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The new W-4 message that appears when picking the 2020 and Later W-4 option offers very incorrect payroll advice. Also it includes several English errors and otherwise uses such awkward English as to appear to have been written by someone who speaks and writes English as their second language:
Issues:
- The first bullet, highlighted in yellow, is absolutely wrong and incorrect payroll advice. This leads your payroll customers, who may believe this, to do the wrong thing!
The law states that an employer should withhold at the older rate until an employee submits a new W-4. When the employee submits a new 2020 W-4, then the employee should enter that data into QB. The hire date has absolutely nothing to do with this change.
Also, "or they would like to adjust their withholding amount" doesn't make sense. The W-4 is a required form to be used when an employee is hired and at any time in the future when the employee needs to communicate a change in status to the employer. The W-4 data is then use by employers to calculate their federal withholding based on the employees attributes like single/married and so on. One small part of the form allows the employee to have an additional amount withheld, but "adjusting the amount" isn't how that is usually communicated, and the case for the message shouldn't be either.
- The second bullet uses grammatically awkward and incorrect English and is missing at least one word:
"It is suggested that you complete payroll run for this employee for the year 2019."
This could be written in any of the following ways and be correct:
"It is suggested that you complete all payroll runs for this employee for the year 201.9" is accurate, but doesn't really convey the intended message.
"It is suggested that you complete all payroll runs for this employee for the year 2019 before choosing this W-4 form type." actually conveys the intent of the message, but is still a bit strange.
"Complete all payroll for this employee for 2019 before choosing this W-4 form type." is correct and more succinct.
- The third bullet uses language that might make sense for an online app, but does not in desktop, where one does not "submit the information". Instead the user "saves the employee."
- The leading text is very awkward, again as if written by a person who is not a native English speaker. "You've selected federal W-4 2020 and later form."
No, I selected the Form W-4 2020 and Later option. The field name is "Form W-4" and the option I picked was "2020 and Later". I did not select a form. I selected an option from a pick list.
Intuit should consider:
- Don't include incorrect (flat wrong) payroll advise in messages.
- Have professional writers write your messages, writers who have command of English.
