HR One eNews

July 15 Deadline Approaching for New York Secure Choice Registration or Exemption What employers need to know

Employers with 10 to 14 employees have until Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to register for the New York State Secure Choice Savings Program or to certify that they are exempt.

What Is New York Secure Choice?

New York Secure Choice is a state-facilitated retirement savings program created for private-sector employees who do not have access to a retirement plan through their employer.

Participating employees save for retirement through payroll deductions deposited into their own Roth IRA accounts. Employers do not contribute to the accounts, select investments, provide financial advice, or assume fiduciary responsibility for the program. Their role is to facilitate employee enrollment and payroll deductions.

Which Employers Are Covered?

An employer is generally required to participate if it:

• Had 10 or more employees working in New York at all times last year (2025)
• Has been in business for at least two years
• Does not offer a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, or SEP IRA

Employers that already offer a qualified retirement plan do not have to participate in Secure Choice. However, they must certify their exemption through the Secure Choice employer portal.

What Must Be Completed by July 15?

Employers with 10 to 14 employees must take one of two actions by July 15:

1. Register for Secure Choice if they are required to facilitate the program.
2. Certify their exemption if they already offer a qualified retirement plan.

Employers should have received a notice from Secure Choice containing an Access Code needed to register or certify an exemption. Employers that cannot locate their Access Code can visit the page below to request an access code. You’ll need your Employer Identification Number (EIN):

Request a New York Secure Choice Access Code

Employers may also contact New York Secure Choice Employer Assistance at 1-833-369-1392.

The deadlines for larger employers have already passed:

• Employers with 30 or more employees: March 18, 2026
• Employers with 15 to 29 employees: May 15, 2026

Employers in the larger groups that have not yet registered or certified their exemption should take action as soon as possible. Although New York has not yet published a specific penalty schedule for late registration, employers should register or certify their exemption as soon as possible rather than wait for additional enforcement guidance.

Support for HR One Payroll Clients

For HR One payroll clients participating in Secure Choice, the HR One customer service team can assit you with setting up the appropriate payroll deduction codes and employee contribution information so deductions are calculated with each payroll.

The team can also help create a payroll report containing the deduction data needed for submission to Secure Choice. The employer is responsible for uploading or entering that information in the Secure Choice portal and completing the required reporting and funding steps.

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