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Office Christmas Parties in New York

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If you plan on throwing an office Christmas party in New York City, then you will want to go all out to turn your party into a special event. As you put your party together, there are a few guidelines you should follow to make it easier for your guests to have a good time.

Places To Have Your Party

New York City is filled with great places where you can have your office Christmas party. There are five places in particular that will offer you and your employees a memorable Christmas party event.

Minus5 Ice Bar

The Mius5 Ice Bar is made completely of ice, but it is open all year round. This chilling venue is ideal for a memorable office Christmas party.

The Elm

The Elm is a relatively new restaurant in Brooklyn that has been growing quickly in popularity. It features four-star food and an excellent wait staff.

Malbec and Tango House

The Malbec and Tango House has a very rural feel to it, which makes it unique for New York City. It has a larger hall that will definitely create atmosphere for your office Christmas party.

Andaz Wall Street

The Andaz Wall Street room is fun because it is a throwback to the 1960’s. You feel like you walked back in time the moment you walk through the door. This room could bring back some nostalgic Christmas memories for your employees.

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How Alcohol Can Make You Look Stupid: The Imbibing Idiot Bias

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Whether you are at a work function or holiday party with family members, it is important to realize the effect that alcohol can have on your perceived reputation. At one moment, your co-workers may view you as a super-smart, hard-working person. After a few shots of tequila, however, this perception can quickly change. A University of Michigan research study reiterated the idea that drinking alcohol in front of other co-workers can make co-workers perceive one as less intelligent.

The Impact of Choosing Alcohol Consumption  

This recent University of Michigan study was published in 2013. The researchers were concerned with assessing the impact that merely choosing alcohol over other beverages has on one’s perceived social appearance. The researchers worked under the assumption that behavioral changes related to consumption of alcohol would most certainly change the way in which co-workers perceived an individual. The researchers were most interested in studying whether merely the choice of alcohol could cause co-workers to lose respect for others and cause them to judge individuals as possessing less intelligence.

The Imbibing Idiot Bias

The researchers set out to show that an “imbibing idiot bias” actually exists. They conducted a total of five separate mini studies to prove that this bias exists. In the last research study, the researchers discovered a very interesting conclusion. The researchers set out to place the research subjects in an interview setting. The researchers set out to determine whether ordering wine at the dinner would influence the hiring decision of the manager. At this stage of the research study, many of the research subjects believed that ordering a glass of wine made them appear to be more intelligent before the interviewer. The reality was that the individuals who ordered a coca cola received higher ratings than individuals who ordered wine at the dinner event. The hiring manager believed that those who consumed soda or non-alcoholic beverages possessed greater control and intelligence than those who ordered alcohol.

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New York City’s CBDs (Central Business Districts)

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Updated 7th October, 2014 from Archive 2010

The City of New York is home to a number of CBD’s or Central Business Districts, each providing unique business opportunities and incentives.

Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan is located in the central portion of the city of Manhattan. It is home to some of the most important business centers in the world, including the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. The majority of NYC’s skyscrapers and business buildings are located in Midtown Manhattan. Other popular areas in Midtown Manhattan include Times Square, Fifth Avenue and Broadway. The United Nations Headquarters and Rockefeller Center are also located in Midtown Manhattan.

Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan is home to the “Financial District” of NYC. Lower Manhattan is also known as the “financial capital” of the world. Anyone who is an investment banker in NYC likely works in Lower Manhattan. The Twin Trade Towers are located in Lower Manhattan, and the 9/11 memorial is now located there. Wall Street is another popular street located in Lower Manhattan. It is common to see busy investment bankers walking around the New York Stock Exchange during the day.

Surrounding Lower Manhattan, one can find areas like Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, TriBeCa, West Village, the Meatpacking District and East Village. Beautiful, gated residential communities can also be found near the Financial District. These developments include Gramercy Park and Peter Cooper Village.

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Business in Brooklyn

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Brooklyn is the most highly populated of all of New York City’s boroughs along with being the second largest. In recent years the face of Brooklyn has changed from that of a hard-working blue collar employee, to a white collar professional. Thanks to some of the business initiatives started by New York City, the entire area has become a haven for technology start-ups. But Brooklyn is a borough that has added little something extra to its economic success and that has helped it to grow faster than many of the other boroughs.

