Prepare for a Successful New Year: 2024 HR Planning Calendar
As the holiday season wraps up, it's prime time to gear up for this year's HR projects and compliance tasks. Take advantage of our comprehensive 2024 HR Planning Calendar to ensure that you don’t miss any important deadlines.
Tailor our customizable tool to your organization by incorporating essential deadlines, noteworthy occasions, and industry-specific events. Make it uniquely yours by adding location-specific requirements and key organizational events and milestones.
Stay tuned as you see upcoming blog posts about significant changes slated for 2024. We will guide you through the key considerations and help you navigate the year ahead with confidence. Please feel free to reach out to one of our Sr. Consultants or contact Edna Nakamoto if you have any questions or would like to find out how our team of consultants can help address these compliance issues.
Wishing you a fantastic and fruitful 2024!
Note: This calendar reflects California-specific requirements and does not include tax or payroll deadlines.
1st Quarter:
Update Human Resources and payroll systems to reflect changes to sick leave, bereavement, and reproduction loss policies
Verify Minimum Wage requirements for the new year and ensure state, county, and municipality minimum wage requirements are met
Ensure all salaried employees meet the minimum threshold for exempt status
Check new thresholds for Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) Overtime Rules for the new year
Set up all internal systems to reflect new limits and reporting requirements and reset accumulator dates (i.e., Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA), vacation/sick balances, 401k/403b limits, etc.)
Update required notices for onsite and remote employees (paper and online postings) – January 1
Edit employee handbooks and distribute updates to employees
Update required pamphlets and forms
Updated forms in 2023/2024: Form I-9, Federal Minimum Wage Notice, Equal Employment Opportunity Center “Know Your Rights”, CA Paid Family Leave Pamphlet, Minimum Wage Notices for localities in CA, CA Minimum Wage Notice, and CA Wage Theft Notice, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) Paid Sick Leave Posting
Post a calendar of company holidays and payroll dates for the upcoming year
Submit payroll taxes and reporting for the previous year (Form 940 and Form 941) - January 31
Distribute W-2s and 1099s - January 31
Distribute required Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), and CalFile notices (with W2s and 1099s) - January 31
Distribute the 2nd VITA and CalFile notice during the month of March
Report Medicare Part D to Client Management System (CMS) - all employers offering prescription drug coverage must submit an annual notice to CMS on or before March 1 (or within 60 days of the start date of the plan year if on a non-calendar year plan)
Complete Affordable Care Act (ACA) (for Applicable Large Employers, (ALEs)) reporting for the previous year – distribute 1095-B and 1095-C forms OR 1094-B and 1094-C - March 1
Filing deadline for paper filers - February 28
Filing deadline for electronic filers – April 1
Request a new Form W-4 from any employee who claimed exemption from income tax withholding last year - February 15
Complete required OSHA reporting for the prior year
Prepare and post OSHA Form 300A (employers with 10+ employees, unless exempt because the establishment is classified as a low-hazard industry). Use information gathered from the previous year to prepare OSHA 300A. - February 1 – April 30
Post in a conspicuous location for the entire period
Electronically report OSHA 300A data for the previous calendar year - March 2
Work with benefits broker to ensure that all filing deadlines for benefits plans and health care elements are met (such as quarterly disclosure notices for 401(k) plans, etc.) These notices will vary based on your plan year and the type of plans offered.
Other HR Activities to Consider for 1st Quarter
Commence annual (or quarterly) performance management
Review previous year’s goals with employees
Set mutually agreed-upon goals for the year and create development plans
Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day – March 1
Apply for H-1B Visas – March 1 to March 17
2nd Quarter
Remove OSHA 300 log from posted location - April 30
Submit Form 941 Quarterly Tax Return Filing Deadline for Q - April 30
Submit California Civil Rights Department (CRD) Pay Data Reporting (100+ employees) – May 8
Submit 2023 Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO-1): Employers with 100 or more employees or federal contractors with 50 or more employees – 2024 Deadline TBD
Other HR Activities to Consider for the 2nd Quarter
Ensure mandatory training has been completed or scheduled (i.e., anti-harassment training or recertifications)
Prepare to apply mid-year regulatory changes, e.g., minimum wage – July 1
3rd Quarter
Complete annual 401k plan requirements
Submit Form 5500 for 401k Plans by the last day of the 7th month following the end of the plan year (July 31 for calendar year plans)
Summary Annual Report due to participants 9 months after the close of the Plan Year or 2 months after the due date for Form 5500
Submit VETS-100 form (Federal Contractors only) - September 30
Submit Form 941 Quarterly Tax Return Filing Deadline for Q2 - July 31
Submit PCORI fee for employers with self-funded insurance plans - July 31
Other HR Activities to Consider for the 3rd Quarter:
For benefit plans that are on a calendar year– Review plans and market quotes and administer open enrollment
Send reminders to employees and managers to plan the use of paid time off
4th Quarter
Distribute required creditable coverage disclosure notices to Medicare-eligible participants if the employer provides prescription drug coverage - October 15
Prepare and publish the 2025 list of paydays and company-observed holidays
Submit Form 941 Quarterly Tax Return Filing Deadline for Q3 - October 31
Publish the training schedule for the next year (sexual harassment, recertifications, etc.)
Order and display 2025 labor law posters
Complete year-end non-discrimination testing for 401(k) plans, 125 Premium Only Plans (POP) & Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Review and update your employee handbook for 2025; incorporate compliance requirements for remote and hybrid employees
Other HR Activities to Consider for the 4th Quarter:
If you have 1-4 employees in CA in 2023, the deadline for CalSavers enrollment is December 31, 2025 (if you have 5+ employees in 2023, you should have met the deadline for CalSavers on December 31, 2023). Newly mandated businesses with 5 or more employees are required to register by the end of the calendar year in which they became subject to the mandate.
Audit personnel files and records (including Form I-9s)
Send out annual reminders to employees to update their records, emergency contacts, address updates for W-2, etc.
File necessary records and purge outdated records in accordance with Federal and State retention requirements.
Review upcoming local and state minimum wage changes and review budget impact and staffing plans for the upcoming year
Review total compensation, update annual compensation plan, and adjust accordingly
Plan for deduction and payroll changes for the upcoming year
Plan for open enrollment for the next year (if your plan year is on a calendar year)
Implement a periodic performance management program (if not initiated during Q1)
Review the previous year's goals
Set mutually agreed-upon goals for the year/create development plans
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