Top Association Accomplishments in 2023
- PayrollOrg (PAYO) evolved its brand to better represent our borderless global community of payroll leaders. Our mission, vision, core values, and logo have all been updated to reflect that we are the global leader in payroll education.
- PAYO engaged with more than 187,000 individuals as of March 2024. These interactions with members, subscribers, and other customers create opportunities and forge a community by providing the skills and resources necessary for payroll professionals to stay in compliance and become successful.
- Ask an Expert volunteers provide an invaluable benefit to our members on The Payroll Community, the new custom online social community connecting payroll professionals from around the world.
- PAYO awarded three Recertification Credit Hours (RCHs) to all certified members in good standing. PAYO continues this benefit for members upon completion of their membership year based on their anniversary date.
- A total of 779 members volunteered to serve on various PAYO committees, boards, advisory groups, and task forces since June 2023, contributing to the leadership of the organization while honing their professional knowledge.
- The Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation was earned by 618 individuals during 2023. As of October, the CPP designation is held by more than 10,200 newly certified and recertified individuals.
- The Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) exam was successfully completed by 1,006 payroll practitioners during 2023. As of October, the FPC designation is held by more than 4,900 newly certified and recertified individuals.
- Our monthly podcast "PayTalk" celebrated its fourth full year at the end of April 2024. As of February, the podcast has 57,162 individual listens across its episodes. This benefit shares knowledge from high-level payroll professionals to the greater industry at large and generates revenue through sponsorships.
- The Chapter Leaders Blog celebrated seven years in October. As of February, the blog has 320 posts and 472 subscribers.
- PAYO has 101 affiliated local chapters and four global chapters.
- The PAYO chapter affiliation and re-affiliation forms have been converted to DocuSign, making them easier to complete.
- PAYO implemented a new way to remind members to renew their membership using convenient ringless voicemails.
- Domestically, PAYO had 225 educational offerings in 2023, covering 732 training days, encompassing 51 different programs presented through various delivery methods, and enrolling more than 79,425 participants.
- Globally, PAYO had 27 educational offerings in 2023, covering 49 training days, encompassing 27 programs presented through various delivery methods and enrolling more than 20,000 participants.
- In addition to conducting PAYO's nationwide course offerings, PAYO's National Speakers Bureau members presented 84 additional educational programs, consisting of 25 statewide events, 49 chapter meetings/one-day events, and two user group meetings.
- Over the past year, PAYO has presented 15 in-house programs of customized training to more than 150 payroll professionals.
- PAYO offered five Canadian courses delivered by the National Payroll Institute (NPI) and three United Kingdom courses delivered by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) with a total registration of more than 275 participants.
- PAYO presented in-depth payroll training to more than 340 participants at our Payroll Learning Center in Las Vegas and in an interactive virtual classroom. For 2023, classes included Payroll 101: Foundations of Payroll Certificate Program; Payroll 201: Payroll Administration Certificate Program; and Implementing Payroll Best Practices.
- Globally, PAYO provided in-person and virtual global payroll training in 2023 covering a growing number of locations, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
- In 2023, more than 190 participants attended the FPC Boot Camps, while more than 740 participants attended the CPP Boot Camps.
- PAYO's Preparing for Year-End series was offered in six one-day, live, in-person classrooms, 24 one-day interactive virtual classrooms, seven interactive virtual classrooms offered over two half days, 15 webinars, and three in-house programs, and was attended by more than 2,375 participants.
- PAYO's three-day Foundations of Payroll Analytics program, that debuted in 2022, teaches payroll professionals how to create and use analytics, and how analytics will allow them to be key strategic partners in their organizations when it comes to making decisions. In the U.S., the program was delivered virtually and in person to 123 participants in 2023, a 68% increase over last year.
- Our Foundations of Payroll Analytics program was also presented outside the U.S. to a global audience of 88. This includes constituents from The Association of Payroll Specialists (TAPS) in Australia and the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) in the U.K.