Major Economic Drivers In Brooklyn 

The Start-Up NY program has enticed entrepreneurs and new technology companies to set up shop in all five of New York City’s boroughs and it has made technology a major economic driver in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Tech Triangle has become a focal point for growth and development in the area and it is helping to create an abundance of high-paying jobs for the people in Brooklyn.

The new technology companies in Brooklyn are affecting several other economic drivers for the city. The real estate and construction trades are having a hard time keeping up with the demand of the new technology companies. The new tech start-ups are innovating the infrastructure of Brooklyn and creating a variety of new jobs in that area as well. Technology, more than anything else, is completely changing the look of Brooklyn’s financial future.

See our article on New York Central Business Districts (CBD’s)

Major Industries And Employers In Brooklyn 

Brooklyn is benefiting from the influx of technology revenue into the area, but the industries that have ruled in Brooklyn for generations are still going strong. The insurance and finance industries have always had a home in Brooklyn, and so have the transportation and food service industries.

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Employee Tax Laws and Regulations in New York City

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As a business owner, it is important that you are aware of New York tax laws that may impact your business. For example, those who operate a restaurant may need to ensure that wait staff properly claim tips in their annual income taxes. Those who hire employees on a contractual basis may need to report these hires to the IRS. Here are some of the basic employee tax laws and regulations that every New York employer should understand.

Federal Unemployment Tax  

You may face the federal unemployment tax if you pay $1,500 or more in wages to an employee. Employers should take care to track the wages paid to employees to ensure that they do not forget to file Form 940.

Income Tax Withholding Laws

New York requires that employers withhold state income tax from the wages of employees. New York employers are required to provide these amounts to the Department of Taxation and Finance. If an employer fails to provide these amounts to the Department, then he or she may face charges of tax evasion or fraud.

Payment of Income Taxes

Individuals who reside in New York City will be required to pay several taxes at the local, state and federal level. The tax rate for those who live in New York City is 2.907 to 3.648 percent. An individual may face various taxation rates depending on his or her filing status. New York State also has various income tax percentages that are applicable for a person depending on his or her income level. These tax percentages range from four to eight percent. Those who earn under $16,450 will be required to pay a state tax of 4.5 percent. Those who earn approximately over $2 million a year will be required to pay a state tax of about 8 percent. One’s tax bracket may also vary depending on whether he or she is filing single or jointly within a marriage. New York State has a total of sixteen different tax brackets that may be applicable for a person. 

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Tips for Managing Remote Office Workers

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Remote workers, also known as telecommuters, are becoming more prominent in the workplace these days. The benefits of utilizing remote workers is that you can take on employees that do not live in your geographic area, you can reduce your office costs, and you can create flexible work schedules that better serve your business. But there are challenges to utilizing remote workers that every company must overcome. The biggest challenge is working out how to manage employees that you do not see in person on a regular basis.

Consider Deadlines Instead Of Work Hours

You could ask employees to clock into a workday through an Internet program or by utilizing a phone system, but even that is not going to give you an accurate method for monitoring their work. Instead of worrying about having remote employees put in the prerequisite 40 hours per week, consider setting deadlines for tasks and holding remote employees to those deadlines.

When you utilize deadlines, you allow your remote employees to make their own schedule and that can increase productivity. You will also find morale on the rise when employees are empowered to determine their own work routine.

Have Regular Meetings

If your remote workers are close enough for them to reasonably drive to the office, then you could have regularly scheduled meetings at least once a week with all remote workers. If your team is scattered around the world, then create regular meeting times, either by phone or video conference, that you can meet.

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Pension Guide for New Yorkers

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The security of a pension can be a tremendous benefit of one’s job. A pension can provide thousands of extra dollars in support during one’s retirement. A pension plan typically varies depending on one’s salary and position level. A pension is treated as income under tax laws, and it may be subject to taxation at the federal, state and city levels. If you live in New York, you should be aware of taxation laws and how they may impact your pension plan.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund 

In New York, government employees receive access to the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF). The CRF is held in trust for over one million employees at the State and local government levels. The fund is comprised of $160.7 billion. The CRF is one of the top-managed funds in the U.S. Pensions are guaranteed for NY government workers based on their peak salaries and the duration of their careers.

