Compliance & Penalties

Partnering with Employers to Guarantee the Support of our Nation's Children

Act 97 of the 1997 Louisiana Legislative Session and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, 42 U.S.C. 653A, requires all employers to report newly hired and re-hired employees to a state directory within 20 days of their hire date.

New hire reporting is required by law in all 50 states, and has been mandatory since October, 1998. Pursuant to federal law, states have the option of imposing civil monetary penalties on employers who fail to report new hires. The fine can be up to $25 per newly hired employee, and if there is a conspiracy between the employer and employee to not report, the penalty can be up to $500 per newly hired employee.

The State of Louisiana works with employers to help ensure that all new hires are reported. The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) provides states a quarterly report containing information on employers who may not have reported all new hires as required.

Using the quarterly report, the Louisiana Directory of New Hires may mail notices to employers who appear to be non-compliant in reporting their new hires. Aside from providing information on legal requirements, the notice also provides information on how to comply with new hire reporting laws, so employers may avoid future notices.

Using a different Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) to report new hires and quarterly wage information may cause employers to appear as non-compliant. If employers have more than one FEIN, please make certain to use the same FEIN used to report quarterly wage information when reporting new hires. Employers that receive a non-compliance notice from the Louisiana Directory of New Hires and believe they may be using multiple FEINs, please contact the Louisiana Directory of New Hires.

The Louisiana Directory of New Hires also monitors regular new hire reports and attempts to contact employers who appear to have lapsed or have irregular new hire reporting histories.

New hire reporting is a valuable tool that contributes to the well-being of many families and helps prevent fraudulent unemployment and welfare benefit payments. To learn more about the benefits of new hire reporting, view Frequently Asked Questions.

If you have received a notice from the Louisiana Directory of New Hires which referenced a lack of compliance, or if you have additional questions about complying with the new hire reporting law, please contact us at (888) 223-1461 or submit a Customer Service Support Form.