphics settings, HDR, and frame rates to get the best picture possible. But the sound quality is arguably just as important, whether you’re looking to be immersed in a cinematic single-player game or gain the upper hand in a competitive esports match. The subtle sound of footsteps can warn you of an enemy homing in on your position, and even the specific sound a gun makes can affect your kill ratio.