Frequently Asked Questions
About the Law
Basics of New Hire Reporting
Common Employer Questions
- I am an employer with employees in more than one state. What special considerations, if any, need to be made for this?
- What if I have questions about child support or income withholding?
- Do I have to report if I do not hire anyone?
- Are domestic employees (maid, nurse, gardener) required to be reported?
- I am an employer who has more than one address. Which one should I list?
- I provide employee information on my Quarterly Wage Reports. Why must I also report the employee as a new hire?
- Do temporary agencies have to report their new hires for every assignment?
- Do I need to report an employee who worked for a couple of hours or days and then quit?
- If I take over a business, do I have to report all of the employees?
- In addition to reporting new hires, do I need to report terminated employees as well?
- I am an employer with more than one FEIN. Which do I use for the new hire report?
- Are employers on Native American reservations and lands subject to the new hire reporting requirements?
- I am a multi-state employer with employees in more than two states. Can I report all my employees to one state outside of Indiana, except report Indiana employees to Indiana?
- Do I need to report re-hired employees?
- I'm not sure if I have reported one of our new employees. How can I find out the names of employees I have already reported?
- Is it possible to submit a test file after registering to report electronically, to verify our file layout?
- If I start sending reports using one method, do I always need to file my reports the same method?
- What should I do if I make a mistake on the employee information and I've already submitted it?
- If an employee lives outside Indiana, but works in Indiana, to what state do I submit the New Hire report?
- How do I enter the employee's date of birth when it's a violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to ask for their date of birth?
- What is the definition of date of hire?
- What if I still have more questions about new hire reporting?
For Those New to the New Hire System
About the Law
Indiana Statute IC 22-4-10-8 and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, 42 U.S.C. 653a, require all employers to electronically report newly hired and re- hired employees to a state directory within 20 days of their hire or re-hire date.
All employers and/or labor organizations in the State of Indiana who have an FEIN.
Employers are required to report the following employees:
- New employees: Employers must report all employees who reside or work in the State of Indiana to whom the employer anticipates paying earnings. Newly hired or rehired employees who quit or are terminated prior to being reported should still be submitted.
- Re-hires or Re-called employees: Employers must report re-hires or employees who return to work 60 days after being laid off, furloughed, separated, granted a leave without pay, or terminated from employment. If the employee has returned to employment within 60 consecutive days, there is no need to report that individual. This includes teachers, seasonal workers, and election poll workers.
- Temporary employees: Temporary agencies are responsible for reporting any employee they hire to report for an assignment. Employees do not need to be re-reported each time they report to a new client. If the worker has a break in service for 60 consecutive days or more from your agency, then a new hire report would be necessary.
Federal law states the term "employer" for New Hire reporting purposes is the same as for federal income tax purposes and includes any governmental entity or labor organization.
Indiana Statute IC 22-4-10 exempts an employee of a federal or state agency who performs intelligence or counter-intelligence functions if the head of the agency determines that the reporting information required under this section could endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.
Under PRWORA, a tribe can operate its own IV-D system pursuant to section 455(f) of the Act and may be exempt from new hire reporting requirements unless the tribe has accepted the state's jurisdiction for this purpose.
Labor unions and hiring halls must report their own employees; that is, individuals who work directly for the labor union or hiring hall. If the labor union or hiring shall simply refers individuals for employment, it does not need to file new hire reports for these actions. If a labor organization actually pays the individuals whom it refers (as opposed to having them paid by the person or entity to whom they have been referred), the labor organization would be considered the "employer" and subject to the new hire reporting requirements.
Basics of New Hire Reporting
New hire reporting speeds up the child support income withholding order process, expedites child support collection by providing current new hire data and quickly locates alleged non- custodial parents to help establish paternity and child support orders. New hire reporting also saves taxpayers by preventing fraud in welfare, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance. Employers are key partners in ensuring financial stability for many children and families and should take pride in helping children receive the support they deserve.
Required Employer Information:
- Employer's Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). If you have more than one FEIN, please make certain you use the same FEIN you use to report your quarterly wage information when reporting new hires.
- Employer's Name
- Employer's Payroll Processing Address
Required Employee Information:
- Employee's Name (First, Middle, Last)
- Employee's Mailing Address
- Employee's Social Security Number (SSN)
- Employee's Date of Hire
- Employee's Job Title
- Employee's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
- Employee's Starting Salary
- Employee's Rate of Pay
Optional Employer Information:
- Employer Phone Number
- Employer Fax Number
- Employer E-mail Address
- Employer Contact Name
Optional Employee Information:
- Employee's State of Hire
- Employee's Date of Birth
View questions about Multistate employers.
Employers must report new hires and rehires through our online form, by electronic file transfer protocols (SFTP), or by electronic file upload. If you use a payroll or accounting service, you may ask the service provider to report your new hires.
After registering for an account, employers can utilize our online reporting option by keying records into an interactive online form. Employers may also choose to upload a file through their online account using one of the file formats available at https://in-newhire.com/ftp
We also support Secure File Transfer Protocols (SFTP) for users wishing to automate their file reporting.
Learn more about new hire reporting on our Electronic Reporting Page.
Employers must report within 20 days of an employee's hire or re-hire date. Employers who submit files shall submit the reports in two monthly transmissions not more than 12-16 days apart to ensure employees are reported within the 20-day compliance timeframe. There is no need to report if there are no new hires since the last report.
