If you’ve made the promise that 2019 is the year that you’re FINALLY going to get organized, this is the checklist for you. It includes dates that you as a business owner should have on your calendar in order to stay on top of various HR-related tasks and deadlines even when you work with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).
This year is particularly important because the Affordable Care Act has ushered in a brand-new set of very important deadlines, such as for filing forms 1095-C, to ensure compliance with Obamacare updates.
January
- Tuesday, January 1:
- New Year’s Day (federal holiday)
- Coverage begins for 2019 health insurance plans for individuals who purchased coverage through the Marketplace
- Monday, January 21: Martin Luther King Day (considered a federal holiday)
- Monday, January 28: The official kick off of the 2019 tax season (which the IRS has confirmed will go ahead, even if the government shut-down continues past this date)
- Tuesday, January 31:
- Deadline to file form 941 (reporting on the fourth quarter of 2018).
- Deadline for employers to hand out W-2’s to employees and 1099s to others who performed work in 2018.
- Deadline for employers to file W-2s, W-3s, and Forms 8027, 1099 and 1096 with the appropriate agencies.
- Deadline for employers to give employees Form 1095-C. However, it should be noted that for 2019 only, the IRS has issued an extension for employers, extending the deadline to March 4, 2019.
- Deadline to deposit the Federal Unemployment Tax Rate (FUTA) where applicable.
- Deadline to file Form 945 to report any non-payroll federal income tax withholdings (if you deposited all taxes on schedule, your filing date moves to February 10).
February
- Friday, February 1: Kick off for Forms 300 and 300A (related to OSHA) to be posted in all non-exempt workplaces (you have until April 1 to complete this).
- Friday, February 15: Final day to pay employee bonuses that qualify toward 2018 business taxes.
- Monday, February 18: President’s Day (federal holiday)
- Thursday, February 28:
- Deadline to physically file paper versions of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, as well as paper versions of Forms 1099 and 1096.
- Deadline to request a new Form W-4 from exempt employees (those who claimed to be exempt from income tax withholding in 2018).
March
- Friday, March 1: National Employee Appreciation Day (not a federal holiday, but it might be nice to recognize your employee’s hard work with a treat at some point during the day, or even just an email to share your thanks if money is tight!).
- Friday, March 1: Forms W-4 claiming exemption from withholding for the previous year expire.
- Friday, March 15: Deadline to file S Corp and partnership tax returns.
- Sunday, March 31:
- End of Q1 (calendar year).
- Deadline to submit EEO-1 survey data selected from a payroll period from Q4 of the calendar year 2018.
April
- Monday, April 1:
- Deadline to electronically file (e-file) Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
- Deadline to e-file Forms 1099, 1096, and 8027.
“April Fool’s Day” so be careful of any too-good-to-be-true business propositions or pranks!
- Monday, April 15: Deadline to submit individual tax returns.
- Wednesday, April 24: Administrative professional’s day (if you have admin staff that help you to hold down the fort, now is time to show them your appreciation!)
- Tuesday, April 30: Deadline to file your quarterly tax return (Form 941).
May
- Monday, May 27: Memorial Day (federal holiday).
June
- Sunday, June 30: End of Q2 (calendar year).
July
- Monday, July 1: Deadline for companies in certain high-risk industries, or those with 250+ employees in industries covered by OSHA’s recordkeeping regulation to submit Forms 300A, 300, and 301 for 2018.
- Thursday, July 4: Independence Day (federal holiday).
- Wednesday, July 31: Deadline for employers to file their quarterly tax return (Form 941).
September (because really, there’s nothing due in August!)
- Monday, September 2:
- Labor Day (federal holiday)
- Start of National Payroll Week (so if you have folks that run payroll, now’s the time to send some thanks their way!).
- Monday September 30: End of Q3 (calendar year).
October
- Monday, October 14: Columbus Day (federal holiday)
- Tuesday, October 15: Individual tax return deadline for individuals who filed for an extension.
- Thursday, October 31: Deadline to file your quarterly tax return (Form 941).
November
- Friday, November 1: Enrollment kicks off for individuals seeking health insurance coverage through the federal Marketplace.
- Monday, November 11: Veterans Day (federal holiday)
- Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving Day (federal holiday)
- Friday, November 29: Remind employees to submit a new Form W-4 if their withholding allowances have changed or are expected to change in 2020.
December
- Sunday, December 15: Open enrollment period ends for 2020 health insurance plans for individuals through the Marketplace.
- Wednesday, December 25: Christmas Day
- Tuesday, December 31: End of Q4 (calendar year)
Compliance issues, an area of HR that is constantly evolving and shifting, making it very hard to keep up with and a full-time job in itself. From keeping track of and understanding Obamacare updates to updating the employee handbook, an off-site HR pro can handle these administrative tasks to free you up to focus on higher-value tasks such as long-term strategic planning.
