07/ 30/ 2007
There are probably times when you do an online search for a company or product, and you come across a single Web page. Contact information is listed but nothing else. That's great if all you were looking for is a phone number to call.
But what if you're looking for more? What if you're looking to ask a question, find a transcript or complete a form online? Well, many government agencies are making sure you can do just that and more by interacting with them online.
Internal Revenue Service: In 2005, the IRS Web site was updated to make it more user-friendly and accessible to tax professionals, taxpayers and other IRS customers. The IRS worked with a variety of users to improve the site's usability. Improvements include a robust search engine and new features on the home page to help visitors more easily navigate the site to find the information, services and products they are looking for. Since then, the IRS has introduced the Electronic IRS, a link on the home page that takes visitors directly to an overview of all the electronic services available from the IRS, according to their needs. The Electronic IRS hopes to provide a central source for all the online transactions that can be accomplished electronically. For example, small-business owners can:
- Obtain an employer identification number online
- Sign up for paying electronically
- Find an authorized E-file provider
- File W-2s electronically
Visit their small-business resource page at http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html.
Small Business Administration: The SBA's Web site is a great resource for small-business owners during all phases of starting, growing and even exiting their business. From choosing a business structure to getting insurance, the SBA site offers a wealth of information on whatever small-business topic a visitor may be looking for. It even offers a list of free online courses to add to the knowledge a small-business owner should have when starting and running a business. Starting a business, computer security and retirement planning are just a few of the topics covered in these online courses.
The SBA has also jumped to the front of the pack when it comes to the latest use of technology by offering podcasts online. Podcasting is a way to receive audio files over the Internet. The SBA offers podcast feeds on a variety of small-business topics. Listen to these files on your computer or download them to your MP3 player and take them with you. The SBA adds new feeds every month on relevant small-business topics.
The SBA also offers a comprehensive listing of local offices and resources near you.
Business.gov: Busines.gov continues to expand its offerings of resources and tools to help small businesses comply with federal government regulations. Responding to feedback from users, Business.gov has developed a tool to help businesses determine their license and permit requirements, expanded the content and context of the information contained in its compliance guides and also developed relationships with other government and non-governmental organizations to provide more in-depth compliance resources.
The new "Permit Me" feature provides a single source for obtaining federal, state, and local permits and professional licenses for businesses. While every business in the United States is required to obtain a permit, professional license or identification number to operate, finding the right license can be a major challenge. Although some states offer assistance to help individuals understand their local permit and license requirements, not all provide federal information. "Permit Me" allows businesses to navigate to a single destination and offers a list of licensing and permit resources across all the federal, state and local arenas.
Ready.gov: Provided by the Department of Homeland Security, developed in cooperation with NFIB and other small-business groups and backed with marketing support from the Ad Council, the "Ready Business" program collects best practices from small businesses and provides an array of suggestions and other resources at Ready.gov.
Ready.gov offers preparedness information for full list of possible emergencies from biological threats to wildfires. Small-business owners who visit Ready.gov can take advantage of downloading and ordering publications to help with all levels of disaster preparedness planning and get information about the best ways to share such information with employees. Ready.gov also keeps a comprehensive list of local resources specific to dealing with the possible emergencies in your community.
Department of Labor Wage and Hour Web site: The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor is responsible for administering and enforcing some of our nation's most comprehensive labor laws, including: the minimum wage, overtime and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act; worker protections provided in several temporary visa programs; and the prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act.
Small-business owners looking for such information on any of these laws and others can find it easily with a click of a mouse. You can also download required labor law and minimum wage posters for display in your small business without having to wait 6 to 8 weeks to receive them in the mail. You can also find a comprehensive list of DOL forms by clicking "Find it: By Form" across the top of the page.
Social Security Administration: If you've ever looked at a form from the Social Security Administration, you've probably had a question or two about it. And the SSA is trying to help with its "Employer W-2 Filing Instructions and Information" page. From basic help filling out W-2 forms to Social Security number verification, this site is full of information that will keep you from waiting in line downtown at your local SSA office.
The SSA Web site also offers a place to plan your retirement, change your address and—if you're self-employed—report earnings.
The Internet can be a huge place to navigate, full of distractions and misinformation, but by using sites geared toward small-business owners from trust government agencies, getting the information and help you need is just a click away.
