(a) Registration required.  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall provide, advertise, or otherwise hold itself out as providing professional employer services in this state, unless the person is registered under this chapter and in conformance with the requirements of § 44-30-71.4.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-4

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Client: means any person who enters into a professional employer agreement with a PEO. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2
  • Department: means the department of administration, division of taxation. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • PEO: means any person engaged in the business of providing professional employer services. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2
  • Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited-liability company, association, or any other form of legally recognized entity. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2
  • Professional employer services: shall mean the service of entering into co-employment relationships under this chapter in which all or a majority of the employees providing services to a client or to a division or work unit of the client are covered employees. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2
  • Registrant: means a PEO registered under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-75-2

(b) Registration information.  Each applicant for registration under this chapter shall provide the division of taxation with the following information:

(1)  The name or names under which the PEO conducts business;

(2)  The address of the principal place of business of the PEO and the address of each office it maintains in this state;

(3)  The PEO’s taxpayer or employer identification number;

(4)  A list by jurisdiction of each name under which the PEO has operated in the preceding five (5) years, including any alternative names, names of predecessors, and, if known, successor business entities;

(5)  A statement of ownership, which shall include the name and evidence of the business experience of any person that, individually or acting in concert with one or more other persons, owns or controls, directly or indirectly, twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the equity interests of the PEO;

(6)  A statement of management, which shall include the name and evidence of the business experience of any person who serves as president, chief executive officer, or otherwise has the authority to act as senior executive officer of the PEO; and

(7)  A list of clients, including client name, physical address, telephone number, and federal identification number.

(c) Initial Registration.

(1)  Each PEO operating within this state as of the effective date of this chapter shall complete its initial registration not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of this chapter. The initial registration shall be valid through the subsequent July 31 of the registration year.

(2)  Each PEO not operating within this state as of the effective date of this chapter shall complete its initial registration prior to commencement of operations within this state.

(d) Renewal.  On August 1st of each subsequent year, the registrant shall renew its registration by notifying the division of taxation of any changes in the information provided in the registrant’s most recent registration or renewal that shall be effective for an annual term from August 1 through July 31 of the subsequent year.

(e) Group registration.  Any two or more PEOs held under common control of any other person or persons acting in concert may be registered as a PEO group. A PEO group may satisfy any reporting and financial requirements of this registration law on a consolidated basis.

(f) Alternative Registration.  The division of taxation may, by rule and regulation, provide for the acceptance of an affidavit or certification of a bonded, independent, and qualified assurance organization that has been approved by the department certifying qualifications of a professional employer organization in lieu of the requirements of § 5-75-6.

(g) List.  The state tax administrator shall maintain a list of professional employer organizations registered under this chapter.

(h) Forms.  The state tax administrator may prescribe forms necessary to promote the efficient administration of this section.

(i) Record confidentiality.  All records, reports, and other information obtained from a PEO under this chapter, except to the extent necessary for the proper administration of this chapter by the state tax administrator, shall be confidential and shall not be published or open to public inspection other than to public employees in the performance of their public duties.

(j) Limited registration.

(1)  A PEO is eligible for a limited registration under this chapter if the PEO:

(i)  Submits a properly executed request for limited registration on a form provided by the department;

(ii)  Is domiciled outside this state and is licensed or registered as a PEO in another state;

(iii)  Does not maintain an office in this state or directly solicit clients located or domiciled within this state; and

(iv)  Does not have more than fifty (50) covered employees employed or domiciled in this state on any given day.

(2)  A limited registration is valid for one year, and may be renewed.

(3)  A PEO seeking limited registration under this section shall provide the department with information and documentation necessary to show that the PEO qualifies for a limited registration.

(4)  Section 5-75-6 shall not apply to applicants for limited registrations.

History of Section.
P.L. 2004, ch. 87, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 124, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 215, § 1.