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eGuide to
Small BusinessHiring
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table o contents
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syig i cmi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . g 14
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th ei Iri & syig Gdy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .g 20
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Running a business on your own means youre used to working long
hours and juggling lots o responsibilities. Whether your goal is to
reduce those long hours, to improve productivity, or to bring in new
expertise, hiring independent contractors or employees might be just
what your business needs to keep growing.
Building your team is an exciting step, but some aspects o hiring
and managing workers could pose a challenge i you jump in without
learning the basics. For example, youll need to:
Stay compliant with local, state and ederal employment laws
Decide whether to hire contractors and employees
Stay organized to manage all the aspects o your employmentrelationships.
It may sound like a lot when you rst start out. But i you take care
to check little legal boxes along the way, the whole process will be a
lot easier in the long run. Once youve covered yoursel with basic
employment agreements, handbooks and other solid HR practices,
youll be in an excellent position to make the most o your new
workorce.
This eGuide to Small Business Hiring will lead you through the whole
process. Above all, we want to show you how to get the legal basics
nailed down so you have more time to do what you do best.
Rocket Lawyer eGuide Disclaimer
This eGuide is oered or inormational and educational purposes only and should not be
construed as legal advice. The law diers in each legal jurisdiction and may be interpreted
or applied dierently based on your specifc actual situation. Use o the inormation in this
eGuide is not a substitute or the advice o licensed legal counsel in your state and you should
not act or rely on any inormation contained in this eGuide without frst seeking advice rom
your own attorney.
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Building YourSmall Business Team
about Rocket
lawYeR
At Rocket Lawyer, were
making legal work easier
and more convenient or
everyone.
We know the law is
complex and mistakes can
be costly. We also know
theres no replacement or
a good lawyer. Thats why
weve developed easy-to-
use technology to help you
do more on your own, and
backed it up with a network
o Rocket Lawyer On Call
attorneys who are ready to
help when you need it.
Since 2008, weve used
this approach to help over
20 million small businesses
and amilies create legal
agreements, plan or the
uture, and eel more
condent.
Visit www.rocketlawyer.com
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When you need to bring in more help, the rst thing to gure out iswhether its best to hire an employee or an independent contractor. Inthis chapter, well explain what you need to know about this distinction,why its important to both you and your workers, and the potentialconsequences o misclassiying the people who work or you.
Its best to start by understanding the dierences between these twotypes o workers.
Employee: Someone who perorms services or labor or you on anongoing basis, and you control what will be done and how. Employeesstay on past the completion o each project. They tend to work at your
businesses location, using equipment and tools that you supply.
Contractor: Someone who perorms services or labor or you, but isresponsible only or the results, not how the project will be executed.A contractors work is usually done at the completion o each projectthere are no ongoing responsibilities. Oten they charge more, usetheir own equipment, set their own schedule and take care o their ownbusiness expenses.
Its a good rule o thumb to base hiring decisions not only on the type oworking relationship you want to have, but also your tax responsibilities.
wHY Its DIeRent
Since contractors are sel-employed, an employer is more like thecontractors client than their supervisor. That means the contractor isresponsible or paying taxes on their earnings. Independent contractorsalso dont get a lot o the same benets as employees: theyre not eligibleor unemployment benets, workers compensation, and social security.Plus, they dont get oered sick leave, vacation, health insurance, andany other benets an employer might oer to attract an employee. Thecontractor shoulders all o these costs since theyre treated like a sel-employed business.
All o this is ne as long as the independent contractor gets to be theirown boss as its intended. Problems can arise when employers want thebest o both worldsthey hire their workers as independent contractors,but treat them like employees, dictating when and how the work is done.Employers avoid paying payroll taxes and providing benets, but inessence they have an employee who they can manage directly.
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Independent Contractoror Employee?
oR eMploYees
Youll neeD to:
Withhold state and
ederal income tax
Withhold Social
Security tax
Withhold Medicare tax
Pay unemployment tax
on wages
Complete a W-2 orm
or each employee
oR InDepenDent
contRactoRs:
You typically dont have
to withhold taxes
You have ewer reporting
requirements
You may have to le certain
orms (like the 1099-MISC)
to report payments made
to them
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wHat Happens I You Get It wRonG
Say one o your salespeople has his own oce and works on commission.You have a second salesperson who works remotely and doesnt receivebenets. You decided to hire them as independent contractors, but basedon your working relationship, the IRS or another government agencymight classiy them as employees. I you misclassiy employees asindependent contractors, youll be on the hook or back payroll taxes,
plus nes.
