2023 HR Compliance Calendar [Free Download]
Charlette has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance and 2 years of partnering with HR leaders on freelance projects. She uses this extensive experience to answer your questions about payroll.
Jennifer Soper is an HR Specialist and staff writer for Fit Small Business, with over 15 years of experience in accounting, payroll, and human resources.
A human resources (HR) compliance calendar ensures that your HR department stays on top of important events, such as tax deadlines, Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance, quarterly performance reviews, and healthcare deadlines. Our HR compliance calendar can be easily integrated into your Google Calendar or downloaded as a PDF or Excel file, so you won’t miss any important HR events.
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January
January 31 – Distribute W-2 Forms to Employees. A W-2 form is used to provide important tax information to your employees—including gross pay, federal taxes withheld, state taxes withheld, Medicare taxes withheld, Social Security withholdings, and retirement contributions.
You must provide all employees with a copy of their W-2 form before Jan. 31. Provide copies of W-2 forms, along with a W-3 Form to the IRS by Jan. 31. If you need help completing this, head over to our guide on how to fill out a W-2 form.
You may also want to check our W-2 vs 1099 comparison to be sure you are sending the correct form.
January 31 – Quarterly IRS Form 941 Due. Form 941 is used to report your employer quarterly payroll taxes to the IRS. We have a step-by-step article on how to fill out Form 941 if you require assistance.
January 31 – IRS Form 940 Due (if quarterly FUTA taxes were not paid when due). Form 940 is used to report your annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax. Along with state unemployment tax, FUTA tax funds are used to pay unemployment compensation to workers who have lost their jobs. For assistance with filling out this form, visit our FUTA Taxes and Form 940 article.
January 31 – Distribute 1095-B & 1095-C Forms to employees.
January 31 – Distribute Form 1099-NEC. A 1099-NEC form is used to report independent contractor pay information (total amount paid, if $600 or more). You must provide all contract employees with a copy of their 1099-NEC by Jan. 31. The NEC (non-employee compensation) form replaces the former 1099-MISC for reporting independent contractor pay.
Electronic filing of Forms 1099. Under Section 2102 of the Taxpayer First Act, the IRS is developing an internet portal that will allow taxpayers to electronically file Forms 1099 after Dec. 31, 2022. Learn more at Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE).
February
February 1 – OSHA Form 300A – Paper Filing Deadline. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A is used for employers to record all reportable injuries and illnesses that occur in the workplace. The e-file deadline is in March.
February 10 – IRS Form 940 Due (if quarterly FUTA taxes were paid when due).
February 28 – Forms 1094-C and 1095-C – Paper Filing Deadline. These forms are used for ACA compliance for applicable large employers (ALE) to report health insurance information. The 1094 form acts as a cover sheet and the 1095 form should be submitted to the IRS. Feb. 28 is the paper filing deadline to ensure your forms are received by the IRS in time. The e-file deadline is in March.
February 28 – Forms 1094-B and 1095-B – Paper Filing Deadline. These forms are used for ACA compliance for self-insured employers (those that do not qualify as an ALE) to report health insurance information. The 1094 form acts as a cover sheet, and the 1095 form should be submitted to the IRS. Feb. 28 is the paper filing deadline to ensure your forms are received by the IRS in time. The e-file deadline is in March.
February 28 – Form 8809 – Paper Filing Deadline. Employers should submit this form to file for an extension to provide certain tax forms, such as W-2 or 1094-C. Submit this form by Feb. 28 for the IRS to receive your request in time. The e-file deadline is in March.
March
March 1 – Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) M-1 Form Due. This form is used to report health and other benefits to employees of two or more employers. Report information regarding a multiple employer welfare arrangement and any entity claiming exception (ECE).
March 2 – Provide CMS Creditable Coverage Disclosure. A group health plan’s prescription drug coverage is considered creditable if its value equals or exceeds the value of standard Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Employers who meet this requirement must provide a disclosure notice to any qualifying employee.
March 2 – OSHA Form 300A – E-file Deadline.
March 15 – S-Corp (Form 1120-S) and partnership (Form 1065) tax returns due. These forms are used to report income, profits, losses, dividends, and deductions of shareholders (S-Corp) and business partnerships.
March 15 – Form 8809 – E-file Deadline.
