Rewordin News
What changed this week for people who run employee rewards, recognition and gift card programs: payroll and tax rules, regulation, the gift card industry and the labor market. Every story links the sources we read.
- HR & Rewards
What Do Employees Want From a Holiday Gift This Year? Two October Surveys Point to Choice, Personal Fit and Early December
Custom Ink's and Snappy's October surveys agree that one-size gifts underperform: employees prefer a curated shortlist 2.5 to 1 over a uniform item, and most want the gift in December. What it means for holiday reward plans and gift card tax.
- Gift Card Industry
Unsealed Warrant Says Hackers Hijacked a Retailer's Support Tool to Issue $5 Million in Gift Cards: What Bulk Buyers Should Check
A federal search warrant application describes 15,000+ gift cards worth over $5 million issued through hijacked customer-support sessions; 404 Media identifies the retailer as Staples. About $425,000 was traced to spending. What reward, procurement and API teams should check.
- Gift Card Industry
FTC Puts Older Adults' Gift Card Scam Losses at $139 Million: What It Means for Companies That Give Gift Cards
The FTC's report to Congress shows people 60 and over reported $139 million in 2025 fraud losses paid by gift card, up 12%, and gift cards appeared in 12% of their loss reports — overwhelmingly in impersonation scams. What reward and procurement teams should tell employees.
- Payroll & Tax
2027 Social Security Wage Base Rises to $192,300: What It Means for Gift Card and Bonus Budgets
SSA set the 2027 taxable maximum at $192,300, up $7,800 from $184,500, alongside a 3.6% COLA. Gift cards are always taxable wages, so every reward to an employee under the cap carries 7.65% employer FICA — and the reset on January 1 changes the cost of December versus January awards for your highest earners.
Looking for evergreen guides rather than news? The Rewordin blog covers rewards strategy, tax rules by country and statistics, and our free tools turn the numbers into a budget.