New Yorkers should seek to stay updated on changes in the management policies of the CRF. Recently, Governor Andrew Cuomo instituted a policy that will allow local authorities to hold off on pension fund payments so that budget gaps can be met. The CRF is managed by the State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and the comptroller has the responsibility of managing the security and investments of the CRF.

Defined Benefit Plans

A defined benefit plan is a traditional type of pension plan. Private companies may administer a direct benefit plan, but they have grown rare in recent years. In a defined benefit plan, the company provides a specified sum to the employee during his or her retirement years. For example, a company may provide a $3,000 pension every month to a retired individual. A defined benefit plan may require that an individual work for a company for a certain number of years before he or she can enjoy the benefits of the pension plan. If the individual quits before this time period, he or she may forfeit any invested pension benefits.

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One World Trade Center

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They thought that they toppled the collective financial might of the United States of America. They thought that an act of terror would cause the United States to buckle and bow to a new master. But they forgot that the people of the United States bow to no one and, when those people band together, they can do anything they set their minds to.

September 11, 2001 is a date that Americans will never forget. It isn’t just the loss of life that makes the date stick in the minds of Americans, it is the audacity that Americans could be intimidated by anyone. One World Trade Center rises as a glass and metal testament to the resolve of the American people and a grand indication of the defiant nature that resides in every resident of the United States.

The Scale Is Massive

One World Trade Center is 1,250-feet tall, which is nearly a quarter of a mile in the air. It is the largest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and it glistens in the New York City morning sunlight. The building is 124-stories tall, but 20 of those stories are underground and make up the massive foundation of this building. It too 10,000 workers 12 years to move 48,000 tons of steel and nearly 13,000 panels of reinforced glass into place. It is a massive structure that stands high above the New York City skyline.

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New York’s Financial Sector Today

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After a bout of turmoil in the early part of the 21st century, the financial sector in New York has definitely taken a turn toward the positive. With positive growth in most sectors of the city and state’s economy, New York has seen positive gains in all sectors. However, the gains found in the financial services sector of New York have been among the most significant. Not only has this growth been significant, but it has also been intrinsically linked to the growth felt by New Yorkers coming out of the great recession of 2008.

The Financial Sector is Hiring


It’s a well-established fact that New York financial firms are providing some of the most attractive salaries available in the financial services sector today. However, it’s also important to note that these companies are still actively hiring people even as recovery continues. Every tier of the financial services sector is seeing positive gains from the lowest-tier traders to the highest executive positions. In fact, as the years roll on it’s actually been found that these companies are hiring more rather than less. This could be attributed to a number of factors, but consumer confidence in the financial markets has played a key role here.

As consumer confidence has started to come back, large and midsize financial firms have found themselves in a position to bring on a larger work force. Since confident investors make confident investments, the flow of money going into new markets has continued to grow and this has led to a number of positive results. For one, those seeking investors have found a more attractive environment to start a business in. Another benefit has been that this higher amount of cash flow in the markets has allowed for companies to bring in a larger amount of experienced traders.

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Top Ten Business Conferences in New York for 2014

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New York City is one of the top business locations in the world and plays host to some of the most important business conferences and seminars annually. Below you will find some of the key business conferences for 2014.

NYC Real Estate Investor Orientation

New York, NY
March 6, 2014
West 23rd Street
An open seminar for anyone who is interested in getting started with real estate investing in New York City. It is held by Javoski Griffith of Royal Empire Ventures.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyc-real-estate-investor-orientation-tickets-6852045653 

Xconomy Xchange: New York’s Life Science Disruptors

New York, NY
March 6, 2014
Apella At Alexandria Center
This is a conference aimed at helping life science entrepreneurs to find their way in the complicated business atmosphere of New York City.

Perspectives On Big Data In Biology

New York, NY
March 7, 2014
Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium
The focus in this conference will be the latest innovations in the study of biology and life sciences. These will include technological as well as clinical innovations.
http://www.eventbrite.com/o/simons-foundation-lectures-3236048878

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