Record Keeping

What basic payroll and employment records must be maintained?

Maintaining the following information in your employee master file will meet IRS and FLSA requirements:

  1. The employee's name, as it appears on their social security card, and date of employment
  2. The employee's complete address
  3. Date of birth, if the emplyee is under 19 years of age
  4. Payment date and the starting and ending dates of the pay period
  5. The employee's workweek (start and finish times of the workweek and days worked)
  6. Number of hours worked each workday and each workweek
  7. Regular rate of pay for weeks when overtime was worked and the basis for setermining the rate and any records of any payments excluded from the overtime rate
  8. All additions (i.e. bonus) and deductions (i.e. insurance or garnishments) per pay period
  9. Earnings for straight and overtime
  10. Total wages paid for each pay period, including withholding, FICA, and FUTA taxes paid
  11. The employee's gender and occupation
  12. Copies of Forms W-2, W-4, W-4S, W-4P, and W-5
  13. Check sor statements of direct deposit
  14. Substantiation of fringe benefits and authorizations
  15. Substantiation of and authorization for any reimbursements of or deductions from the emplyee's wages, such as garnishments and wage assignments
  16. Dates of absence and records of sick pay