March 30 – Conduct Quarterly Performance Reviews. Conducting regular performance reviews of your employees can lead to increased productivity and profitability. Use our Employee Evaluation Forms to keep track of each employee’s performance and review.
March 31 – Deadline to E-File Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
March 31 – Deadline to E-File Forms 1094-B and 1095-B.
March 31 – EEO-1 Report. This report is required of all 1) private sector employers with 100+ employees, and 2) federal contractors with 50+ employees meeting certain criteria to submit demographic workforce data, including race/ethnicity, sex, and job category data in compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).
March 31 – End of Quarter 1.
April
April 18 – Tax Day (Filing deadline for personal tax returns & C Corporations).
April 18 – IRS Form 8928 Due. Employers should use this form to self-report COBRA administration compliance failures.
April 28 – Summary Plan Description Due. Employers must provide documentation to all employees in retirement plans or health benefit plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
May
May 1 – Quarterly IRS Form 941 and Form 720 Due.
May 15 – Nonprofit Tax Returns Due – Form 990.
June
June 30 – Conduct Quarterly Performance Reviews.
June 30 – End of Quarter 2.
July
July 14 – Midyear Compliance Check. Use this time to ensure you have all HR compliance paperwork prepared and submitted on time for the first half of the year and to begin preparation on the forms and paperwork required for the second half of the year.
July 31 – PCORI Payment Deadline. The ACA has imposed a fee on issuers of specified health insurance policies and plan sponsors of applicable self-insured health plans to help fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). These payments will be due by any company with 50 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.
July 31 – Quarterly IRS Form 941 and Form 720 Due.
July 31 – IRS Form 5500 Due. The 5500 form is used to report information about your 401(k) plan’s financial condition, investments, and operation to ensure compliance with government regulations. Details and the form are typically provided by your 401(k) provider. For help in filling this in, read our IRS Form 5500 guide.
July 31 – IRS Form 5558 Request for Extension Due. Request for an extension for additional time to file employee plan returns (such as the Form 5500).
August
No key compliance due in the month of August.
September
September 15 – Begin Annual Healthcare Coverage Review. If your healthcare coverage plan is set for a Jan.1 renewal date, begin the process of reviewing your current coverage and speak with your healthcare provider to plan for the next year. If your annual plan falls under a different month, set your calendar reminder for three months prior.
September 28 – PTO Balance Check for Employees. Remind your employees to check their paid time off (PTO) balances before Quarter 4 begins and to submit requests for the remainder of the year in a timely manner.
September 29 – Summary Annual Report (SAR) Due. Summarizes for employees information that appears in an ERISA plan’s Form 5500. Admins must furnish SARs within nine months after the end of the plan year.
September 29 – Conduct Quarterly Performance Reviews.
September 29 – End of Quarter 3.
October
October 3 – QSEHRA Notice Deadline. Distribute a notice for Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA), a health cost reimbursement plan that can be offered by small business employers. This is for plans that begin on Jan. 1, 2024.
October 13 – Medicare Part D – Notify Eligible Employees.
October 31 – Quarterly IRS Form 941 and Form 720 Due.
November
November 1 – FSA Reminders. Send employees a reminder to submit any Flexible Spending Account (FSA) receipts and supporting documentation for reimbursement before year-end.
December
December 15 – Conduct Annual Compliance Audit. The last month of the year is a perfect time to conduct an audit of your company’s compliance.
December 20 – Review Company Policies. The end of the calendar year is an excellent time to review your current policies in place and update your employee handbook.
December 20 – Schedule employee safety training for January 2024.
December 29 – Workplace Poster Requirements. Every year, you should replace the required workplace posters with updated posters. These include FLSA compliance, OSHA compliance, FMLA compliance, EEO, USERRA, and any others required by your specific state or type of business.
December 29 – Distribute Company Calendar. This is the time to update your company holiday PTO calendar for the next year and note any internal highlights (such as birthdays and performance reviews). Distribute your updated calendar to all employees before the end of the year.
December 29 – Conduct Annual Performance Reviews.
December 29 – End of Quarter 4.
Bottom Line
Missing important deadlines can have monetary consequences. To avoid these mishaps, you should prepare compliance paperwork and forms in advance. Download our 2023 HR Compliance Calendar to stay on track throughout the year.
