Certified professional employer organization

(a) Treatment as employer—(1) In general. For purposes of the federal employment taxes and other obligations imposed under chapters 21 through 25 of subtitle C of the Internal Revenue Code (federal employment taxes), a certified professional employer organization (CPEO) (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(1) of this chapter) is treated as the employer of any covered employee (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(5) of this chapter), but only with respect to remuneration remitted by the CPEO to the covered employee.

(2) Work site employee. In the case of a covered employee who is a work site employee (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(17) of this chapter) of the customer, no person other than the CPEO is treated as the employer of the work site employee with respect to the customer for purposes of federal employment taxes imposed on remuneration remitted by the CPEO to the work site employee.

(3) Non-work site covered employee. In the case of a covered employee who is not a work site employee, a person other than the CPEO is also treated as an employer of the employee for purposes of federal employment taxes imposed on remuneration remitted by the CPEO to the employee if such person is determined to be an employer of the employee without regard to the application of this paragraph (a) and section 3511.

(b) Exemptions, exclusions, definitions, and other rules—(1) In general. Solely for purposes of federal employment taxes imposed on remuneration remitted by a CPEO to a covered employee, the application of exemptions, exclusions, definitions, and other rules that are based on the type of employer is presumed to be based on the type of employer of the customer of the CPEO for whom the covered employee performs services. If a covered employee performs services for more than one customer of the CPEO during the calendar year, the presumption described in the previous sentence applies separately to remuneration remitted by the CPEO to the covered employee for services performed with respect to each such customer.

(2) Presumption rebutted. The presumption set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be rebutted if either the Commissioner determines, or the CPEO demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence, that the relationship between the customer and the covered employee is not the legal relationship of employer and employee as set forth in § 31.3401(c)-1. If such a determination or demonstration is made, then, with respect to remuneration remitted by a CPEO to a covered employee, the application of exemptions, exclusions, definitions, and other rules that are based on the type of employer will be based on the type of employer of the person determined by the Commissioner or demonstrated by the CPEO to be the common law employer of the covered employee in accordance with § 31.3401(c)-1.

(3) No inference from presumption. The presumption set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not create any inference with respect to the determination of who is an employer or employee or whether the legal relationship of employer and employee exists for federal tax purposes or for purposes of any other provision of law (other than for paragraph (b)(1) of this section).

(c) Annual wage limitation, contribution base, and withholding threshold—(1) CPEO has separate taxable wage base, contribution base, and withholding threshold. For purposes of applying the annual wage limitations under sections 3121(a)(1) and 3306(b)(1) (relating to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, respectively), the contribution base under section 3231(e)(2) (relating to the Railroad Retirement Tax Act), and the withholding threshold under section 3102(f)(1) (relating to the Additional Medicare Tax), remuneration received by a covered employee from a CPEO for performing services for a customer of the CPEO within any calendar year is subject to a separate annual wage limitation, contribution base, and withholding threshold that are each computed without regard to any remuneration received by the covered employee during the calendar year from any other employer (including, if applicable, remuneration received directly from the customer receiving services from the employee). Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a CPEO is treated as a successor or predecessor employer for purposes of the annual wage limitations and contribution base upon entering into or terminating a CPEO contract (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(3) of this chapter) with respect to a work site employee, as described in paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) Performance of services for more than one customer. If, during a calendar year, a covered employee receives remuneration from a CPEO for services performed by the covered employee for more than one customer of the CPEO, the annual wage limitation, contribution base, and withholding threshold do not apply to the aggregate remuneration received by the covered employee from the CPEO for services performed for all such customers. Rather, the annual wage limitation, contribution base, and withholding threshold apply separately to the remuneration received by the covered employee from the CPEO with respect to services performed for each customer.

