Hiring & Employees
Becoming an employer, done right: the first-hire legal checklist, classifying employees versus independent contractors, the I-9 and work eligibility, payroll taxes and withholding, whether you need workers’ comp, the free workplace posters you must display, which federal employment laws switch on at which headcount, and the special rules for hiring family and minors. Misclassifying a worker is the costly trap — it is about the real relationship, not a job title.
All Hiring & Employees guides
- Which Employment Laws Apply to Small Businesses (by Headcount)
Federal employment law thresholds by employee count: 15 for Title VII/ADA, 20 for ADEA, 50 for FMLA, and what applies to everyone.
- Employee vs. Independent Contractor: How to Classify Correctly
A worker is an employee or contractor based on the real relationship, not a title or contract. Here's how the IRS, DOL, and states decide.
- Hiring Family Members and Minors in Your Business
Child-labor age and hour rules, work permits, and the payroll-tax quirks of hiring your own child or spouse in your small business.
- How to Terminate an Employee Legally
How to fire an employee while limiting legal risk - illegal reasons, documentation, final pay, COBRA, and when to call a lawyer.
- The ADA and Accommodating Employees in a Small Business
Employers with 15+ workers must reasonably accommodate disabilities under the ADA unless it's an undue hardship. Here's how it works.
- Unemployment Insurance Tax: What Employers Owe
New employers generally owe federal FUTA and state SUTA/SUI unemployment tax — here's how they work and what to register for.
- Hiring Your First Employee: A Legal Checklist
The employer-side checklist for hiring your first employee: EIN, I-9, W-4, payroll tax, new-hire reporting, workers' comp, posters.
- Required Workplace Posters and New-Hire Notices
Federal law requires most employers to post free notices on wages, safety, discrimination, and leave. Here's what's required, and where to get it free.
- Hiring Remote Employees in Other States
Hiring a remote W-2 employee in another state triggers payroll tax, unemployment insurance, workers' comp, and wage-law duties there.
- Payroll Taxes and Withholding Basics for Employers
What employers must withhold, deposit, and file for payroll taxes — and why trust-fund money can create personal liability even behind an LLC.
- What Employee Benefits Are You Required to Provide?
Federal law requires far fewer employee benefits than you'd think. Here's what's actually mandatory versus what states add.
- Exempt vs Non-Exempt and Overtime for Small Employers
Non-exempt workers get overtime and minimum wage; exempt status needs a duties test AND a DOL salary threshold — salary alone isn't enough.
- Do You Need Workers’ Comp Insurance as an Employer?
Most states require workers' comp once you have employees, but the trigger point, owner rules, and penalties for skipping it vary by state.
- The I-9 Form and Verifying Work Eligibility
Every U.S. employer must complete Form I-9 for each new hire, on time, and keep it on file. Here's how, plus E-Verify and penalties.
- Offer Letters and At-Will Employment
How to write a job offer letter that states pay, start date, and at-will status clearly - without accidentally promising job security.