Last updated on April 8, 2021
When a person receives the news that they’ve been hired, it’s understandably cause for celebration. However, this celebration may prove to be short-lived once the person actually reports for work, as they will soon find themselves inundated with forms to sign, people to meet, policies with which to familiarize themselves and, of course, duties to learn.
Sometimes lost amid this new job chaos, however, is the fact that both Georgia law and federal law requires employers to submit the names of their new hires to a state-run database within 10 days of their hire.
As we will examine further in a subsequent post, the primary purpose of this reporting requirement under what is known as the “new hire law” is to facilitate the regular payment of child support and collection of past due payments from delinquent parents.
It’s important to understand, however, that it’s not just new hires that — meaning those employees who live or work in Georgia, and to whom the employer anticipates paying — that must be reported under the law.
Indeed, employers must also report both re-called and re-hired employees, meaning any worker who has returned to work after the passage of more than 60 days due to any of the following:
- Layoffs
- Furloughs
- Leaves without pay
- Separation
- Termination
Interestingly, seasonal workers, substitutes and teachers all fall into this category.
Another class of employers covered by the law include temporary agencies, which must report the names of any employees hired to report for various assignments. While the employee doesn’t need to be reported for every new assignment, they will need to be reported as re-hires following any breaks like those outlined above.
We will continue to examine the new hire law in our next post. In the meantime, please consider speaking with a skilled legal professional if you have any questions or concerns about any matter related to child support from modification to enforcement.