Federal and State laws outline strict guidelines for the use of new hire reporting information. Indiana's child support computer system matches new hire information against open child support cases in order to locate non-custodial parents to establish paternity and child support orders, as well as enforce existing orders. Once these matches are completed, the new hire information is sent to the National Directory of New Hires and is utilized by Child Support Agencies nationwide.
New hire information can also be used by states to help detect and prevent fraudulent payments to recipients of unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and welfare benefits.
The use of this information provides financial support for Indiana's deserving families and works towards a reduction in welfare and unemployment insurance costs.
Begin by reporting any new employees you've hired within the last 180 days. Continue by reporting any new hires you have within 20 days of their hire date.
Common Employer Questions
I am an employer with employees in more than one state. What special considerations, if any, need to be made for this?
New hire reporting is mandated by law in all 50 states so one of the main goals of new hire reporting legislation is to make it as easy as possible for employers to comply. For those employers who have employees in more than one state, we have two convenient options for reporting. View more details on multistate reporting.
The New Hire Reporting Center does not have access to specific child support information and does not have the ability to answer questions related to child support. Check out our Employer Resources page to find information on local, state, and federal child support agencies.
No. Reports are only required after an employee is hired.
New hire reporting legislation requires all "employees" to be reported. Thus, an individual who is an employee for purposes of federal income tax withholding from wages is also an employee for new hire reporting purposes. If you need to determine if you should be paying federal income tax for your employees, please contact the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-1040 or visit them at www.irs.gov.
You should list the address where you want income withholding orders sent. A street address is preferred, as long as mail can be sent there.
I provide employee information on my Quarterly Wage Reports. Why must I also report the employee as a new hire?
New hire information from the Quarterly Wage Reports becomes available two to six months after the date of hire. When you report new hires immediately, there is a much better chance of locating the individual while still employed, and the required child support action can be taken at once. Furthermore, fraudulent unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and welfare benefit payments can be detected quickly.
Workers only need to be reported once and do not need to be submitted each time they report to a new client. However, a re-hire report would be necessary if the worker has a break in service for 60 consecutive days or more from your agency.
As long as an employee filled out a W-4 form, even if they only worked for a few hours, that employee must be reported. Although that employee is no longer with your company, useful information such as home address and work history can be obtained from their new hire report.
Not if these employees have previously been reported and if you as the new employer will continue to honor any Income Withholding Notices that are in effect. If you will not honor the previous withholding notices you must report all employees as new hires. Employers must report any newly hired employee who is hired after that date. If you are unsure if employees have been previously reported, we recommend reporting any employee hired within the last 180 days.
Employers can send new hire data files by transferring files through the Web site or through internet connection using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). Learn more about electronic reporting. Learn more about electronic reporting.
Termination reports are accepted but are not required to be reported to the New Hire Reporting Center. However, if the terminated employee had an Income Withholding Order for child support, the termination should be reported to the agency that issued the order.
Use the same FEIN under which the employee's wages are reported.
Are employers on Native American reservations and lands subject to the new hire reporting requirements?
No, unless the tribe has accepted the jurisdiction of the state for this purpose. There are several ways this can be accomplished. For example, a tribe can enter into an agreement with the state for the cooperative delivery of child support enforcement services, including reporting new hires to the State Directory of New Hires (SDNH). Under PRWORA, a tribe can operate its own IV-D system pursuant to section 455(f) of the Act.
I am a multi-state employer with employees in more than two states. Can I report all my employees to one state outside of Indiana, except report Indiana employees to Indiana?
You must either report all employees to one state as long as you registered as a multistate employer, or report employees to the state in which they work.
Employers must report re-hires, or employees who return to work 60 days after being laid off, furloughed, separated, granted a leave without pay, or terminated from employment. If the employee has returned to employment within 60 consecutive days, there is no need to report that individual. This includes teachers, seasonal workers, and election poll workers.
I'm not sure if I have reported one of our new employees. How can I find out the names of employees I have already reported?
You may review records you have reported using our "view new hires" feature once logged in. You can only view records reported from your own user account. If multiple users exist for your company or you utilize a service provider, these records cannot be viewed. You can contact your service provider to confirm the employee has been reported, or you can contact our customer service team at (866) 879-0198.
Is it possible to submit a test file after registering to report electronically, to verify our file layout?
No, we ask that you only send production files to the New Hire Reporting Center. Please contact the reporting center at (866) 879-0198 or contact@in-newhire.com for more information or assistance in verifying your file layout.
No, you may choose any electronic reporting method that works best for you at any time. However, if it is the first time utilizing the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), you will need to contact customer service to update your account.
You should contact our customer service team immediately at (866) 879-0198. Due to the sensitivity of information being provided, we do not suggest sending an email.
If an employee lives outside Indiana, but works in Indiana, to what state do I submit the New Hire report?
New Hire reports are submitted to the state in which the employee works. In this example, the New Hire report would go to Indiana. However, employers with employees working in more than one state have other reporting options. For more information please refer to our Multistate Employer Information page.
How do I enter the employee's date of birth when it's a violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to ask for their date of birth?
It is only a violation to discriminate against employees based on age and therefore would be unacceptable to ask for Date of Birth as part of the selection process. However, once you have hired the employee, it is appropriate to gather this information for reporting purposes.
The date of hire is defined as the first day an employee performs services for pay.
Do not hesitate to call the Indiana New Hire Reporting toll-free at (866) 879-0198 with any questions regarding the new hire reporting process. Our help desk staff is available Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM Eastern Time.
