In this issue
May 2025 Newsletter
Board of Directors
Welcome Our New President-Elect – Maria Rios, CPP!
We are thrilled to announce that following a recent online special election, Maria Rios, CPP, has been elected to serve as the Dallas Chapter's President-Elect through the end of 2025. Beginning in 2026, Maria will assume the role of Chapter President, leading us through 2026–2027.
Maria is no stranger to leadership within our Chapter — she previously served with distinction as our Education Director, helping to drive impactful educational program. We are delighted to welcome her back to the Board in this new and exciting capacity.
With her proven passion for excellence, commitment to our mission, and a track record that speaks volumes, we are confident Maria will lead with vision, innovation, and heart. We look forward to collaborating with her as we continue shaping the future of Dallas PAYO — because if the past is any indication, the best is yet to come!
Please join us in congratulating Maria and offering her your full support as we move forward together.
Global Payroll Week
2025 Global Payroll Week: April 28 – May 2
Global Payroll Week 2025 will be celebrated from April 28 through May 2. This special week recognizes the important role payroll professionals play in managing and supporting the global workforce.
Coinciding with International Workers’ Day, Global Payroll Week highlights the contributions of employees and workers around the world, while honoring the payroll professionals who ensure accurate, timely compensation across borders.
We encourage everyone to take the time to acknowledge the critical impact of payroll operations on organizations, economies, and the livelihoods of workers everywhere.
Congress
Get Ready for the 2025 Payroll Congress!
Mark your calendars! The 2025 Payroll Congress is heading to Orlando, Florida, from May 13–16, and we can't wait to see our Dallas PAYO members there. This premier event is the ultimate opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your network, and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of payroll.
And don’t forget — be sure to join us for the Chapter Exchange on Monday! Cheer on the Dallas Chapter as we compete for top honors and (fingers crossed) bring home some well-deserved prizes.
Let's make a strong showing, support each other, and continue raising the bar for excellence. See you in Orlando!
Look Who's Speaking!
Thursday, May 8, 2025
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Virtual Zoom Meeting
Topic: Compliance in Payroll: Unemployment, Payroll Tax, Wage Audits & Offboarding
In this session, we’ll dive into best practices for managing the offboarding process with precision and timeliness — and unpack the critical impact it has on unemployment tax compliance. We’ll also navigate the world of state wage audits, offering practical guidance to streamline your response and minimize risk. Finally, we'll explore strategies for identifying and applying for valuable tax credits and incentives that can bring real savings to your organization.
Stay ahead of the curve and equip yourself with actionable insights to keep your payroll operations audit-ready, compliant, and opportunity-focused!
Speaker: Matt Kaufer
Matt has over 21 years of expertise in unemployment cost management, employment and income verifications and tax credits & incentives.
After graduating from Cornell, Matt started his career at Barnett Associates as an Unemployment Tax Analyst, ultimately becoming the Executive Vice President. He continued his career at Equifax where he progressed from running the Employment Tax team through to Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Accounts. During his time at Barnett and Equifax Matt extended his knowledge base and is known as an industry expert. Currently with Thomas and Company, Matt delivers best in class solutions as well as unparalleled customer service.He is an active speaker within the unemployment, payroll, and HR communities. He speaks at local, state, and national events for PayrollOrg (Payo), the BTI (Broadband Tax Institute), SHRM (Society of Human Resource Managers), and for the UWC (Unemployment Workers Compensation Association).
Scholarship Opportunity
We are beyond thrilled to share that our 2024 Bonnie Brown Memorial Scholarship recipient, Jennifer Slaton, has officially passed her CPP exam on Thursday, April 17! Please join us in giving Jennifer a big round of applause and heartfelt congratulations on this incredible achievement!
The Bonnie Brown Memorial Scholarship supported Jennifer’s journey with a full bundle of the Dallas PAYO Spring Certification Series, including Calculations and Review Classes, a copy of the Payroll Source, and coverage of the exam fee—all tools she mastered like a pro!
