If you’re in HR or payroll, you’re no stranger to compliance management, forms, and deadlines—though keeping them all in order may be a different story. We want to be sure you’re equipped with the right information to keep everything on track year after year, from ACA to FLSA.
That’s why we put together the HR and payroll compliance calendar every year, to bring you an important list of dates and deadlines you need to know to help keep compliance on track for your workplace. Check out our latest calendar for 2019.
2019 HR and Payroll Compliance Calendar: Key Dates for HR and Payroll Managers
January
Federal holidays
Tuesday, January 1: New Year’s Day
Monday, January 21: MLK Day
Important dates and deadlines in January 2019
- Tuesday, January 1: Coverage begins for 2019 health insurance plans for individuals through the Marketplace.
- Monday, January 28: tax season begins*
- Thursday, January 31:
- Deadline to file Form 941 reporting on Q4 of 2018.
- Deadline for employers to furnish Form W-2 to employees and Form 1099 to contractors, vendors, etc., for work performed in 2018. Deadline to file Forms W-2, W-3, 8027, 1099, and 1096 to the appropriate agencies (electronic and paper).
- Deadline to furnish employees with Form 1095-C. (Employees: get information on what to do with your 1095-C.)
- Deadline to deposit the Federal Unemployment Tax Rate (FUTA) if owed.
- Deadline to file Form 945 to report any nonpayroll federal income tax withheld. If you deposited all taxes when due, you may file by February 10.
*At the time of publishing, the IRS has not yet released the official key dates for tax season. Based on key dates in years past, tax season may begin on Monday, January 28, though this has not been confirmed by the IRS. Experts also speculate that potential regulatory changes may delay the beginning of tax season. We will update this calendar as soon as the IRS releases an official statement. See the IRS Employer’s Tax Guide from 2018.
February
Federal holidays
Monday, February 18: President’s Day (George Washington’s Birthday)
Important dates and deadlines in February 2019
- Friday, February 1: OSHA 300 Log (Forms 300 and 300A) must be posted in all non-exempt workplaces from February 1-April 30.
- Friday, February 15: Final day to pay employee bonuses that qualify toward 2018 business taxes.
- Thursday, February 28:
- Deadline to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C by paper. (Get Form 1094-C instructions here and Form 1095-C instructions here.)
- Deadline to file Forms 1099 and 1096 by paper.
- Request a new Form W-4 from exempt employees (any employee who claimed exemption from income tax withholding last year).
March
Friday, March 1: National Employee Appreciation Day
Important dates and deadlines in March 2019
- Friday, March 1: Forms W-4 claiming exemption from withholding for the previous year expire.
- Friday, March 15: S Corp and partnership tax returns due.
- 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. (Some speculate the deadline is subject to a delay until Monday, April 1, 2019. However, the deadline remained on March 31 in 2018 despite falling on a Saturday.)
April
Important dates and deadlines in April 2019
- Monday, April 1
- Deadline to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C electronically. (Get Form 1094-C instructions here and Form 1095-C instructions here.)
- Deadline to file Forms 1099, 1096, and 8027 electronically.
- Monday, April 15: Deadline to submit individual tax returns.
- Tuesday, April 30: Deadline to file Form 941, employer's quarterly tax return.
May
Federal holidays
Monday, May 27: Memorial Day
June
Important dates and deadlines in June 2019
Sunday, June 30: End of Q2, calendar year.
July
Federal holidays
Thursday, July 4: Independence Day
Important dates and deadlines in July 2019
- Monday, July 1: Deadline for establishments with 250+ employees in industries covered by the OSHA recordkeeping regulation (and establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries) to submit information from all 2018 forms: 300A, 300, and 301.
- Wednesday, July 31: Deadline to file Form 941, employer's quarterly tax return.
August
Take a vacation!
September
Federal holidays
Monday, September 2: Labor Day
Important dates and deadlines in September 2019
- Monday, September 2: Friday, September 6, 2019- National Payroll Week.
- Monday, September 30: End of Q3, calendar year.
October
Federal holidays
Monday, October 14: Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s Day
Important dates and deadlines in October 2019
- Tuesday, October 15: Individual tax return deadline for those who filed for an extension.
- Thursday, October 31: Deadline to file Form 941, employer's quarterly tax return.
November
Federal holidays
Monday, November 11: Veterans Day
Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving Day
Important dates and deadlines in November 2019
Friday, November 1: Enrollment begins for 2020 health insurance plans for individuals through the Marketplace.
December
Federal holidays
Wednesday, December 25: Christmas Day
Important dates and deadlines in December 2019
- Before Sunday, December 1: Remind employees to submit a new Form W-4 if withholding allowances have changed or will change in the next year (i.e., change in marital status).
- Sunday, December 15: Open enrollment period ends for 2020 health insurance plans for individuals through the Marketplace.
You made it through another year! Time to relax and enjoy the holidays with the ones you love.
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Topics: ACA, Regulations, Payroll
