Reporting Basics

Why is new hire reporting required?
Who is required to report?
What do I have to report?
When do I have to report?
How do I report new hires?
Where do I report new hires?

Why is new hire reporting required?

In 1996, Congress enacted a law called the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act," or PRWORA, as part of Welfare Reform. This legislation created the requirement for employers in all 50 states to report their new hires and re-hires to a state directory.

New hire reporting speeds up the child support income withholding order process, expedites collection of child support from parents who change jobs frequently, and quickly locates non-custodial parents to help in establishing paternity and child support orders. New hire reporting helps children receive the support they deserve. Employers serve as key partners in ensuring financial stability for many children and families and should take pride in their role.

For more information on this law, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

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Who is required to report?

Employers and/or labor organizations doing business in the State of Georgia must report the following employees:

• Newly hired employees: Employers must report all employees who reside or work in the State of Georgia to whom the employer anticipates paying earnings. Employees should be reported even if they work only one day and are terminated (prior to the employer fulfilling the new hire reporting requirement).
  
  
• Re-hires or Re-called employees: Employers must report re-hires, or employees who return to work after being laid off, furloughed, separated, granted a leave without pay, or terminated from employment for 60 days or more. Employers must also report any employee who remains on the payroll during a break in service or gap in pay, and then returns to work. This includes teachers, substitutes, seasonal workers, etc.
  
  
• Temporary employees: Temporary agencies are responsible for reporting any employee who they hire to report for an assignment. Employees need to be reported only once; they do not need to be re-reported each time they report to a new client. They do need to be reported as a re-hire if the worker has a break in service or gap in wages from your company.

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What do I have to report?

For questions about Multistate employers, click here.

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When do I have to report?

Georgia Statute 19-11-9.2 requires all employers to submit their new hire reports within 10 days after the employee is hired or re-hired or returns to work. Employers who submit reports magnetically or electronically shall submit the reports in two monthly transmissions not more than sixteen days apart.

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How do I report new hires?

The Georgia New Hire Reporting Program offers many options that make it easy for employers to report new hires. The options available are listed below.

Electronic Reporting

• Online Reporting: Use this Web site to report your new hires. This is the easiest and most efficient way to report new hires! Register here and start now!

Already registered? Log in to report your new hires over the Internet.

• Create your own Electronic New Hire Reports: Click here for detailed instructions and electronic data transmission methods for creating electronic new hire reports.
  
  

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Non-Electronic Reporting

1. Spreadsheet - If your software is unable to export your new hire information in our electronic format, you might be able to have your software create a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro) containing your new hire data.
   
   The spreadsheet should contain all of the required information on the New Hire Reporting Form, be created using at least a 10-point font size, and have the
   
   
   • employer's name,
   • Federal Employer Identification Number, and
   • address clearly displayed at the top of the report.
   
   See the following example:
   
   
   
   

   -OR-
   
   

2. New Hire Reporting Form (click here to download). You may download, print, fill out, and fax or mail us a New Hire Reporting Form.

   -OR-
   
   

3. W-4 Form - If you choose to submit a W-4 form as a new hire report, please ensure that each W-4 is easily readable and has the employer's name, Federal Employer Identification Number, and address written at the top of each form.

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Other Reporting Methods

Payroll Service: If you use a payroll or accounting service, consider asking the service to report your new hires for you. Leading payroll services are already electronically reporting new hires for thousands of employers.

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Where do I report new hires?

Electronic Reports - Using our Web site's online reporting feature is a very popular choice for employers. This feature provides a printable confirmation of reports received and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Employers can send new hire data files in a variety of ways, including transferring files through this Web site, through internet connection using File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or mail reports to us on diskette. Click here to learn more about electronic reporting.

Non-Electronic Reports - Paper new hire reports may either be faxed or mailed to our Center.

Please call the Georgia New Hire Reporting Program at (404) 525-2985, or toll-free at (888) 541-0469 for any questions regarding the new hire reporting process. Our telephone system can help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help desk staff are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm Eastern Time.