2015 Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement; Form 1095-C Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage

From COH Payroll Services:

Please be aware that the 2015 Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statements) will be provided to all employees in paper hard-copy. An electronic (online) W-2  will also be provided to all current employees via the Employee Self-Service (ESS) website at https://portal.houstontx.gov/irj/portal

It is anticipated that for the calendar year 2016 (which means in January 2017), employees that select to "opt-in" to receiving electronic-only copies of Form W-2 will not receive a hard-copy.

Finally, please be aware that all employees will also be receiving a Form 1095-C (Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage). This report reflects your City of Houston-provided health benefits coverage for calendar year 2015 for you, the employee, and any dependents on your plan. It is required in order for you to complete your 2015 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. A paper hard-copy of this report will be provided to each employee via US MAIL. No electronic access to this report will be available for calendar year 2015. 

The Human Resources Department will provide details regarding interpreting the Health Benefits participation information included in the report. It is imperative that all City employees verify their current mailing address in ESS and update it, if needed, before January 1, 2016, in order to avoid any delays in receiving your Form 1095-C.

The statutory deadline for distributing or postmarking Form W-2 and Form 1095-C to employees is February 1, 2016. Payroll Services will strive to beat this deadline by at least a week. Additional communications will be sent as more definitive distribution and online access dates are determined.