What to do if two payroll providers both filed W-2s

If your company switched payroll providers partway through the year without closing your 7shifts Payroll account, both providers may have submitted W-2s for the same employees. This happens because our payroll processing partner automatically files year-end tax forms based on wages tracked in 7shifts — and if your new provider filed using the same Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), duplicate filings are created at the agency level. The steps below walk you through what to do next.

Why this happens

When a company moves to a new payroll provider mid-year but doesn't terminate their 7shifts Payroll account before year-end, our payroll processing partner automatically submits W-2s based on wages recorded in 7shifts. If the new provider also files using the same FEIN, duplicate W-2s are created at the Social Security Administration (SSA) level.

What to do

1. Tell employees to use the W-2 from your active payroll provider. Employees can file their personal income taxes using the W-2 issued by the provider currently handling your payroll. Do not ask them to wait.
2. Terminate your 7shifts Payroll account. Closing your 7shifts Payroll account prevents any future duplicate filings or automatic year-end submissions.
3. Wait for an official SSA notice before taking further action. Do not attempt to void your 7shifts wages yet. The SSA reviews duplicate submissions on a case-by-case basis — sometimes combining wages automatically, and other times accepting one filing and rejecting the duplicate. The SSA will send a formal notice outlining how they reconciled the filings and what corrections, if any, are required.
4. Share the SSA notice with 7shifts Support. Once you receive the official SSA notice, contact our support team and share a copy. We'll help you determine the exact corrections needed based on the agency's instructions.

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