Human Resources Training
Apr 8, 2026
Every Training Deadline Your Team Needs to Know in 2026
The HR Compliance Calendar
HR compliance is not a once-a-year conversation. It is a rolling calendar of obligations, deadlines, training requirements and certification cycles that run throughout the year, and missing any of them carries real consequences, from regulatory penalties to credential suspension to legal exposure.
This reference guide maps every significant HR compliance training deadline through 2026, organized by quarter so your team can plan ahead rather than react. Bookmark it, share it and come back to it. We update it annually.
How to use this HR Compliance Calendar:
Deadlines marked in red are regulatory requirements with specific dates. Deadlines marked as seasonal indicate peak demand periods when training is most frequently required. Certification windows are rolling and always check your personal cycle dates with SHRM or HRCI directly.
Q1, January to March: Filing Season and the Compliance Foundation
The first quarter is the heaviest for federal filing obligations. It is also the time of year when HR teams set their training priorities for the months ahead. Getting the training calendar locked in Q1 means you are not scrambling to meet Q2 and Q3 deadlines.
JANUARY
Jan 1 onwards: Begin accumulating SHRM PDCs and HRCI recertification credits for professionals on a cycle ending this year. Do not wait until Q4. [Credentials]
Jan 2: Covered employers begin submitting 2025 injury and illness data through OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA). [OSHA]
Q1 planning: Review and update harassment prevention training. Confirm all managers have completed annual employment law refreshers. Schedule FMLA administrator training for any staff with new leave responsibilities. [Training]
FEBRUARY
Feb 1: Post OSHA Form 300A summary of 2025 workplace injuries and illnesses. Must remain displayed until April 30. [OSHA, Required]
Feb 2: File and furnish Forms W-2, 1099-NEC and Form 941 for Q4. File Forms 1095-B/C to employees for ACA reporting. [Payroll/ACA]
Feb 17: Employees claiming withholding exemption must submit updated Form W-4. [Payroll]
Feb onwards: SHRM Window 2 (Dec 2025 – Feb 15, 2026) closes. Confirm any HR professionals sitting this window have scheduled their exam. [Credentials]
MARCH
March 1: Submit Medicare Part D Disclosure to CMS for calendar-year health plans. [Benefits]
March 2: Submit OSHA Form 300A electronically (covered employers). File Form M-1 for MEWAs. [OSHA, Required]
March 31: File ACA Forms 1094/1095-B or C electronically with the IRS. [ACA]
Q1 review: Conduct a mid-quarter audit of training completion records. Identify any managers who have not completed required compliance training and schedule before Q2 deadline pressure builds. [Training]
Q2, April to June: OSHA Peak and the SHRM Exam Window
Q2 is the most compliance-intensive period of the year for safety training. The OSHA 300A posting comes down, the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls runs in May, and the SHRM spring exam window opens. It is also when training budgets that were approved in Q1 are most actively spent.
APRIL
April 30: Remove posted OSHA Form 300A. Last day of the mandatory posting period. [OSHA, Required]
April 30: File Q1 Form 941 with the IRS. [Payroll]
April onwards: Begin mid-year compliance audit. Review all training records and documentation to ensure they are current before OSHA inspection season peaks. [Training]
MAY
May 1 – July 15: SHRM certification exam Window 1 opens. Professionals planning to sit the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam this spring must have submitted their application in advance. [Credentials, SHRM]
May: National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. OSHA's annual awareness campaign and an ideal time to schedule or refresh OSHA 10-hour or 30-hour training for construction and general industry teams. [OSHA]
May: California employers, submit reports to the Civil Rights Department by May 13, 2026. [State requirement]
Q2 training push: Peak period for OSHA compliance training, FMLA administrator refreshers and employment law updates. Courses fill quickly in this period, book early. [Training]
JUNE
June 1: Confirm your health plan's Prescription Drug Data Collection (RxDC) report has been submitted to CMS. [Benefits]
June: Mid-year performance review season for many organizations. Ensure managers have completed performance management and feedback training before review cycles begin. [Training]
June: Review HRCI and SHRM credit accumulation for professionals with year-end recertification cycles. Identify any shortfall and schedule training to close the gap before Q4. [Credentials]
Q3, July to September: Certification Deadlines and Fall Preparation
Q3 is the quieter period for federal filing obligations, but it is the critical window for two things which are closing credential gaps before year-end cycles and building the training schedule for autumn, which is the highest-volume period of the year for professional development.