- PAYO's State and Local Payroll Certificate Program was held in July in an interactive virtual classroom. This program takes a deep dive into state and local issues facing payroll professionals. There were 63 attendees for this program.
- A new course, Payroll Mid-Year Compliance Update, was created to focus on emerging developments such as analytics, technology, and fraud awareness. These topics assisted attendees in protecting their organizations from non-compliance. For the first year, this course had more than 70 participants.
- Payroll Law Series, a four-part webinar, was presented by external employment law attorneys to enhance payroll professionals' knowledge and professional skills. There were 49 attendees for this series.
- The 41st Annual Payroll Congress was held May 16-19, 2023, in Denver, CO. The event featured 97 workshops and three general sessions, including two industry expert sessions, and had an attendance of more than 2,150.
- The 14th Annual Virtual Congress & Expo was hosted live for two days, June 21-22, 2023, and remained on demand through September 20, 2023. Recorded attendance was more than 2,000.
- The Payroll Leaders Conference was held September 17-20, 2023, in Las Vegas. This conference offered four transformational certificate programs, two general sessions, and the Prism Award recipient luncheon. This was the largest Payroll Leaders Conference since inception and attendance was 135 participants which was an increase of 62% over 2022.
- PAYO's 20th Annual Capital Summit was held in-person March 11-12, 2024, in Arlington, VA. Educational presentations by government policymakers and industry experts focused on payroll legislative and regulatory issues. There were 127 attendees for this conference.
- Domestically, PAYO had more than 50,600 participants registered for 19 vendor-sponsored webinars covering topics such as metrics, earned wage access (EWA), nontraditional employees, and building better teams through inclusion and innovation.
- Four government-sponsored PAYO webinars delivered by the federal Office of Child Support Services, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services had more than 7,400 participants.
- Globally, PAYO had nine sponsored webinars with more than 17,900 participants registered. Topics included failsafe implementations, payroll and HCM integration success, and managing a global change project.
- The new Payroll Solutions Demo pages were launched within The Payroll Community beginning in January. These specific demonstration pages are open to members, subscribers, and the public.
- PAYO provided payroll education grants to recognize and honor payroll professionals for their commitment to educational and professional growth.
- Total education and training revenue increased $389,000, or 4%, from 2022 as we continue to offer our products and services in multiple delivery formats. The largest increases were for Payroll Congress, classes in all delivery methods, the Payroll Leaders Conference, Capital Summit, and PayTrain products.
- PAYO's net assets increased by 8%. This increase will enable the organization to make investments in future educational programs and expand membership benefits.
- The PayTrain self-study learning option hit $1.4 million in sales, which is the highest sales in PayTrain history in one delivery channel. Overall, PayTrain products generated over $2 million in revenue, which is the third highest grossing year since inception of the product line.
- Revenue for subscriptions increased 5% to $1.6 million, as more customers seek electronic delivery methods.
- MEET event rentals increased $617,000, or 107%, to $1.2 million.
- The Vendor Relations Department closed out 2023 with a grand total of more than $3,475,000 in sales for various marketing and sponsorship opportunities.
- A total of 39 payroll industry vendors increased their investment in marketing to the PAYO audience in 2023, which is 15% more than those same vendors spent in 2022.
- 28 employees of PAYO have certifications or licenses in their respective fields of expertise: one Adobe Certified Professional (ACP), one Certified Digital Marketing Specialist (CDMS), one Certified Exposition Manager (CEM), two Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), 11 Certified Payroll Professionals (CPPs), one Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), eight Attorneys (ESQs), one Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA), and two Professionals in Human Resources (PHR).
- PAYO employs 93 full-time employees and six part-time staff members to support the members, subscribers, and customers of the organization.
- For the 11th year, PAYO was named one of the "Top Workplaces in San Antonio" by the San Antonio Express-News.
