Q: I had an employee get married and change their name. How do I handle this? Are there specific things I need to consider and update?

A: That’s a great question, and, yes, when an employee has a name change, employers should address several administrative issues, like:

1. Update payroll. Prior to doing so, employers should require the employee to provide a copy of an updated Social Security card with the new name. By ensuring that the name in payroll matches the one on the current card, employers will avoid Social Security mismatches. If the employee has not updated their name with the Social Security Administration, then the old name should remain in use until that does happen.
2. Update the W-4 Form. Employees will also need to complete a new W-4 form. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that the name on the Social Security card match the name on W-4 and W-2 forms.
3. Update the I-9 Form. On the I-9 form on page 4, titled “Supplement B, Reverification and Rehire” (formerly Section 3), there is a section for a new name. It’s at the top of this page. As part of this, employers can request evidence of the need for a name change. For example, employers may request a marriage certificate or a divorce decree. This evidence of a name change should be kept with the employee’s I-9 Form just in case the government asks to inspect the I-9 Form for any reason in the future. An employer may not request documentation that was already provided originally that established their eligibility to work in the U.S.  
4. Update benefit plans. Not only should these plans be updated with the new name, but this could also be an opportunity for new beneficiary forms, or adding/dropping dependents from plans, or other changes due to the life event that resulted in the name change. 
5. Update Employer Records. Update personnel records, phone lists, email systems, and other lists and systems that include employee names.