The HR Compliance Calendar for October 2023: USA, Canada, India and Australia

27 of September, 2023

Alright HR managers and business owners, October is here and that means it’s time to double check that compliance calendar. Between managing employee records, keeping policies up to date, and staying on top of labor laws, your to-do list is jam packed this month.

In the US, you’ve got some big deadlines coming up like filing that EEO-1 report by October 30th and sending out those summary plan descriptions for any benefits changes.

Up north in Canada, make sure you submit that T4 by the 15th. For those managing teams in India, Diwali bonuses should be paid out this month, and in Australia, you’ll want to issue updated employment contracts to align with the new federal minimum wage increase.

With so much going on across borders, using a tool like Sesame’s Document Management to keep track of local compliance requirements can help make this busy month a little less chaotic. Now take a deep breath and dive on in – you’ve got this, HR pros!

October HR Compliance Calendar for the USA

October 2 is the deadline for distributing Form W-2 to employees for the 2022 tax year. As an HR manager, make sure all W-2s are printed and ready to distribute to employees by this date.

October 15 is the extended deadline for filing Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. This form reports wages paid and federal income taxes withheld from employee’s paychecks. Use tax filing software like Sesame to ensure it’s submitted accurately and on time.

Around mid-October, provide employees with notices about any changes to health plans for 2024. Employees must receive 60 days advance notice for health plan changes. Send an email and post notices in your office to ensure all employees are properly informed.

October 31 is the deadline for sending Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to employees eligible for health plans during open enrollment for 2024 plans. The SBC provides an overview of available health plans to help employees choose the right coverage for their needs.

International HR Compliance Deadlines

As an HR professional, October is an important month for compliance. Here are the key dates to keep in mind:

Canada (October 1)

Canada‘s fiscal year ends September 30th, so employment contracts and workplace policies should be reviewed and renewed by October 1st. Make sure all required employment documents like offer letters, contracts and workplace policies are up to date.

USA (October 15)

In the US, Form 941 (quarterly payroll tax return) is due for the third quarter. Using software like Sesame can help ensure Form 941 and other required US forms are filed accurately and on time.

India (October 31)

For companies in India, the deadline for filing TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) returns for the second quarter is October 31st. Sesame provides an easy way to stay on top of complex Indian tax compliance requirements.

Australia (October 31)

In Australia, Single Touch Payroll reports are due for the first quarter of the fiscal year. Sesame makes it simple to generate and submit STP reports to the Australian Tax Office by the October 31 deadline.

To ensure you meet all compliance deadlines this October and avoid potential fines, it’s a good idea to double check requirements for each country you operate in. Sesame can help by providing a centralized place to store all your HR documents and send alerts about upcoming deadlines. By staying organized and on top of compliance, you’ll have more time to focus on strategic priorities.

Streamlining Compliance With Sesame

As an HR professional, keeping up with constantly changing compliance requirements across regions can feel like a full-time job in itself. Sesame is an HR compliance software that can help simplify the process.

The software integrates with your existing payroll, benefits, and other HR systems to automatically pull in the employee data needed to generate compliance reports and filings.

Using tools like Sesame to simplify compliance management best practices can help reduce the burden on HR teams and minimize the risk of penalties from missed deadlines or inaccurate reporting.

Conclusion

So, there you have it, the key compliance requirements and deadlines to keep in mind for October 2023 across the US, Canada, India and Australia. As you’ve seen, there are several important filings due this month that you’ll want to prioritize to avoid potential penalties.

The best way to stay on top of all these varying compliance obligations is to get organized, set calendar reminders, and have a system in place to track what’s required and when.

Staying compliant is challenging, but with the right approach and resources, you’ve got this! Now get out there and conquer October. The compliance gauntlet awaits!