To prevent that rom happening, make sure everyone is clear on thenature o the working relationship. Choose the designation careullybased on the above guidelines, and create an employment agreementor an independent contractor agreement to document it. Then remainconsistent with the classication. For example, i you treat workers likecontractors in practice (and dont pay payroll taxes) and then claim a taxdeduction or having employees, a tax audit notice is a lot more likely tocome your way. Workers can also make a complaint to the IRS i they eeltheyve been misclassied.
Keep in mind that someone who starts as an independent contractor canassume responsibilities that are more and more like an employee overtime. I you have a long-standing relationship with a contractor, considerbringing them on board ocially to avoid misclassiying them.
Well be ocusing on the employment relationship or the remainder othis guide. For more business tax inormation or inormation on workerdesignations, go to the Internal Revenue Service website.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Employment agreement
Independent contractor agreement
I you have a
long-standing
relationship with
a contractor,consider bringing
them on board
ocially to avoid
misclassiying
them.
http://www.irs.gov/http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/independent-contractor-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/independent-contractor-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.irs.gov/7/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Beore you even begin to drat a job description or that rst employee,you should understand the legal ins and outs o the hiring process.They say an ounce o prevention is worth a pound o curea sayingthat is very, very applicable to the employment process. The USDepartment o Labor estimates a bad hiring decision can cost 30percent o a businesss rst year earnings.
In this chapter well go over air hiring practices, writing a jobdescription, interviewing candidates, the job application, backgroundchecks and reerences, and extending a job oer.
aIR pRactIcesTo begin, its important to have a good sense o air practices in hiringemployees under ederal law. Keeping anti-discrimination laws on thetop o your mind helps protect you rom lawsuits that could arise romyour hiring decisions. Heres a rundown o what you need to know.
Anti-discrimination laws:
Prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion,sex, or national origin.
Protect men and women who perorm substantially equal work in thesame establishment rom sex-based wage discrimination.
Protect individuals 40 or older.
Prohibit employment discrimination against qualied individualswith disabilities in the private sector, and in state and localgovernments.
Prohibit discrimination against qualied individuals with disabilitieswho work in the ederal government.
Prohibit employment discrimination based on genetic inormationabout an applicant, employee, or ormer employee.
Award monetary damages in cases o intentional employment
discrimination.
You can nd more inormation on job discrimination laws at the U.S.Equal Opportunity Commission website.
And dont orget to spread the word about these laws and practices tomanagers and other people with authority in your company to avoidany unnecessary misunderstandings. Outlining your company policiesin an employee handbook is a smart move too (well talk more aboutthis in the next chapter).
QuIck asIDe:
Keep the above laws handy
or the long term, because
they apply not only to hiring
employees but also when it
comes to termination andharassment issues. They also
apply to:
All classes o employees
Advertisements
Recruiting
Testing (like Meyers-Briggs
and other aptitude tests)
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Recruiting &Making an Ofer
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.htmlhttp://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.htmlhttp://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.htmlhttp://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html7/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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tHe Job applIcatIon
Once the inquiries start pouring in rom candidates, youll want to havethe job application teed up (heres an Employment Application templateto get you started). Like the job description, a ew rules need to beollowed to make sure everything conorms to the usual guidelines. Hereare a ew pointers:
Include that you are an Equal Opportunity Employer and that
the job description or advertisement is not an oer or guarantee oemployment.
Drat a separate document asking the candidate or approval to conducta background check.
Make sure youre in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act iyou want to run a credit check on a potential employee.
Try and run these documents by your attorney or Human Resourcesmanager. I your company is too small or an HR person, you mightconsider hiring an HR contractor.
tHe Job InteRvIew
Once youve selected a ew candidates that look great on paper, youllwant to bring them in or a ace-to-ace interview to get a better sense owho they are and how theyd t in with your company.
Remember: Its common to share private company inormation during thecourse o an interview. Beore you start talks, make sure every candidatesigns a nondisclosure agreement (you can get started with our nondisclosure agreement). In this document, a candidate agrees to keep yourcondential company inormation private, preventing your trade secretsand other proprietary knowledge rom getting in the wrong hands.
Once the nondisclosure agreement is in place, its important to keepeverything legal in the job interview to prevent misunderstandings andmanage expectations.
