Section 1088.5.
Cal. Unemployment Insurance Code - UIC § 1088.5.
in effect(a)
In addition to information reported in accordance with Section 1088, effective July 1, 1998, each employer shall file, with the department, the information provided for in subdivision (b) on new employees.
(b)
Each employer shall report the hiring of any employee who works in this state and to whom the employer anticipates paying
wages, and also shall report the hiring of any employee who previously worked for the employer but had been separated from that prior employment for at least 60 consecutive days.
(c)
(1)
This section shall not apply to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States.
(2)
State agency employers shall not be required to report employees performing intelligence or counterintelligence functions, if the head of the agency has determined that reporting pursuant to this section would endanger the safety of the employee or compromise an ongoing investigation or intelligence mission.
(d)
(1)
Employers shall submit a report as described in paragraph (4) within 20 days of hiring any employee whom the employer is required to report pursuant to this section.
(2)
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), employers transmitting reports magnetically or electronically shall submit the report by two monthly transmissions not less than 12 days and not more than 16 days apart.
(3)
For purposes of this section, an employer that has employees in two or more states and that transmits reports magnetically or electronically may designate one state in which the employer has employees to which the employer will transmit the report described in paragraph (4). Any employer that transmits reports pursuant to this paragraph shall notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services in writing as to which state the employer designates for the purpose of sending reports.
(4)
The report shall contain the following:
(A)
The name, address, and
social security number of the employees.
(B)
The employer’s name, address, state employer identification number (if one has been issued), and identifying number assigned to the employer under Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(C)
The first date the employee worked.
(5)
Employers may report pursuant to this section by submitting a copy of the employee’s W-4 form, a form provided by the department, or any other hiring document transmitted by first-class mail, magnetically, or electronically.
(e)
For each failure to report the hiring of an employee, as required and within the time required by this section, unless the failure is due to good cause, the department may assess a penalty of twenty-four dollars ($24), or four hundred ninety
dollars ($490) if the failure is the result of conspiracy between the employer and employee not to supply the required report or to supply a false or incomplete report.
(f)
(1)
On and after January 1, 2013, and before January 1, 2019, information collected pursuant to this section may be used for the following purposes:
(A)
Administration of this code, including, but not limited to, providing employer or employee information to participating members of the Joint Enforcement Strike Force on the Underground Economy pursuant to Section 329 for the purposes of auditing, investigating, and prosecuting violations of tax and cash-pay reporting laws.
(B)
Locating individuals for purposes of establishing paternity and establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support obligations.
(C)
Administration of employment security and workers’ compensation programs.
(D)
Providing employer or employee information to the Franchise Tax Board and the State Board of Equalization for the purpose of tax or fee enforcement.
(E)
Verification of eligibility of applicants for, or recipients of, the public assistance programs listed in Section 1320b-7(b) of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(F)
Providing employer or employee information to the Contractors’ State License Board and the State Compensation Insurance Fund for the purpose of workers’ compensation payroll reporting.
(G)
Providing employer or employee information to the State Department of Health Care Services, the California
Health Benefit Exchange, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and county departments and agencies for the purpose of:
(i)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of an applicant for, or a recipient of, state health subsidy programs, limited to the Medi-Cal program, provided pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the Healthy Families Program, provided pursuant to Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, and the Access for Infants and Mothers Program, provided pursuant to Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, where the verification or determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the state health subsidy programs referenced in this clause.
(ii)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of an
applicant for, or a recipient of, federal subsidies offered through the California Health Benefit Exchange, provided pursuant to Title 22 (commencing with Section 100500) of the Government Code, including federal tax credits and cost-sharing assistance pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), where the verification or determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the California Health Benefit Exchange.
(iii)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of employees and employers for health coverage through the Small Business Health Options Program, provided pursuant to Section 100502 of the Government Code, where the verification or determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the Small Business Health Options Program.
(2)
On and after January 1, 2019, information collected pursuant to this section may be used for the following purposes:
(A)
Administration of this code.
(B)
Locating individuals for purposes of establishing paternity and establishing, modifying, and enforcing child support obligations.
(C)
Administration of employment security and workers’ compensation programs.
(D)
Providing employer or employee information to the Franchise Tax Board and to the State Board of Equalization for the purposes of tax or fee enforcement.
(E)
Verification of eligibility of applicants for, or recipients of, the public assistance programs listed in
Section 1320b-7(b) of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(F)
Providing employer or employee information to the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Health Benefit Exchange, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and county departments and agencies for the purpose of:
(i)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of an applicant for, or a recipient of, state health subsidy programs, limited to the Medi-Cal program, provided pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the Healthy Families Program, provided pursuant to Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, and the Access for Infants and Mothers Program, provided pursuant to Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, where the verification or determination is directly
connected with, and limited to, the administration of the state health subsidy programs referenced in this clause.
(ii)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of an applicant for, or a recipient of, federal subsidies offered through the California Health Benefit Exchange, provided pursuant to Title 22 (commencing with Section 100500) of the Government Code, including federal tax credits and cost-sharing assistance pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), where the verification or determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the California Health Benefit Exchange.
(iii)
Verifying or determining the eligibility of employees and employers for health coverage through the Small Business Health Options
Program, provided pursuant to Section 100502 of the Government Code, where the verification or determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the Small Business Health Options Program.
(g)
For purposes of this section, “employer” includes a labor union hiring hall.
(h)
This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.
References
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14000.
referencesCal. Insurance Code - INS § 12693.
referencesCal. Insurance Code - INS § 12695.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 100500.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 100502.
referencesCal. Unemployment Insurance Code - UIC § 1088.
referencesCal. Unemployment Insurance Code - UIC § 329.
referencesCal. Unemployment Insurance Code - UIC § 1320b.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026