MMC, Inc. HR Tip Volume 1 Issue 12

November 2009

Top 8 Preparations for Year End Activities

Written by: Michele O'Donnell, M.S. Human Resources Management

As 2009 draws to a close, now is the time to begin planning year-end activities. Below is a list of 8 of the most common year-end Human Resources related items to consider. They should be addressed prior to January 2010; having a plan will aid in a smooth transition into the New Year.

• Request that all employees verify the accuracy of their name, address, and SSN on their pay stubs to assist with W-2 Wage & Tax Statement delivery. You might consider mailing a reminder notice to the last known address for all former employees advising them to notify the company immediately if their address needs to be updated, and provide a deadline date to relay any changes.
• Review all employee data in your HRIS system or with your payroll provider to ensure all information necessary for the creation of W-2 Wage & Tax Statements is available.
• Order all tax forms necessary for your year-end processing, such as the Federal W-2 Wage & Tax Statement forms, W-3 Transmittal of Wage & Tax Statements, 1099 MISC – Miscellaneous Income, or 1096 – Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns, and any state or local returns that are required for your business.
• Identify any payroll adjustments that must be made before year-end and process accordingly.
• Provide employees with a W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate for 2010. The Internal Revenue Service has not published the 2010 form to date, but you can check the IRS website for publication information at http://www.irs.gov/.

In addition, you should provide your state’s equivalent of this form (in California it is form DE34-Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate).

• If your benefit plans renew in January, this is open enrollment season. Ensure you have allotted enough time to provide employees information on any plan changes and answer any questions.
• Employees that participate in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) must re-enroll annually to continue participation. Make sure to remind employees of this re-enrollment requirement and provide all applicable information and forms.
• The beginning of a new year is a great time to roll out any new company policies and procedures. This is also a good time to update the company’s handbook and implement it with the start of the New Year. 

Please remember the friendly representatives at MMC, Inc. are always available to assist with any of your business concerns. If you have any questions please give us a call (888) 866-2476 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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