Thanks to new developments on the Employee Self-Service Web site (employee.uga.edu), UGA workers can access copies of their W-2 forms from the past three years.
And, if this pilot program that begins this year goes well, all employees may be able to receive their new forms electronically in the future.
“The payroll office receives many hundreds of requests for copies of W-2s each year, and the old method for producing these copies was cumbersome and expensive,” said Bob McGee, UGA’s associate comptroller. “Now employees can get the copy online much quicker and without having to come to the payroll department.”
Employees can download copies of their W-2s from 2005-2007. W-2s for 2008 are only available to the pilot group.
The program doesn’t just save time; it saves money. Every year, the university prepares and distributes about 26,000 W-2 forms, which requires investments in time, blank W-2 forms and printer toner.
The new system wouldn’t require as many resources. It also will allow employees to receive their W-2s days earlier than before.
“During the pilot program, approximately 150 employees will utilize the new electronic option and plans call for this system to be offered to the entire campus next year,” McGee said.
To obtain copies of prior W-2s, log onto the Employee Self-Service Web site. After logging in, select “My Paychecks & W-2s” from the menu.
Users may save the W-2 documents to their computer for recordkeeping or print them, if needed. The documents are not stored on a server. They are generated from data on the UGA mainframe and sent directly to a user’s Web browser.
The W-2 is a tax form completed by employers that reports income an employee has received for a calendar year (January-December). The university completes a W-2 for each person it employs.