How Do I Get Help with Payroll Questions?

When you miss key payroll deadlines or misclassify employees, it can be a costly and time-consuming setback. Perhaps David Smidt, the owner of Mother Road Mobile Canning, put it best: “It’s like I’ve got to go pay a big fine or I’ve got to go pay somebody to figure it out for me. Either way it sucks.”

Indeed!

Unfortunately, clear answers to payroll questions can be hard to come by. We’re hoping this article helps you get payroll right the first time with links to some of our favorite places for getting answers:

• Do you have a question about using Gusto to run payroll: Check out our help center

• Do you have general questions about running payroll: Try our resource center

• Want to get the lowdown directly from your state or the federal government? Read on!

The federal government and state governments set rules around payroll taxes, payment deadlines, and employee classifications. They’re the ultimate authorities on payroll and employment laws, but they can be a little hard to track down. Below, we’ve listed contact information for the payroll tax and labor agencies who are most likely to be helpful in each state. Chances are the answer to your payroll question is here somewhere.

If you’re not satisfied with the answers you find (those government websites can be a little Kafkaesque), consider reaching out to a local lawyer or accountant who knows all the ins and outs in your area. 

FEDERAL RESOURCES

• IRS Employment Taxes
• FLSA exempt and nonexempt employee classification
• Contractors and full time employee classification

ALABAMA

• Department of Labor
• Department of Revenue

ALASKA

• Department of Labor and Workforce Development
• Department of Revenue

ARIZONA

• Department of Economic Security
• Department of Revenue

ARKANSAS

• Department of Finance and Administration
• Department of Workforce Services

CALIFORNIA

• Department of Industrial Relations
• Employment Development Department
• Franchise Tax Board

COLORADO

• Department of Labor and Employment
• Department of Revenue

CONNECTICUT

• Department of Labor
• Department of Revenue Services

DELAWARE

• Division of Revenue
• Department of Labor

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• Department of Employment Services
• Office of Tax and Revenue

FLORIDA

• Department of Economic Opportunity
• Department of Revenue

GEORGIA

• Department of Labor
• Department of Revenue

HAWAII

• Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
• Department of Taxation

IDAHO

• Department of Labor
• State Tax Commission

ILLINOIS

• Department of Employment Security
• Department of Revenue

IOWA

• Department of Revenue
• Workforce Development

KANSAS

• Department of Revenue
• Department of Labor

KENTUCKY

• Career Center
• Department of Revenue

LOUISIANA

• Department of Revenue
• Workforce Commission

MAINE

• Department of Labor
• Revenue Services

MARYLAND

• Department of Labor
• Revenue Services

MASSACHUSETTS

• Department of Revenue
• Labor and Workforce Development

MICHIGAN

• Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
• Department of Treasury

MINNESOTA

• Unemployment Insurance
• Department of Revenue

MISSISSIPPI

• Department of Employment Security
• Department of Revenue

MISSOURI

• Department of Revenue
• Department of Labor

MONTANA

• Department of Revenue
• Department of Labor and Industry

NEBRASKA

• Department of Revenue
• Department of Labor

NEVADA

• Department of Taxation
• Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Department of Labor

NEW JERSEY

• Department of the Treasury
• Department of Labor and Workforce Development

NEW MEXICO

• Taxation and Revenue Department
• Department of Workforce Solutions

NEW YORK

• Department of Taxation and Finance
• Department of Labor

NORTH CAROLINA

• Department of Revenue
• Department of Labor

NORTH DAKOTA

• Department of Labor and Human Rights
• Office of State Tax Commissioner

OHIO

• Department of Taxation
• Department of Job and Family Services

OKLAHOMA

• Employment Security Commission
• Oklahoma Tax Commission

OREGON

• Department of Revenue
• Employment Department

PENNSYLVANIA

• Department of Labor and Industry
• Department of Revenue

RHODE ISLAND

• Department of Labor and Training
• Division of Taxation

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Department of Employment and Workforce
• Department of Revenue

SOUTH DAKOTA

• Department of Labor and Regulation

TENNESSEE

• Department of Revenue

TEXAS

• Workforce Commission

UTAH

• State Tax Commission
• Department of Workforce Services

VERMONT

• Department of Labor
• Department of Taxes

VIRGINIA

• Department of Taxation
• Department of Labor and Industry

WASHINGTON

• Department of Labor and Industries

WEST VIRGINIA

• State Tax Department
• Workforce West Virginia

WISCONSIN

• Department of Workforce Development
• Department of Revenue

WYOMING

• Department of Revenue

We hope these state and federal agencies will be able to answer most of your questions when you run payroll for your employees. If you need more general information, this article about setting up and running payroll might be helpful, or you could check the IRS Employer’s Tax Guide.