In last month’s newsletter, I talked about all the things that need to be done at the year’s end, from compensation strategies to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting. It was a lengthy list and I assured you that whatever you didn’t get done by December 31, you could address in January.
So, here we are. It’s mid-January. And, on top of the things you didn’t get done last year, there are a host of things that you need to do as the new year begins – many of which stem from December’s activities:
- Make the necessary changes to employee benefits that resulted from December’s open enrollment.
- As noted in the article above, there are W-2s to send out as well as 1099s and 1094/1095s.
- You need to update your payroll system to track changes, deductions and contributions.
- Your OSHA 300 report must be produced by the end of month, accounting for any accidents and injuries that happened in the workplace in 2016.
“It feels as if the government just may be trying to kill me!” you might be saying. The thought has run across my mind, too, but it’s the nature of the human resources business and “this too shall pass.”
One additional item that may be on your agenda for January is goal-setting. Please take a look at the next article, which is about just that. And, with so much requiring HR’s attention this month, it’s okay to designate February as the month you’ll focus on goals for the year. That’s my plan.