NEW HIRE REPORTING AND TERMINATIONS

Amy Newton: This video, brought to you by the Oklahoma Employer Services Center and Oklahoma Child Support Services, explains new hire reporting.  

Rory Littleton: Oklahoma employers are required by law to report all new hires, rehires, and terminations to a central location: the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (or OESC).  This is also the agency to which employers send the basic W-4 information collected at the time of hire.  

Amy Newton: After the information is matched with state child support records, it is then sent to a National Directory of New Hires operated by the Federal Parent Locator Service.  All personal information is kept confidential and secure.  

Rory Littleton: New hire reporting helps children to receive the financial support they need and also helps prevent false unemployment insurance benefits claims.  Now we will answer some common questions.  

Amy Newton: How soon must new hires be reported?  New hires must be reported within 20 days of hire.  If you’re filing electronically or online, you will need to report new hires twice monthly and within at least 20 days of the hire date.  

Rory Littleton: Next - What are the methods for reporting?  There are three methods available for reporting.  We highly recommend the most efficient process: reporting online, at www.ok.gov/oesc.  It’s quick and convenient.  

Amy Newton: The second way to report is with magnetic tape diskettes.  To view the file layout requirements for diskette and magnetic tape recording, visit the new hire website at www.ok.gov/oesc/specs.html.  

Rory Littleton: If you have your own computerized personnel or accounting system, you may choose to download diskettes and/or magnetic tapes directly into the online reporting system. Or you may mail them to the Oklahoma New Hire Reporting Center P.O. Box 52003 Oklahoma City, OK 73152-2003.  The third way is to submit your report in paper form.  You may mail it to the Oklahoma New Hire Reporting Center or you can fax it toll-free to 1-800-317-3786 or 405-325-8210 in the Oklahoma City metro area.  To request a form, call 1-866-533-2368.  

Here’s our next question - What information do I need to include in the new hire report?  Most of the data elements you need are on the employee’s W-4.  Some additional information is required for new hire reporting and the forms need to be filed separately.  Here’s what you will need to include: employee name, address, and Social Security Number, employee occupation and salary, employee date of birth, employee date of hire (defined as the first day of paid service).  

Amy Newton: Also include the state of hire, the employer name, address, and Federal ID Number (FEIN), and your Oklahoma Employer Account Number that is assigned by OESC.  

Rory Littleton: You will also confirm the employee’s status with the company, answering whether they are still employed.  Also, specify availability of dependent health insurance.  If applicable, you will need to provide the employee recall or rehire date.  

Amy Newton: You may be wondering, who has access to these records?  In addition to Oklahoma Child Support Services, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has access to new hire records, to detect and prevent unemployment insurance overpayments and fraud.  The Oklahoma Department of Human Services may also access these records to discover and stop unnecessary public assistance payments.  

No Audio: Text on-screen indicates that this content is governed by Oklahoma State Statute 56, Section 183.

Only government agencies with a stated purpose as authorized by law may access these records.  

Rory Littleton: Next - What do I do if my company has employees in more than one state?  If you are a multi-state employer and you report electronically or magnetically, you have two choices for reporting.  You may choose to report employees in the state they work, following the guidelines for each of those states, or you may choose to designate a single state for reporting all the employees in your company. But you must choose one or the other.  

Amy Newton: If you decide to designate a single state, you must notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services of your decision by mailing a notification to this address: Department of Health and Human Services û 
Multi-state Employer Registration - Office of Child Support Enforcement P.O. Box 509 Randallstown, MD 21133.  Fax number 410-277-9325.  You can also register electronically by visiting the interactive website at the address listed on the screen. 

No Audio: Text on screen "http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/employer/private/newhire/htm"   

Rory Littleton: Please include the following information: Federal Employer Identification Number (or FEIN), employer’s name, address, and telephone number related to the FEIN, the state you have selected for reporting purposes, the other states in which your company has employees, and the corporate point of contact.  

Amy Newton: Let’s answer this - What if I need to report for subsidiaries of my company who operate under different names and FEINs?  In this situation, please include the separate subsidiary names and numbers, and list the states in which they do business.  You can request a copy of a specially designed form for this purpose by calling the Department of Health and Human Services at 410-277-9470 or you may download the form called “The Multi-state Employer Notification Form for New Hire Reporting” at the website link provided on your screen. 

No Audio: Text on screen is "http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/employer/publication/forms/mseform6.pdf"  

Rory Littleton: For registration assistance at the federal level, call the Multi-state Helpdesk at 410-277-9470 between 9 am and 5 pm Eastern Standard Time.  

Amy Newton: Please note that payroll processing companies must report as each customer elects.  They cannot choose one option for reporting on behalf of all of their customers.  

Rory Littleton: States access the employee information from these companies by using the National Directory of New Hires, that maintains a list of companies and how they choose to report.  The list is made available to state child support agencies so they will know where employees working in their state are reporting.  

Amy Newton: In addition to new hires and rehires, employers are required to report terminations.  A termination occurs when an employee quits, retires, or is fired or laid off.  Now we’ll answer some questions about terminations.  

Rory Littleton: What if an employee terminates before the 20 day deadline for filing the new hire report?  You must still report the employee as a new hire.  
On the Oklahoma New Hire Reporting form under the question “Is this person currently employed with your company?” please check “no”.  

Amy Newton: What if there is a Notice/Order to Withhold Income for child support on an employee when he or she is terminated?  In this situation, you must inform the issuing agency immediately regarding the termination of that employee.  You will fill out number five on the Notice/Order to Withhold Income for child support and submit it to the issuing agency.  If it is an Oklahoma notice and the contact information is missing, please call 1-866-553-2368 for further instructions.  

Rory Littleton: And our last question - What information will I include on the termination report?  You will include the employee’s name, case identifier, last known home address, the date of separation, and his or her new employer’s address if you have that information.  You may then mail the report to OKESC at P.O. Box 248805 Oklahoma City, OK  73124-8805 or fax 405-325-8210.  

Amy Newton: We hope that new hire reporting and termination reporting will be a simple and seamless process for you.  

Rory Littleton: Our Employer Services Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm toll-free at 1-866-553-2368.  They can assist you with any questions you have.  

Amy Newton: Thank you for watching.