- Payroll Congress was recognized and honored by Tradeshow Executive's Fastest 50 as one of the fastest growing shows in the United States in the category of "By Net Square Feet of Exhibit Space" for our 2023 exhibit hall.
- In 2023, members participating in the IRS Advisory Council (IRSAC) included Martin Armstrong, CPP, DBA (served as IRSAC chair); Nancy Ruoff, CPA; and Jon Schausten, CPP.
- In 2023, members participating in the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Council (ETAAC) included Sherice McCarthy Hill, MBA, and James Paille, CPP. Ronn Gilson, CPP, began a three-year term in 2024.
- In 2024, PAYO's request to join the IRS's Reporting Agent Forum (RAF) was accepted. The RAF includes payroll service companies. PAYO had been requesting access for eight years.
- PAYO members participating in the National Council of Child Support Directors (NCCSD) Employer Collaboration Committee include Michele Baker; Cari Breitinger, CPP; Michael Brown; Terri Cavalcante; Jill Day; Maurice Drysdale, CPP; Corrinne Flores; Andy Garboden, CPP; Debbie Lindenmuth; Kathleen Marquez, CPP; Sam McAtee, CPP; Felicia Mesple; Belinda Miller; Emily Morgan Abrams, CPP; Christine Oakley-Beetz; James Owen; Bruce Phipps, CPP; Kerrie Stroh; Marcia Tillery, CPP; Christena Verrill; Jacinta Winston, CPP; Tori Worley, CPP; and Barbara Youngman, CPP.
- The Government Relations Task Force (GRTF) commented twice in support of proposed legislation in Congress on EWA that would add transparency requirements for employers and employees and define EWA as a non-credit financial technology.
- The GRTF commented three times and met with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau encouraging the agency to exclude EWA from the Truth in Lending Act.
- The GRTF commented and testified in nine states in 2024 on EWA proposed legislation, including Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Washington, and Wisconsin. PAYO opposed bills defining EWA as a loan and supported bills with detailed disclosure requirements on EWA provider methods and costs.
- In 2023, PAYO supported bills in Nevada and Missouri on EWA that were signed into law in May and June, respectively. PAYO also commented on California's proposed EWA regulations in 2023 and 2024.
- PAYO published the second edition of its Understanding Earned Wage Access and Payroll report in February 2024.
- In partnership with PAYO's global program, the GRTF offered the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (AI) recommendations on the development and use of AI in payroll operations.
- The GRTF supported Congress in its initiatives to create opportunities for AI and prevent harmful uses.
- The GRTF supported the Council of the District of Columbia's proposed ordinance on AI and Mayor Muriel Bowser's efforts to create working groups and establish city values on AI.
- PAYO published the first edition of its Artificial Intelligence in Payroll Operations report in April 2024.
- PAYO commented on a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) report to Congress on better managing bank failure situations. Payroll processing delays were specifically highlighted in the report. GRTF leaders also met with FDIC representatives.
- The GRTF State and Local Topics Subcommittee offered recommendations on Maryland and Rhode Island proposed legislation to create new requirements for pay statement information. In both states, the bills used terms unfamiliar to payroll professionals, employers, and employees. Following PAYO's testimony in Maryland, the bill passed with PAYO's recommended changes.
- After many years of comments and meetings with high-level IRS employees, the electronic management of Form 941-X, Adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund, is now in development at the IRS.
- Model legislation on reporting and withholding child support for independent contractors was completed in the summer of 2023 by PAYO members in partnership with the NCCSD.
- The PAYO Bookshelf has a new menu bar that categorizes publications depending on categories they fit in, such as federal compliance and CPP study. Also, the latest news highlights articles from Payroll Currently and Inside Washington that members can read after they sign in.
- The Payroll Source® and other publications continued to be updated digitally to reflect federal and state developments impacting payroll, including legislative changes made by the SECURE 2.0 Act and government agency guidance.
- The 2024 edition of The Payroll Source® is the 30th anniversary edition. This flagship publication is a trusted industry resource and is valued for making complex, legal material that all payroll professionals have to deal with easily understood.