The interviewers rule o thumb: The law assumes that everything askedon an employment application or in the ace-to-ace interview will be usedin the hiring decision. Now that you know this, its smart to limit interviewtopics to only:
1. The job
2. The candidates qualications or it
Beore you get worried about what might slip out while having what isessentially a conversation with a job applicant, just ollow a ew basicrules and everything will be ne:
Circle back to the anti-discrimination laws we mentioned earlier andremember not to ask questions on those actors (e.g. age, race, disability,country o origin, etc.).
Avoid asking personal questions (e.g. politics, marital status, belies,etc.)
Describe the position accurately
Job DescRIptIon
Now that youve gotten
amiliar with equal
opportunity laws, you
can start writing the job
description youll use to nd
your next superstar hire.
You want to accomplish two
main things here: (a) nd
the best candidate or theposition and (b) make sure
youre doing it legally. Here
are some dos and donts
beore you drat the job
description:
D: List the jobs
responsibilities (e.g.
what the job supports
and what the employee
will be doing).
List the jobs qualications
and requirements (e.g.
technical skills required,
education, etc.).
Include that you are
an Equal Opportunity
Employer and that
the job description or
advertisement is not an
ofer or guarantee o
employment.
D: List requirements that
cover gender, age, race,
etc. and would violate
anti-discrimination laws.
For example, its better
to say youre looking or
an energetic entry-level
employee, rather than a
young and eager person).
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-application.rl?utm_source=1065http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus08-using-consumer-reports-what-employers-need-knowhttp://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus08-using-consumer-reports-what-employers-need-knowhttp://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-application.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Avoid making predictions about the health o the company, stockvalue, etc.
Avoid making statements that could limit your right to hire orterminate employees down the road (e.g. telling an applicant thatemployees never get red, or example).
In a nutshell, i you keep in mind that the law protects individuals rombeing discriminated against in the hiring process, it will help you hone
your questions and interview style to stay ocused on (a) what the jobrequires and (b) whether the applicant has the skills to ulll the position.Anything else is not a matter or discussion. Its as simple as that.
tHe backGRounD cHecks & ReeRences
Ater the interview is a good time to check reerences and do a simplebackground check. Remember to get written approval rom the applicantbeorehand to prevent any legal headaches (heres a background andreerence check consent orm you can use). Once you have this approval,you can hire a company to do the background check, which coversthings like:
Educational background
Employment history
Driving records
Criminal records
Financial history
I anything unusual or negative shows up in the background check,make sure to keep solid records in case any issues arise rom your nalhiring decision. And i your decision to not hire an otherwise goodcandidate is based on this background check, you might want to consult
an attorney beore making that move just to make sure all your bases arecovered.
Next stop is reerences, which to some might seem like an aterthoughtin the process. On the contrary, its an excellent opportunity to get somemuch-needed perspective on a candidates personality and work ethic.When asking or reerences, try to get the candidate to cast a wide net,covering:
Bosses
Coworkers
Direct reports
Third parties (like vendors or other outsiders the candidateworked with)
As with the background check, youll need to get some clear, writtenand signed documentation rom the candidates allowing you permissionto contact these individuals. And as always youll want to check yourEqual Opportunity checklist to ensure youre not asking discriminatoryquestions.
tIps oR cHeckInG
ReeRences:
a -dd qi:
You want to glean as much
ino as possible on the
applicant, which yes andno questions cant really
help you with.
li i:
Some reerences might
sound more enthusiastic
about some things than
others, which can help you
choose your questions
wisely.
Ghr d:
This is a great opportunityto veriy employment
history, duties and
responsibilities o your
applicant.
Ghr qii i:Ask
questions that give you a
sense o the candidates
work ethic, communication
skills and other personal
qualities.
t : Whileeverything should be kept
condential to respect
everyones privacy, a little
record keeping can protect
you down the road.
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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tHe Job oeR
Congratulations! Ater much searching, advertising and due diligence,you ound the right person to help you move your company to the nextlevel. Whether you tell the lucky individual in person or over the phone,an oer letter will be necessary to make everything ocial.