(d) Successor employer status—(1) In general. For purposes of sections 3121(a)(1), 3231(e)(2)(C), and 3306(b)(1), a CPEO and its customer are treated as—

(i) A successor and predecessor employer, respectively, upon entering into a CPEO contract with respect to a work site employee who is performing services for the customer; and

(vi) Section 45S (employer credit for paid family and medical leave);

(vii) Section 51 (work opportunity credit);

(viii) Section 1396 (empowerment zone employment credit);

(ix) Statutory employee retention credits that are similar to the employee retention credit in section 1400R and that provide disaster relief to employers in designated disaster areas; and

(x) Any other section specified by the Commissioner in further guidance (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(8) of this chapter).

(f) Section not applicable to related customers, self-employed individuals, and other circumstances. This section does not apply—

(1) In the case of any customer that—

(i) Has a relationship to a CPEO described in section 267(b) (including, by cross-reference, section 267(f)) or section 707(b), except that “10 percent” shall be substituted for “50 percent” wherever it appears in such sections; or

(ii) Has commenced a CPEO contract with the CPEO but such commencement has not been reported to the IRS as described in paragraph (g)(3)(i) of this section; or

(2) To remuneration paid by a CPEO to any self-employed individual (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(14) of this chapter) in that capacity;

(3) To any CPEO contract that a CPEO enters into while its certification has been suspended by the IRS; or

(4) To any CPEO whose certification has been revoked or voluntarily terminated for periods after the effective date of revocation or voluntary termination.

(g) Reporting and recordkeeping—(1) Reporting and recordkeeping for employers. A CPEO that is treated as an employer of a covered employee pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section must meet all reporting and recordkeeping requirements described in subtitle F of the Code that are applicable to employers in a manner consistent with such treatment.

(2) Reporting on magnetic media—(i) In general. A CPEO must file on magnetic media any Form 940, “Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return,” Form 941, “Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return,” and Form 943, “Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees,” and all required accompanying schedules, as well as such other returns, schedules, and other required forms and documents as is required by further guidance.

(ii) Waiver. The Commissioner may waive the requirements of this paragraph (g)(2) in case of undue economic hardship (including economic hardship resulting from temporary software and technological issues). The principal factor in determining hardship will be the amount, if any, by which the cost of filing the return, schedule, or other required form or document on magnetic media in accordance with this paragraph (g)(2) exceeds the cost of filing on or by other media. A request for a waiver must be made in accordance with applicable guidance. The waiver must specify the type of filing (that is, the name of the form or schedule) and the period to which it applies. In addition, the waiver will be subject to such terms and conditions regarding the method of filing as may be prescribed by the Commissioner in further guidance.

(iii) Magnetic media. The term magnetic media means any magnetic media permitted under applicable guidance. These generally include electronic filing, as well as other media specifically permitted under the applicable guidance.

(3) Reporting to the IRS by CPEOs. A CPEO must report the following to the IRS in such time and manner, and including such information, as the Commissioner may prescribe in further guidance:

(i) The commencement or termination of any CPEO contract (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(3) of this chapter) with a customer, or any service agreement as described in § 31.3504-2(b)(2) with a client, and the name and employer identification number (EIN) of such customer or client.

(ii) With any Form 940, Form 941, and Form 943 that it files, all required schedules, including, but not limited to, the applicable Schedule R (or any successor form), containing such information as the Commissioner may require about each of its customers under a CPEO contract (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(3) of this chapter) and each of its clients under a service agreement (as described in § 31.3504-2(b)(2)). A CPEO must file Form 940, Form 941, and Form 943, along with all required schedules, on magnetic media, unless the CPEO is granted a waiver by the Commissioner in accordance with paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this section.

(iii) A periodic verification that it continues to meet the requirements of § 301.7705-2 of this chapter, as described in § 301.7705-2(j).

(iv) Any change that materially affects the continuing accuracy of any agreement or information that was previously made or provided by the CPEO to the IRS, as described in § 301.7705-2(k) of this chapter.

(v) A copy of its audited financial statements and an opinion of a certified public accountant regarding such financial statements, as described in § 301.7705-2(e)(1) of this chapter.

(vi) The quarterly statements, assertions, and attestations regarding those assertions described in § 301.7705-2(f)(1) of this chapter.

(vii) Any information the IRS determines is necessary to promote compliance with respect to the credits described in paragraph (e)(2) of this section and provided in section 3302.

