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W H AT BUSI N E S SE S N EED TO KN OW
TO H ELP KEEP WA SHI NGTON S A FE
A N D WORKI NG
S PR I N G C LE AN I N G? R EM EM B ER TH E
E S S ENTIAL S O F R ECO R D K EEPI N G ,
R E TU R N -TO -WO R K PL AN N I N G AN D SAFE T Y
TORCH TALK MARCH 2016
by Roseann Collins
Employer Services Outreach
Supervisor, Washington
State Department of Labor
and Industries
-18-
“What records do I need to keep
for workers’ compensation?”
is the most common question
employers ask me during
the course of my job at the
Washington State Department
of Labor and Industries (L&I).
Whether the business is new or
Employer Records
well established, record retention For each worker:
is a confusing topic. Yet failure
to keep and maintain the correct • Name
records could be costly - up to
• Social Security Number
$250 per worker.
• Beginning & ending
date of employment
Washington State law requires
• Basis of pay
every employer to keep records
• Units earned or produced for
that will allow L&I to compute
pieceworkers
insurance premiums. The
• Risk class for each employee
following is a list of records that
• Time record showing days
businesses should keep for
worked and hours worked
three years and three months.
• Summary of hours worked
Other agencies and the
each quarter
Federal government may
• Worker’s total gross pay
want you to keep them longer.
• Workers’ specific withholding
• Worker’s net pay
Financial Records
•
•
•
Check register and
canceled checks
Bank Statements
Cash disbursements journal
Tax Records
•
•
•
Employment Security reports
Department of
Revenue reports
Internal Revenue
Returns, Forms
o W-2
o 941 (Quarterly Reports)
o 1099 (Miscellaneous
Income)
o Annual Tax Return
Other Records to Maintain
•
•
•
Purchase Records for
o Materials and Supplies
o Miscellaneous
Contract Labor
Corporate Documents
o Articles of Incorporation
o Bylaws, Minutes
of Meetings
LLC Documents
o Certificate of Formation