Collecting W-9s from contractors

If you pay contractors $600 or more in a tax year, the IRS requires a W-9 on file before you issue a 1099. Workforce handles W-9 collection digitally — no paper, no email back-and-forth.

To request a W-9:
1. Workforce → People → click the contractor's row
2. Tax forms section → click "Request W-9"
3. The contractor receives an email with a signed link to complete the form
4. They fill in name, business name (if applicable), tax classification (sole prop / LLC / S-Corp / etc.), TIN (SSN or EIN), and address
5. They sign electronically and submit
6. The completed W-9 is stored on their worker record (encrypted at rest)

Status indicators on the People list:
• No badge — no W-9 requested
• "Requested" — email sent, awaiting completion
• "Received" — W-9 on file, ready for 1099
• "Expiring" — W-9 older than 3 years; refresh recommended

Manual upload:
If a contractor sends you a paper W-9 outside the system, click "Upload W-9 PDF" on their worker row to attach it manually. The system stores the file and flips status to Received.

Compliance notes:
• W-9s are PII — only org admins can view the TIN; the rest of the team sees only "Received"
• Stored encrypted with AES-256; accessible via Admin → Audit log if you need a record of access
• When a contractor's relationship ends, archive (don't delete) — IRS retains your obligation to produce historical W-9s for 4 years after final payment

Once you have W-9s on file, year-end 1099 generation pulls from the W-9 record automatically.