(viii) Any other information the Commissioner may prescribe in further guidance.

(4) Reporting to customers by CPEOs. A CPEO must meet the following reporting requirements with respect to its customers in such time and manner, and including such information, as the Commissioner may prescribe in further guidance:

(i) Provide each of its customers with the information necessary for the customer to claim the credits described in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.

(ii) Notify any customer if its CPEO contract has been transferred to another person (or if another person will report, withhold, or pay, under such other person's EIN, any applicable federal employment taxes with respect to the wages of any individuals covered by its CPEO contract) and provide the customer with the name and EIN of such other person.

(iii) If the CPEO's certification is suspended or revoked as described in § 301.7705-2(n) of this chapter, notify each of its current customers of such suspension or revocation.

(iv) If any covered employees are not, or cease to be, work site employees because they perform services at a location at which the 85 percent threshold described in § 301.7705-1(b)(17) of this chapter is not met, notify the customer that it may also be liable for federal employment taxes imposed on remuneration remitted by the CPEO to such covered employees, as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(5) Information and agreements in any contract or agreement between a CPEO and a customer or client. Any CPEO contract (as defined in § 301.7705-1(b)(3) of this chapter) between a CPEO and a customer or service agreement described in § 31.3504-2(b)(2) between a CPEO and a client must—

(i) In the case of a contract that is a CPEO contract—

(A) Contain the name and EIN of the CPEO reporting, withholding, and paying any applicable federal employment taxes with respect to any remuneration paid to individuals covered by the contract or agreement;

(B) Require the CPEO to provide to the customer the notices and information required by paragraph (g)(4) of this section;

(C) Describe the information that the CPEO will provide that is necessary for the customer to claim the credits specified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section; and

(D) Require the CPEO to notify the customer that the customer may also be liable for federal employment taxes on remuneration remitted by the CPEO to covered employees if the work sites at which they perform services do not (or ever cease to) meet the 85 percent threshold described in § 301.7705-1(b)(17) of this chapter; and

(ii) In the case of a service agreement described in § 31.3504-2(b)(2) that is not a CPEO contract (and thus the individuals covered by that contract are not covered employees), or if this section does not apply to the contract under paragraph (f) of this section, notify, or be accompanied by a notification to, the client that the service agreement or contract is not covered by section 3511 and does not alter the client's liability for federal employment taxes on remuneration remitted by the CPEO to the employees covered by the service agreement or contract.

(h) Penalties and additions to tax—(1) In general. A CPEO that is treated as an employer of a covered employee under this section and that is required to meet the reporting requirements of an employer is subject to the same penalties and additions to tax as an employer with respect to such reporting requirements, including, but not limited to, penalties and additions to tax under sections 6651, 6656, 6672, 6721, 6722, and 6723.

(2) Failures to timely make reports required under section 3511. CPEOs are subject to penalty under section 6652(n) with respect to reports required to be made to the IRS in paragraphs (g)(1) and (3) of this section and reports required to be made to customers in paragraph (g)(4) of this section.

(3) Failures to attach Schedule R. A CPEO is subject to penalty under section 6652(n) for failure to attach Schedule R (or successor form) to Forms 941, 940, or 943 as required by paragraph (g)(3)(ii) of this section. A CPEO is also subject to penalty under section 6723 for failure to include the EIN of each customer on Schedule R of Form 941, 940, or 943. See § 301.6723-1 of this chapter for the application of the section 6723 penalty in the case of multiple failures on a single document.

(4) Failures to file on magnetic media. With respect to the requirement in paragraph (g)(3)(ii) of this section that a CPEO must file Forms 940, 941, and 943, along with all required schedules, on magnetic media, a failure to file on magnetic media does not constitute a failure to file for purposes of section 6651(a)(1) nor does it constitute a failure to make a report for purposes of section 6652(n). Rather, the requirement to file Forms 940, 941, and 943 on magnetic media is a condition of maintaining certification as a CPEO.

(i) Applicability date. The rules in this section apply on and after May 3, 2019.