Report New Hires to the Appropriate Agencies

The paperwork involved with the hiring process doesn't end when a candidate signs the dotted line and becomes an official employee. The government wants to know specific information about your new hire. And it's your responsibility to make sure it's completed and filed in a timely fashion.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)

This federal law requires that all businesses report their newly hired and re-hired employees to a designated state agency within a pre-established period of time—20 days if sent via mail, twice per month if sent electronically.

Information required by the federal government* includes:

• Employer name associated with your company's federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Employer address
• EIN number
• Employee name
• Employee address
• Employee social security number
• Date of hire

*State laws may require that additional information be reported. Consult your state's designated enforcement agency for more information.

With this information, the agencies can match your new hire with national and state child support records and, if necessary, order that a portion of your employee's wages be withheld, or "garnished" to meet their child support responsibilities.