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DSP Personnel/Payroll User Manual
Short Power Point Presentation on the W-2
W-2 User Manual Information
How do I . . . ?
Sign Up for Online W-2?
All state employees who receive their paychecks through the State Controller's Office may choose to view their W-2 online. To sign up for the Online W-2, employees need to register by going to the State Controller's Office Application Menu page (same process as logging on to enter I-TIME and to view Online Pay Stubs) and clicking on “Form W-2”. The W-2 Electronic Acceptance/Withdraw Disclosure page will appear and ask you to accept or not accept the terms of use required by the IRS regulations.
Employees may register by giving their consent to view their W-2 online by clicking on the “I Accept” button on the W-2 Electronic Acceptance/Withdraw Disclosure page. After clicking the “I Accept” button employees will no longer need to register for the following tax years. State employees who transfer to another state agency will need to re-register in order to view their Online W-2.
Get to my Online W-2?
Online Logon
Log On?
See Logging On
Change my Password?
See Changing Passwords
Get my User Name and Password?
New Hire/Rehire
After employees are set up on the State Controller's Office payroll system, a security mailer will be created for each employee. This mailer is marked with the following statement, “Secure Information Enclosed.” The security mailer contains your user name and password that are necessary to log on and view your Online W-2, as well other State Controller's Office Web applications. If you have not received your security mailer by the time you receive your first paycheck, please contact the payroll office at your agency.
Current Employee
Current state employees (except university employees) have already received a security mailer with a user name and password that gives them access to the State Controller's Office Web applications.
Read my Online W-2?
DSP Personnel/Payroll User Manual
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why are you putting the W-2 out on the Web?
A. Many state employees asked us why we had not put the W-2 online, with recent advances in technology and Online W-2s save a lot of money and time in both printing and distribution.
Q. Are other states doing this?
A. Yes, we are aware Mississippi is currently doing this.
Q. How secure is the Online W-2?
A. The Online W-2 is more secure than the paper W-2. It is accessed by a password that only you will know. Your password is even encrypted on the State Controller Office’s Web server. No one at the State Controller's Office will know your password. Although we cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality of data transmitted over the public Internet, we encrypt all data transmissions between your computer and our data center by using strong industry-standard SSL protocols.
Q. What measures have the State Controller's Office taken to assure online security and privacy?
A. Our LAN team prides itself on giving their best effort to assure online security and privacy. They have a great backup/recovery and redundancy plan in place if a disaster were to happen. They also keep current on all necessary patches and service packs.
Q. Can we change our password?
A. Yes, you can change your password. See Changing Passwords.
Q. What if we forget our password?
A. State employees may request their password be reset. When logging on, if you cannot remember your password, click on the 'Forgot Password' button. You must answer your challenge question correctly for a new password to automatically be generated for you. A message will display the e-mail address where your new password will be sent. If you cannot remember your password or challenge answer, you must send an e-mail request with your user name and agency code to: scohelpdesk@sco.idaho.gov
Q. What if I do not have a valid state e-mail address?
A. If you do not have a valid state of Idaho e-mail address or have difficulties e-mailing the SCO Help Desk, your Agency Security Administrator(s) may initiate a password reset in your behalf.
Q. Who has the rights/capability of seeing my Online W-2? Currently, they are sealed so I know no one has seen my information.
A. The only person that can see your Online W-2 is you, unless you give out your user name and password.
Q. Is viewing your W-2 online a requirement?
A. No, it is not required, but the state is becoming more efficient and effective by eliminating the paper W-2s.
Q. Can I opt in or opt out?
A. Yes, you will have the opportunity to opt in or out of the Online W-2. You may choose to review your Online W-2, and if you feel unsatisfied, you may switch and opt out. See the instructions on how to register or withdraw consent for the Online W-2.
Q. What if I lost or never received my paper W-2 or I need another copy?
A. The State Controller's Office recommends employees sign up to view their W-2 online. If employees choose not to view their W-2 online, they may choose to get a duplicate W-2. See Lost, Misplaced, or Never Received W-2.
Q. Will agencies be forced to buy PCs and internet access for all of their employees?
A. No, we understand there are many state employees who do not have access to computers or the internet. Where possible, agencies can set up older machines, like kiosks, that could be made available to groups of state employees.
Q. Is my Social Security displayed on the Online W-2?
A. Yes, your SSN will be displayed because it is required by the Internal Revenue Service.
Q. Is my address displayed on the Online W-2?
A. Yes, your address will be displayed because it is required by the Internal Revenue Service.
Q. What information will be on the Online W-2?
A. You will see the same information that you currently see on your paper W-2. You will also have the capability to view the current tax year along with previous tax years. Instructions on how to read the boxes on the W-2 is also available for employees and tax preparers.
Q. How many Online W-2s can I go back and access?
A. The top navigation has a drop-down list that allows you to select information from the current year (most recent Tax Year) and previous years. The State Controller’s Office will keep the W-2 information for five years (Current year plus four previous years). Each year during the Calendar Year End process, the State Controller's Office will roll the last calendar year information into an archived status.
Q. When will we be able to see the new year’s W-2 online?
A. Employees that are viewing their W-2 online can view their W-2 earlier than the hard copy paper W-2s. This will be an advantage for those who want to see their W-2 earlier than a hard copy sent in the mail.
Q. How will my W-2 look online if I work for two different state agencies?
A. The state of Idaho is considered one employer, therefore, only one W-2 is prepared for employees no matter how many agencies you may have worked for during that tax year. Employees can log on to the Online W-2 using either agency user name and password. The State Controller's Office does not create the W-2 for Idaho State University, Boise State University, or the University of Idaho.
Q. Are there directions on how to access the Online W-2?
A. Please follow the instructions under the How Do I... questions at the top of this page.
Q. Can I print off my Online W-2?
A. Yes, you can print off as many copies of your W-2s as you need right from your Web browser. This will satisfy the copy B and copy C requirements.
Q. Is this legal to have my Online W-2 on the Web?
A. Yes, this is legal to have on the Web. The Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration have made it legal for employers to provide Online W-2s to their employees if certain criteria are met. The State Controller's Office has followed these federal guidelines. Link to IRS Publication 15A
Q. What are the Online W-2 Terms of Use?
A. These terms of use are the guidelines the State Controller's Office follows to stay in compliance with the IRS and SSA requirements for providing the Online W-2. The following link provides information on the Terms of Use.
Q. What is the difference between the Online W-2 and the electronic W-2 download?
A. The Online W-2 is similar to the Online Pay Stub. Employees may view an online version of their W-2 via the Web. Employees will have the option to save and print copies of their Online W-2.
The electronic W-2 download is a function that has been available since tax year 2001. Employees may download their W-2 information into certain tax preparation software applications. This download/import capability is still available for employees to use in conjunction with the Online W-2.
Q. How much is the state of Idaho saving with this project?
A. It is estimated that the state of Idaho will see a savings of $1.21 for each W-2 that is switched from paper to online. The State Controller's Office printed 22,030 W-2s for Tax Year 2004.
The cost savings is broken down in the following manner:
- Stock/processing/printing/distribution costs = $0.49 per W-2
- SCO administrative costs = $0.72 per W-2 (returned W-2s, phone calls, duplicate/copy W-2 processing, request for previous tax years)
Contact Information
Office of the State Controller
Division of Statewide Payroll
700 West State Street
Boise, ID 83720-0011
Phone: (208) 334-2394
Fax: (208) 334-3338
E-mail: dsphelp@sco.idaho.gov |