And i youre in the position where you need to negotiate the terms,youre not alone: The 2012 Business Journals survey o 2,200 revealed
that contract negotiations are one o the top legal hurdles when hiring.But dont let that discourage you. Just keep an open mind and expect thecandidate to come back with a counter-oer. Your goal is to come to anagreement that satises you and the uture employee. Sometimes it worksout, and sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board, but thatspart o the process. As with everything, i you need a little guidance, anattorney can be a big help.
welcoMe aboaRD anD oeR letteR
When you and the employee come to an agreement on the terms o thejob, put it in writing with an employment oer letter (ouremploymentoer letter is easy to customize).
Be sure to sign the oer letter and provide two copies with instructionsor the candidate to return the letter.
Now youre ready to welcome your new hire on board. Its a good timeto start a personnel le and include copies o all o the documents wevecovered so ar. Keeping detailed records will help prevent any potentialmisunderstanding down the road.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Employment applicationNon disclosure agreement
Consent to background and reerence check
Employment oer letter
HeRe aRe tHe
basIc eleMents
o YouR
welcoMe letteR:
th ii
1. Position name
2. Organization name
3. Supervisor name & title
4. Start date
5. Copy o job description
sry d f
1. Annual salary and
payment terms
2. Benets (medical, dental,vacation, IRA, etc.)
3. Other benets (e.g.,
bonuses, relocation
expenses, severance)
J rrm
i
1. Frequency
2. Person conducting them
3. Group reviewing them
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-application.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/consent-to-background-and-reference-check.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-application.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Now that youve successully tackled the recruiting and hiring process,its time to welcome your new employee on boardand it couldnt be amore exciting time. Not only will this new person help carry the heavyworkload, he or she can bring a burst o energy, resh perspectives andnew skills to your business.
To make sure everything starts o on the right oot, its a good idea todo a little prep work to ensure that the new workers rst day starts olegally sound and sets the tone or years and years o productivity andpositivity. In this chapter well walk you through employment policies,government orms and reporting, employment agreements and recordkeeping.
tHe eMploYee HanDbook
Keep in mind that your rst new employee could be one o many youadd to the team as the business grows. Thereore, even in these earlystages, some comprehensive documentation will set expectations orboth the employer and the employees and build a oundation or uturegrowth.
Simply put, you need an employee handbook.
Whether nicely bound in a book, punch-holed in a binder or printed
and stapled, an employee handbook basically documents your HumanResources policies. Every employee handbook should make clear:
1. What you expect rom the new employee
2. What the new employee can expect rom you/the company
3. Your legal obligations as the employer
4. The new employees rights and responsibilities
A well-written and comprehensive document can also provide youwith some legal protections in the unortunate event that an employee
decides to sue your company or termination, discrimination, orsomething else.
But its not just about covering your own interests. Keep in mind thatthe employee handbook is a useul tool or keeping employees happy,recruiting new talent, etc. by highlighting what a great workplaceyouve established. So, dont orget to include the good stu.
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Your EmployeesFirst Day
tHe eMploYee
HanDbook
An employee handbook
should include:
1. What you expect rom the
new employee
2. What the new employee
can expect rom you/the
company
3. Your legal obligations as
the employer
4. The new employees rights
and responsibilities
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InsIDe an eMploYee HanDbook
Here are the general components o an employee handbook. All o theseelements are important, but the parts with the biggest potential impactare listed rst:
Harassment & Discrimination: This section should list your companysequal opportunity workplace policies, outlining:
a. Your equal opportunity employer position
b. Your zero-tolerance or harassment or illegal discrimination in theworkplace
c. Your process or employees to report such violations
d. Your process or responding to these claims
e. The act that employees wont be punished or making such claims
Saety & Security: This section will cover your policy or establishing asae workplace or all employees, including your companys compliancewith ederal and state health and saety laws. Here you might need asecond pair o eyes rom an attorney, but in general you want to cover:
a. Your pledge to create a sae working environment
b. Your employees responsibility to ollow physical and IT policies orsaety and security
c. Your employees responsibility under ederal law to report tomanagement all accidents, injuries, hazards, etc.
d. Any additional policies concerning extreme weather or hazardouscommunity conditions
Wages & Working Hours: You want to make especially clear all mattersconcerning your employees pay, pay categories (ull-time, part-time, etc.)
