When you don’t have the benefit of a full-time human resources department, hiring even one extra employee can topple your already overflowing plate. At the same time, without the proper federal, state and company-specific paperwork, you may be setting up your business for fines, lawsuits and mass confusion.
The next time you add someone to your team, use this new hire paperwork checklist to spend more time on mission-critical work and less time on paper.
Federal forms:
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- W-4 for federal income tax withholding
- I-9 for employment eligibility verification, along with valid supporting documents, for citizens and non-citizens
- Non-discriminatory job application, including permission to conduct background checks and reference checks
- Equal employment opportunity form
State forms:
- State income tax withholding form
- State employment paperwork or electronic registration, often used for child support payments
- Workers’ compensation insurance coverage document
Organization forms:
- Acknowledgment for having received, read and agreed to the employee policy handbook
- Acknowledgment of ethics code and conflict of interest policy
- Consent for drug testing
- Consent for monitoring usage of computers and other technology
- Acknowledgment of employment-at-will relationship
- Confirmation of pay, work hours and work location
- Schedule for new hire orientation
- Benefits elections
- Supplementary employee details, such as emergency contacts
- Request for computer access, email account and telephone extension
- Request for business cards
- Request for parking permit
- Sexual harassment policy
- Violence policy
- Substance abuse policy
- Smoking policy
While the federal forms are standardized across the United States, state and local forms can vary. Always check with your local government to confirm what documents are needed, how they are submitted and when they are due. For greater convenience lump similar forms together, such as putting your drug, alcohol and conduct policies in the employee handbook and then asking for a single signature. Once you understand your obligations in your district, you can streamline your new hire paperwork checklist and be ready for the next new face.
Dianne Shaddock
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