Reminder to Customers: Send WOTC Surveys Within 28 Days of Employee’s Start Date

We would like to remind customers who are doing a lot of hiring over the next few months to make sure you send us your WOTC paperwork within 3 weeks of the employee’s start date.

Because of the WOTC 28 Day Rule CMS has just 28 days from the employee’s start date to submit your forms to the respective state agency for processing. The 3 week suggestion is to make sure our team of administrators has time to screen and process your WOTC applications.

Don’t Miss Out on Tax Credits!

If you are even one day late you can miss out! Missing the 28 day window means missing out on tax credits. Qualified individuals from any target group automatically become ineligible whether they qualified or not. There is no look back period. This means potentially missing out on a $2,400 credit, or higher if the employee is a qualified veteran.

WOTC Best Practices

  • If you are using paper/fax/mail to send your WOTC forms (8850 and 9061) please give yourself a few extra days in order to make sure the forms are submitted in time. Ideally, we should receive them within 21 days of the new hire’s start date. We recommend, if you are using paper, to mail applications weekly.
  • Customers using our secure web portal or 24-hour call center, please make sure the employee completes the survey, on the phone or on the web, as soon as possible after being hired.
  • Customers using iRecruit with electronic onboarding, can also use iRecruit to send the WOTC questionnaire to the new hire along with your other new hire documents.

About CMS

CMS is a full employment tax credit service designed to help employers obtain federal credits. To speak to an expert or ask a question please call (800) 517-9099 or contact us here.