JULY
July 15: SHRM exam Window 1 closes. Last day for candidates to sit the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP in the spring window. [Credentials, SHRM]
July onwards: Begin scheduling autumn training programs. October and November are the highest-demand months for professional development, courses book up. Pryor's live virtual and in-person seminars should be scheduled now for Q4 delivery. [Training planning]
AUGUST
August: HR teams should complete their annual review of employee handbooks, policies and compliance documentation. Any policy updates require training for affected staff. [Compliance review]
August: Ensure all managers with leave administration responsibilities have completed or scheduled FMLA training before autumn headcount changes and open enrollment. [Training]
SEPTEMBER
Sept 30: Provide Summary Annual Report (SAR) to plan participants for calendar-year benefit plans if Form 5500 deadline was not extended. [Benefits]
Q3 close: Final audit of HRCI and SHRM credit accumulation for professionals with December cycle-end dates. Any shortfall must be addressed in Q4, do not leave credential requirements to the last month. [Credentials]
Q4, October to December: Year-End Compliance Rush and Credential Deadlines
Q4 is when budget use-it-or-lose-it decisions drive the largest spike in training spend. It is also when HRCI and SHRM recertification deadlines fall for many HR professionals whose cycles end in the final months of the year. Plan both the spend and the training in advance, Q4 availability fills quickly.
OCTOBER
Oct 2: Apply to CMS for the Retiree Drug Subsidy for the following plan year. [Benefits]
Oct 3: Provide ICHRA and QSEHRA notices to employees for the 2027 plan year. [Benefits] Oct 14: Provide Medicare Part D notices to eligible individuals. [Benefits]
Oct onwards: Peak period for management and leadership training. Book now, October through November is Pryor's highest-demand seminar season. [Training planning]
NOVEMBER
Nov onwards: Year-end compliance training push. Use remaining training budget for FMLA refreshers, employment law updates, OSHA annual training and harassment prevention. [Training]
Rolling: HRCI recertification deadlines fall on the last day of your birth month. Professionals with October, November or December birth months who have not yet completed their 60 RCHs must act now. [Credentials, HRCI]
DECEMBER
Dec 2026 – Feb 2027: SHRM exam Window 2 opens. Applications for this window typically close in mid-December. [Credentials, SHRM]
Dec 31: Final deadline for any HRCI recertification activities with December cycle-end dates. [Credentials, HRCI]
Q4 planning: Set the 2027 training calendar before budget cycles close. Lock in PryorPlus subscriptions, seminar registrations and compliance training schedules for the year ahead. [Planning]
Your HRCI and SHRM Credential Quick Reference
For HR professionals managing their own or their team's certifications, here are the key cycle facts to keep in mind.
Pryor is pre-approved for both: Pryor Learning courses are pre-approved for HRCI recertification credits and SHRM PDCs. Credits apply automatically, no additional submission required beyond your normal recertification portal.
Building a Continuous Compliance Training Strategy
A compliance calendar tells you when and a training strategy tells you how to get there without scrambling.
The HR professionals and organizations that manage compliance training most effectively treat it the same way they treat their benefits calendar or their payroll cycle, as a scheduled, recurring function rather than a reactive response to an approaching deadline.
That means building the training into the annual plan in January, distributing responsibility clearly across the team, and maintaining ongoing access to the courses that cover the areas most likely to change or require refreshing.
For individual HR professionals, PryorPlus provides unlimited annual access to all of Pryor's HR training courses, including pre-approved HRCI and SHRM credit courses across employment law, FMLA, payroll, OSHA and HR compliance, so you can address your training needs as they arise throughout the year, not just when budget allows for a single course.
For HR teams managing compliance training across an organization, PryorPlus group accounts give every team member access to the same library, with reporting and tracking built in so you always know where your compliance coverage stands.
The Bottom Line
Compliance is not a sprint. It is a year-round calendar that requires the same forward planning as any other operational function. The organizations that stay ahead of it are the ones that build the schedule in early, distribute the responsibility clearly and maintain access to the training that keeps their team current.
The deadlines above are a starting point. Your specific obligations will vary by state, industry and organization size. When in doubt, review the applicable federal and state requirements with your legal counsel, and make sure the training that supports compliance is scheduled before you need it, not after.
HR compliance training from a provider you can count on
Pryor Learning offers pre-approved HRCI and SHRM credit courses across every core HR compliance area, live virtual, in-person and on-demand.