and time spent at work, including:
a. Working days and hours
b. Timekeeping
c. Breaks and meal times
d. Pay periods
e. Tax withholding
. Benets withholding
g. Overtime pay
h. Salary increases
Behavior & Conduct: This section should cover a airly wide range otopics concerning your expectations about employees behavior andconduct while working and interacting with you, other employees andindividuals outside the company. Here you can address:
a. Attendance
b. Tardiness
c. Dress code
d. Condentiality
e. Personal calls
. Internet use
g. E-mail conduct
h. Drug/alcohol policy
But thats just or starters. Depending on your companys personalityand needs, youll be able to modiy as needed. Is it just a phone-basedbusiness? You might not need a dress code. Do you promote fexible
eleMents o an
eMploYee HanDbook
Harassment &
Discrimination
Saety & Security
Wages & Working Hours
Behavior & Conduct
Employee Benets
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hours or a work-rom-home policy? You can make that clear as well,too. On the other hand, i youre a government contractor dealing withsensitive inormation and people, you might need to add some veryspecic details in this section.
Employee Benets: Heres where you can outline the parts o the jobthat attract new employees and keep them enthusiastic about itthedetails (and eligibility) or your companys benets program, including
those required by law (disability insurance, workers compensation andCOBRA) and those you could provide, like:
a. Health insurance
b. Retirement
c. 401k
d. Tuition reimbursement
e. Paid vacation
. Holidays
O course, there are other topics you could (and probably should)cover in your employee handbook depending on the nature o thework involved, like use o company property, leave policy and mediarelations. Visit Rocket Lawyer and well walk you through creating anemployee handbook, step-by-step. Once youre done with a drat, you
might want to run it by an attorney to make sure everything checks out.
eMploYee papeRwoRk
For your new hires rst day on the job, youre going to make sure thatthey eel welcome and excited about the new workplace, but thereare also a ew documents youll want to have them sign to make sureeveryones on the same page and that the governments requirementsare met.
There are several orms to have ready:
Form I-9This document veries whether an employee can legally work in theUnited States. Be sure to make copies o the legal credentials youremployee provides to veriy eligibility (i.e. passports, green cards, birthcerticates, etc.).
Form W-4
This orm tells you how much ederal income tax to withhold rom youremployees paychecks.
New Hire Reporting
Employers must notiy the state o new hires. Each state has its own
requirements or reporting new hires, so you might want to check withyour specic agency.
Employment Agreement
This is probably the most important document or hiring an employee.An employment agreement lays out the terms and conditions o the joboer and employment relationship.
eMploYee
papeRwoRk
There are several orms to
have ready:
Form I-9
Form W-4
New Hire Reporting
Employment agreement
Employee invention
agreement
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Heres an employment agreement template to get you started.Remember that both the employer and employee should sign theemployment agreement to make everything ocial.
Employee Invention Agreement
I youre developing products, designs or other intellectual property,have everyone sign one o these, which states that the employerowns any inventions developed during the employees time with the
company.
Or, it could state that the employee owns what he or she invents. Itjust depends on what you want here (you can customize our employeeinvention agreement or your needs).
Quick tip: In addition to the employment agreement, youll also needto make sure the employee reads and signs the employee handbookdetailed above.
RecoRD keepInG
Now that all the orms have been signed and sealed, its a smartmove to have designated les or each employee containing all thesedocuments. In case an issue arises at some point with your new hire, itsokay to take the kitchen sink approach here, ling away such thingsas:
The job description
The job application
The signed employee orms
Signed employee handbook
Perormance evaluations
Warnings or disciplinary actions
Any contracts
Employee benet orms
Every year or so youll want to comb through these records to makesure theyre up to date and maintained. Above all, your recordkeepingbased on a well-documented and legally sound rst day atworkshould make your employer/employee relationship smoothsailing or years to come.
For more guidance on ederal labor laws and contact inormation orstate agencies, visit dol.gov.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Employee handbook
Form 1-9
Form W-4
Non disclosure agreement
Employment agreement
Invention agreement
Employment oer letter
eMploYMent
aGReeMent oRMs
oten IncluDe a:
Non disclosure agreement
General statement o
eligibility or benets plan
Noncompete agreement
Rate o pay
Severability clause
Specied probationary
period
Starting date
Statement o at-will
nature o employment
Title o position
Any other state, industry-
specic, or company
required inormation
Statement indicating
that there are no
agreements between the
parties other than those
explicitly stated within the
agreement
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fpub%2Firs-pdf%2Ffw4.pdf&utm_source=1009http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/noncompete-agreement.rl&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/noncompete-agreement.rl&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/noncompete-agreement.rl&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-offer-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fpub%2Firs-pdf%2Ffw4.pdf&utm_source=1009http://www.rocketlawyer.com/View-Legal-Document.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rocketlawyer.com%2Fdownload%2Fi-9_e.pdf&utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-invention-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Once youve recruited
superstar employees
and gotten them
settled successully in
the workplace, youll
want to make sure that
your business stays incompliance with ederal,
state and local employment
lawsmany o which come,
go and evolve over time.
