American Payroll Association - Government Relations

Government Relations

The APA participates in lobbying activities in Washington, D.C., and sponsors multiple member-lead committees called “Government Affairs Task Force” committees. The committees cover areas such as the following: Child Support & Other Garnishments, Federal Tax Forms & Publications, Immigration, Payroll Cards, SSA Wage Reporting, and Unemployment Insurance. The purpose of these committees is to communicate the concerns of the payroll community to legislative and executive branches of government and to find ways for employers to meet their requirements under law and support government objectives, while minimizing administrative burden and cost for employers, government, and individual taxpayers.

The major federal agencies with which APA has relationships include:

• Internal Revenue Service
• Social Security Administration
• Office of Child Support Enforcement
• United States Department of Labor
• Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Federal Reserve Bank
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• Federal Trade Commission
• Office of Foreign Assets Control

In May 2008, IRS Commissioner Douglas H Shulman delivered an address to the attendees of the APA's 2008 Congress highlighting the importance of the relationship between the IRS and APA, stating, “APA has a long history of providing valuable advice and feedback to the IRS as we have implemented a number of important tax laws that have played a prominent role in the economic development of our nation.”

Further example of the APA’s involvement with various government bodies is the APA's contributions to publications such as the IRS/SSA Reporter. Additionally, APA's Government Relations staff has received SSA's Public Service Award for its ongoing dedication to improving the quality of employer wage and tax reporting and the IRS's Excellence in Partnering Award for its collaboration on clarifying employers' responsibilities and helping IRS educate employers. At IRS, the APA is a founding member of the Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee and also has had representation on the IRS Advisory Council and the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee.