HR Calendar 2021: Key Compliance Dates and Holidays for New Year

From major holidays to key compliance requirements and ACA deadlines, find out everything you need to know about important HR dates for 2021.

2021 HR Calendar: Key Dates and Holidays

Note: Dates may be subject to change and will be updated accordingly. Follow blog.bernieportal.com for the latest HR updates.

JANUARY

Federal Holidays

• Friday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
• Monday, January 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Key Dates

• Wednesday, January 20 – Presidential Inauguration Day 
• Thursday, January 28 – Data Privacy Day
• Sunday, January 31 – Quarterly Form 941 Due

FEBRUARY

Federal Holidays 

• Monday, February 15 – President’s Day

Key Dates

• Black History Month
• Monday, February 1 – Form W-2 Filing Deadline
• Monday, February 1 – Form 1099 Filing Deadline
• Saturday, February 6 – Post OSHA Form 300A through April 30
• Sunday, February 28 – ACA Forms Paper Filing Deadline

MARCH

Key Dates

• Monday, March 1 – Form 8809 Paper Filing Deadline
• Monday, March 1 – HIPAA Breach Employee Notification
• Monday, March 1 – Form M-1 Filing Deadline 
• Tuesday, March 2 – Form 1095-B and Form 1095-C Furnish to Employees Deadline (extended from Jan. 31, 2021)
• Tuesday, March 2 – CMS Creditable Coverage Disclosure 
• Tuesday, March 2 – OSHA Records Due
• Friday, March 5 – Employee Appreciation Day
• Monday, March 8 – International Women's Day
• Sunday, March 14 – Daylight Savings Time Start
• Wednesday, March 31 – Forms 1095-B and 1095-C E-Filing Deadline
• Wednesday, March 31 – Form 8809 E-Filing Deadline
• Wednesday, March 31 – End of Q1
• March TBD – Adjusted EEO-1 Reporting and Filing Deadline for 2019, 2020

APRIL

Key Dates

• Thursday, April 15 – Tax Day
• Thursday, April 15 – Form 7004 Filing Deadline
• Thursday, April 15 – Form 8928 Filing Deadline
• Wednesday, April 21 – Administrative Professionals Day
• Friday, April 30 – Quarterly Form 941 Due

MAY

Federal Holidays

• Monday, May 31 – Memorial Day

Key Dates

• Saturday, May 15 – Non-Profit Tax Returns Deadline
• Global Employee Health and Fitness Month – Encourage healthy lifestyles and workplace wellness

JUNE

Key Dates

• Monday, June 14 – Flag Day
• Saturday, June 19 – Juneteenth
• Wednesday, June 30 – End of Q2
• Mid-Year Benefits Review – Remind employees to take advantage of any eligible voluntary benefits 

JULY

Federal Holidays 

• Sunday, July 4 – Independence Day
• Monday, July 5 – Independence Day (observed) 

Key Dates

• Saturday, July 31 – Form 720 Filing Deadline
• Saturday, July 31 – Form 5500 Filing Deadline
• Saturday, July 31 – Form 5558 Filing Deadline
• Saturday, July 31 – Quarterly Form 941 Due
• Compliance Check – Review benefits notices were or will be issued as required

AUGUST

Key Dates

• School Physicals – Remind employees about dependent benefits before school begins
• National Eye-Exam Month – Encourage employees to take advantage of vision benefits

SEPTEMBER

Federal Holidays 

• Monday, September 6 – Labor Day

Key Dates

• September 6-10 – National Payroll Week
• Thursday, September 30 – SAR Furnish to Covered Participants Deadline
• Thursday, September 30 – End of Q3
• PTO Check – Remind employees to check PTO balances before Q4
• Fall Flu Shots – Encourage employees to receive flu shots

OCTOBER

Federal Holidays

• Monday, October 11 – Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Key Dates

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month
• Sunday, October 3 – QSEHRA Notice Deadline (for QSEHRAs that begin Jan. 1, 2022)
• Sunday, October 3 – RDS Application Due to CMS (for plan years beginning in Jan. 1, 2022)
• Thursday, October 14 – Medicare Part D Notice of Creditable Coverage Delivered to Plan Participants
• Friday, October 15 – National Boss’s Day (observed)
• Sunday, October 31 – Form 941 Due
• Sunday, October 31 – Halloween
• October TBD – Tax Return Extension Deadline

NOVEMBER

Federal Holidays

• Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day
• Thursday, November 25 – Thanksgiving

Key Dates

• Sunday, November 7 – Daylight Savings Time End
• Remind Employees to submit FSA receipts before EOY

DECEMBER

Federal Holidays

• Friday, December 24 – Christmas Eve/Christmas Day (observed)
• Saturday, December 25 – Christmas Day

Key Dates

• Friday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve 
• BerniePortal Review – Remind employees to update personal information in BerniePortal for W-2s and ACA reports in the new year

FIRST DAY OF PLAN YEAR AND ANNUAL NOTICES

• ADA Wellness Program Notice
• CHIP Notice
• GINA Wellness Program Authorization
• Grandfathered Plan Notice
• Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act Notice
• Notice to Enrollees Regarding Group Health Plan Opt-out
• Wellness Program Notice of Reasonable Alternatives 
• Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act Notice