Compliance Reset Checklist

What HR Must Update Before March 1, 2026

The Compliance Reset Checklist gives HR leaders a structured, prioritized roadmap to close risk gaps before they become exposure.

The First 60 Days of the Year Carry the Highest Concentration of HR Compliance Deadlines.

 

Q1 is deadline-heavy.

Minimum wage increases.
401(k) nondiscrimination testing.
ACA form distribution.
OSHA 300A posting.
State unemployment rate updates.

And that’s just the beginning.

The Compliance Reset organizes what must be completed by March 1, 2026 into high-risk and medium-risk categories, so you can focus where penalties hit hardest.

What’s Inside the Checklist

This isn’t a generic compliance list. It’s a risk-prioritized operational guide built for real HR workloads.

High-Risk (Immediate Action Required)

Items most likely to trigger penalties, wage claims, or regulatory scrutiny:

  • Minimum wage & exempt threshold verification
  • 401(k) ADP/ACP nondiscrimination testing
  • ACA form distribution (1095-C / 1095-B)
  • OSHA 300A posting (Feb 1–April 30)
  • Labor law poster verification
  • Background check & adverse action compliance
Medium-Risk (Complete Before End of Q1)

Operational compliance areas that frequently create audit findings:

  • Paid sick leave accrual audits
  • Handbook leave language updates
  • Pay transparency template review
  • SUI rate updates
  • Workers’ comp classification review
  • AI and recruiting policy updates

You’ll also find focused review sections for:

  • Wage & Hour compliance
  • Retirement plan deadlines (SECURE 2.0 included)
  • ACA & benefits reporting
  • Payroll tax & insurance resets
  • Labor law postings (on-site + remote)
  • I-9 and E-Verify audits
  • EEO-1 & pay data preparation

Everything organized by exposure level and completion timing.

Built for HR Who Are Quietly Overloaded

This checklist assumes:

  • You manage multi-state complexity.
  • You don’t have time to hunt through 12 agency websites.
  • You need to prioritize risk, not just track tasks.
  • Leadership expects everything to be “handled.”

Use this as your Q1 audit framework. Share it with payroll, benefits, and legal. Document completion before March 1.

If You Only Fix 6 Things Before March 1…

The checklist highlights the highest exposure items to tackle immediately — so even if capacity is tight, you address the most critical deadlines first.

Because not all compliance failures carry equal risk. Start your Q1 risk audit now and close exposure before regulators do.