- Guide to State Payroll Laws contains a new section on the latest state developments on EWA as of January 1, 2024.
- Payroll Currently readers were the first to learn about the lowered electronic filing threshold for information returns in 2024. This monthly online newsletter covering federal payroll compliance news is produced exclusively for members.
- PayState Update alerted readers to state developments regarding EWA and new paid family leave and paid sick leave laws.
- The 2023 Payroll Industry Report: Results of PayrollOrg's Survey of Salaries and the Payroll Profession, which provides important organizational and salary data for payroll practitioners, was released in October and is available for free to members.
- Guide to Successful Electronic Payments was made available as a free eBook to members in 2023 through a sponsorship with rapid!
- PayrollOrg's Top Payroll Questions & Answers for 2023 was made available as a free eBook to members through a sponsorship with Fintwist® by Coorpay®.
- Understanding Your Pay was offered in 2023 as a free digital publication to both members and to the public through a sponsorship with Wisely® by ADP.
- Pay News Now delivers an electronic digest of the latest payroll news and is free to subscribers. News categories include chapter, federal, global, Inside PAYO, state and local, and industry. Nearly 200 news releases were sent in 2023.
- The Congress Today online magazine celebrates eight years in May 2024. This year-round blog provides news and information about Payroll Congress. To date, the blog has more than 556 posts and more than 19,475 subscribers.
- The Payroll Community launched in April 2023 to connect payroll professionals from around the world and proved to be very popular. The community had over 6,500 total discussion posts in 2023 and an average of three discussion posts per thread. In total, nearly 9,000 unique members and global subscribers logged in over 36,000 times in 2023.
- During 2023, PAYO's public relations campaigns across all media reached a potential audience of more than 2.5 billion. PAYO experts were quoted widely in the media on payroll-related issues such as the banking crisis, EWA, global payroll trends, and PAYO conferences and awards. Coverage appeared in outlets such as Marketwatch, Bloomberg, Associated Press Online, MSN Money, and Yahoo! Finance.
- PAYO continued to expand its presence on leading social media sites. PAYO's Facebook pages have nearly 23,000 followers. PAYO's LinkedIn company page has 53,200 followers; its main group has nearly 43,000 members and its global group has nearly 9,400 members. More than 9,559 people follow PAYO (@PayrollOrg) on X (formerly Twitter). PAYO's Instagram has grown to more than 1,725 followers.
- PAYO's Social Networking Committee has 75 members and has been very active since Payroll Congress in 2023. The committee continues to contribute a quarterly "Get Social" column for PAYTECH magazine, participates in monthly #Talking Payroll chats on The Payroll Community, and promotes and informs PAYO's members and customers on social media during Payroll Congress, National Payroll Week (NPW), Global Payroll Week (GPW), and more.
- PAYO contributed articles to the SSA/IRS Reporter, including five articles for the second and third quarter issues of 2023. This is the quarterly publication for U.S. employers and tax professionals that is posted on the IRS website. Each issue reaches an estimated six million readers.
- PAYO contributed an article to the October 2023 OCSS Child Support Report, which is distributed electronically to more than 5,000 subscribers.
- Nearly 4,700 individuals currently follow the PAYO Facebook page dedicated to NPW. In total, NPW social media messaging received 2.3 million impressions in 2023 across X, Instagram, and Facebook.
- A total of 39,254 individuals participated in the NPW 2023 "Getting Paid In America" online survey. The survey results were reported by leading media including Associated Press Online and Yahoo! Finance.
- A "Payday in Pop Culture" online quiz was created for NPW 2023. Participants were quizzed on ways payday has been celebrated or discussed in pop culture, from songs to movies and TV shows. The contest proved to be a success with more than 2,675 entries received. Social media posts related to the quiz generated over 8,775 impressions.
