Before Q4 Arrives: 5 HR & Compliance Items Employers Should Review Now

Miriam Goganious

Aug 24

3 min read

The final quarter of the year has a way of arriving quickly. Between benefits decisions, performance reviews, budgeting, policy updates, and year-end compliance obligations, employers can easily find themselves reacting instead of planning.

Late summer is an ideal time for a practical HR and compliance checkup. A little preparation now can help identify gaps, reduce risk, and position your organization for a stronger finish to 2026 and a smoother start to 2027.

Here are five areas employers should consider reviewing now.

1. Start Benefits and Open Enrollment Planning

For employers with calendar-year benefit plans, now is the time to prepare for renewals and open enrollment.

Review renewal dates, employee census information, employer contributions, carrier deadlines, required notices, and employee communications. Organizations considering benefit changes should allow additional time to evaluate options and understand potential administrative and compliance requirements.

The IRS has also announced updated 2027 contribution limits and other amounts for Health Savings Accounts and High Deductible Health Plans.

Action: Confirm key renewal and enrollment dates and identify decisions that need to be made before Q4.

2. Put Your Handbook and Policies on the Review Calendar

Employee handbooks should evolve along with laws, workplace practices, and your organization.

Consider reviewing policies related to leave and accommodations, attendance, remote and hybrid work, wage and hour practices, harassment and discrimination, employee conduct, and state-specific requirements. Multi-state employers should pay particular attention to differing state and local requirements.

Action: Identify policies that need review and establish a timeline for 2027 updates.

3. Take a Fresh Look at Wage and Hour Practices

Recent U.S. Department of Labor enforcement activity provides a timely reminder that wage and hour compliance extends beyond an employee's regular paycheck.

Employers should periodically examine whether employees are properly paid for required meetings, training, orientation, work performed before or after scheduled hours, and other compensable time. Overtime calculations, timekeeping, recordkeeping, and applicable rules for tipped employees also deserve attention.

These issues can become particularly important when employees work remotely, at multiple locations, or outside traditional schedules.

Action: Review whether actual workplace practices align with your timekeeping, payroll, and wage and hour policies.

4. Address Performance and Workforce Issues Before Year-End

If your organization conducts year-end performance reviews, compensation planning, or workforce budgeting, August and September are good times to identify unresolved issues.

Are managers documenting performance consistently? Are job descriptions current? Have employees received informal feedback that has not been documented? Are there critical positions without adequate backup or succession coverage?

Waiting until annual reviews to address months of undocumented performance concerns can create unnecessary employee relations and compliance risk.

Action: Ask managers to review performance, staffing needs, job responsibilities, and documentation before year-end planning begins.

5. Build Your 2027 HR and Compliance Calendar

Compliance is easier to manage when important obligations are planned rather than remembered at the last minute.

Create or update an annual calendar covering recurring activities such as required notices, policy reviews, employee training, benefit deadlines, performance reviews, compensation planning, licenses or certifications, required filings, and other obligations relevant to your organization.

Be sure to identify who is responsible for each activity and how completion will be documented.

Action: Start building the 2027 calendar now and assign ownership for recurring requirements.

Prepare Now, Not Later

HR and compliance do not have to be driven by emergencies. A proactive late-summer review can help organizations identify concerns while there is still time to address them thoughtfully.

A few intentional steps now can make Q4 easier and help your organization enter 2027 better prepared.

LuxGen Solutions helps organizations develop practical HR and compliance solutions that strengthen operations, manage risk, and support their workforce.