HR Checklist for 2020

The end of the year is a great time to audit and organize your organization before launching into the new year. One thing to audit going into 2020 is the exempt status of your employees. The change to the FLSA exempt status salary threshold will be effective January 1, 2020. Exempt positions must be paid a salary of at least $684 per week and meet the job duties test. While the job duties test has not changed you should review the actual exempt position duties to assure they still qualify. FLSA status is just one of the things included in our End of Year Checklist.

End-of-Year HR Checklist

Benefits

• If you are subject to ACA compliance responsibilities:
  • Prepare for reporting Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS
• Examine benefits package:
  • Compare your offering to market averages to stay competitive
  • Update benefits package (if needed)
• Finalize employee open enrollment details
• Verify employee dependent coverage
• Distribute new health insurance cards to employees, if required
• Ensure proper end-of-year PTO carryover in the system or pay employees out for PTO, depending on your policy
• Update all annual limits in your system such as HSA, 401(k) and FSA

Payroll

• Review company-wide salaries, including:
  • Perform cost-of-living adjustment, if necessary
  • Compare your offering to market averages to stay competitive
• Schedule & issue holiday bonuses
• Prepare for the first payroll run of the new year
  • Update all tax limits in your system such as SUTA and Social Security
• Confirm new year payroll schedule
• Order W-2s and 1099s
• Review employee wage, tax, and withholding information (such as W-4s)

Compliance

• Ensure employee classification compliance
• Ensure compliance with the new exempt status salary threshold
• Update employee handbook
• Audit personnel files for compliance
• Purge I-9s that meet record retention requirements
• Verify that correct labor laws are properly posted
  • Order updated posters (if needed)
• Research new state, city, or federal labor laws
• Update OSHA logs
• Distribute annual notices to employees, e.g. ERISA
• Ensure that anti-harassment training is completed
• Move terminated personnel files to storage
• Begin preparation for EEO-1 reporting, if subject to reporting

Hiring

• Review hiring processes, including:
  • Analyze recruiting process, onboarding length, and others
• Assess staffing needs and plan for new hires
• Create and update succession plans
• Update job descriptions

General HR

• Review HR budget for the new year and allocate resources
• Perform annual performance reviews
• Develop new year strategy plan
• Review and update company policies
• Remind employees to update information (addresses, tax documents, dependents)
• Review vendor contracts and set up renewal details
• Back up any necessary HR data and personnel files
• Create and distribute vacation and holiday calendar for new year

Spirit HR can help in many aspects of Human Resources and Compliance. Contact us today to see how we can ease these burdens and allow you more time to focus on your core business.

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