- During NPW 2023, 343 PAYO member volunteers taught paycheck basics to more than 14,000 teens across the country on the 18th annual Money Matters National Education Day.
- A total of 140 top businesses signed up as NPW 2023 supporters to promote NPW to their employees. Supporters included PUMA North America, PetSmart, and Fujifilm.
- PAYO created a new video advertising campaign for NPW 2023. The video celebrated that joyful payday feeling made possible by payroll professionals. The commercial aired on national TV to an audience of more than 7.5 million. The video received nearly 18,000 views on social media and YouTube.
- PAYO awarded its fourth annual Global Payroll Titan award in conjunction with GPW 2023. The recipient, Shakil Gour, was selected through a combination of "People's Choice" online voting and a panel of global payroll leaders.
- PAYO held its seventh annual GPW from April 29-May 3, 2024. This weeklong event provided global payroll professionals with several free online educational and networking opportunities to aid in their professional development. PAYO hosted two complimentary webinars for global payroll professionals and conducted the "Getting the World Paid" survey.
- PAYO President Linda Obertin, CPP, and Executive Director Dan Maddux attended NPI's 2023 Annual Conference themed "Limitless" from June 7-9 in Whistler, British Columbia. Obertin and Maddux attended the in-person conference as our ambassadors. Obertin also presented two workshops, "U.S. Payrolls - Wage and Hour Rules" and "U.S. Payrolls - Taxations Rules."
- PAYO President Linda Obertin, CPP, and Executive Director Dan Maddux attended CIPP's 2023 Annual Conference and Excellence Awards from October 4-5. PAYO Vice President Valery Noakes, CPP, taught a Payroll Practice Essentials virtual class for CIPP in October. In addition, we continue to promote and sell three of CIPP's U.K. payroll courses - Introduction to Income Tax (PAYE) and National Insurance Contributions (NICs), Essential Additions to Payroll Basics, and Introduction to Statutory Payments. All of these courses were held in November 2023.
- PAYO Executive Director Dan Maddux and Chief Operating Officer Tammy Trascher, CPP, both attended the TAPS Annual Payroll Conference in Sydney, Australia, in November. In addition, Dan Maddux presented global trends during their general session.
- For over 15 years, PAYO has continued its partnership with Jobing.com. Jobing.com powers PAYO's active online job board. In 2023, there were more than 164 new jobs exclusively posted to PAYO's job board.
- Since 1994, PAYO has continued its alliance with Robert Half, which ensures that PAYO's online Career Center resources for our members stay relevant and up to date throughout the year.
- PAYO continued its partnership with Deloitte on the Global Payroll Benchmarking Survey. Covering topics such as AI, machine learning, and social collaboration, the survey gives organizations a unique opportunity to transform their operations by leveraging next-generation technologies. There have been over 5,475 downloads of the results report.
- PAYO continued its partnership with Aggregage, a publisher of online content across a range of industries. Comp and Benefits Today, a newsletter and website with curated content related to payroll, benefits, and finance, is available free for subscribers. There are over 82,000 subscribers. The partnership supplements PAYO's content library while also expanding our audience.
- A collaboration with Ernst & Young (EY) to administer four pulse surveys kicked off in July 2022 and continued during 2023. Eric Hachmer, Americas Leader, Payroll Operate from EY and Nathan North, Director of Strategic Initiatives from PAYO, delivered the survey results on episode 43 of PAYO's "PayTalk" podcast. The podcast coincided with the release of the survey results report, EY PAYO Pulse Survey Report. This initiative was promoted via direct marketing and social media.
- Global Pay-Check completed its third year in circulation. This weekly curated content eNewsletter is a subscriber benefit and circulates to 9,000 readers.
- PAYO continued its partnership with YM Careers to deliver the Global Career Center. The career center is a fully resourced career center that provides content and support for employers and job seekers.
- PAYO was represented at ADP's global ReThink 2024 conference in London, which provided the opportunity to network with global payroll industry leaders and stay in tune with industry trends.