Here well go over FLSA
guidelines, tax withholding,
insurance, disability and
amily leave, and HIPAA
privacy laws. Our overview
will get you started, but
youll denitely want to
dig a little deeper to get abetter sense o the state-
specic and local laws in
your area, plus any laws
that may apply to your
specic type o business.
As you go orward, bear in
mind that many o these
rules are in place to make
sure youre ollowing:
Tax laws
Labor laws
Equal opportunity (non-
discrimination) laws
Workplace saety laws
Privacy laws
lsa classes o eMploYees: exeMpt & nonexeMpt
Exempt & Nonexempt
You might have seen these two terms on a job application and wonderedwhat they meant exactly. Or, maybe you assumed that any salariedemployee is considered exempt in the eyes o the IRS. How you classiyyour employees here is an important detail to clariy early on so that youavoid any compliance issues that could cause nes or other penalties.
In a nutshell, the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) guarantees thatcertain workers are entitled to minimum wage and overtime pay. Theseso-called nonexempt employees are typically hourly employees who dont
have managerial responsibilities, and arent proessionals (like doctors orlawyers).
Typically, salaried employees, managers and proessionals are exemptrom FLSA requirements, meaning they dont receive overtime pay.
FLSA worksheets and tests (available at the link below) can help youdetermine how to classiy your employees, based on: a) how much theyrepaid, b) how theyre paid, and c) the type o work they do.
For more inormation on exempt and nonexempt status, visit the USDepartment o Labor website.
Does tHe lsa applY to You?
More than 130 million workers are governed by the requirements o theDepartment o Labors FLSA.
Employees o your business can be covered in two ways:
1. Enterprise Coverage
Employees may be covered i they work or businesses with at least twoemployees which also are:
a. Businesses with an annual dollar volume o sales or business done o$500,000 and higher.
b. Hospitals, medical or elderly care businesses, schools and preschools,and government agencies.
Or
2. Individual Coverage
Individuals whose work involves interstate commerce (commercebetween states) are also covered by FLSA. For example, employees
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Staying inCompliance
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who make products that are shipped and sold out o state, regularlyengage with contacts in other states, or even do maintenance work orbusinesses that are involved with interstate commerce are included.
Housekeepers, babysitters, nannies, cooks and other domestic serviceemployees are also covered.
Keep in mind that the nature o work your employee perorms couldmake him or her eligible or minimum wage but not overtime.
The Department o Labor can provide more inormation at www.wagehour.dol.gov.
wItHHolDInG taxes
The next box to check on your compliance worksheets is yourobligation or withholding tax rom your employees paycheck. Eveni you have a payroll person or an accountant to handle these things,its a good idea to amiliarize yoursel with withholding since itsultimately the business owners responsibility i something getsmiscalculated or accidentally swept under the rug.
Each state has dierent rules, so be sure to do a little research. Hereare some o the taxes youll need to withhold:
Federal, state and local income taxes
FICA (Medicare and social security)
FUTA (ederal unemployment)
wHo Gets wItHHelD
Once you have payroll lined up youll want to circle back and gure
out how youve classied your worker (contractor, exempt, etc.), whichwill tell you which taxes to withhold rom the paycheck. Rememberthat you do not need to withhold taxes or contractors, but you willneed to do so or employees.
wHat Gets wItHHelD
You might just be paying your employee a salary or hourly wage. Buti there are bonuses, sales commissions, or other business-relatedexpenses, these types o income may be taxed in dierent amountsthan an employees base pay. Consult IRS Publication 15, EmployersTax Guide and Publication 15-A, Employers Supplemental Tax Guide
(PDF) or more inormation.
paID DIsabIlItY & aMIlY leave
Throughout the course o your time working together, your employeeswill need to balance work and amily responsibilities. And in somesituations they might become temporarily unable to work. The Familyand Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows certain employees up to 12weeks o unpaid, job-protected leave annually with uninterruptedgroup health benets. There are some rules in place to make sure that
cRuncHInG tHe
nuMbeRs
Once youve determined
the above, its time to
calculate how much
youll set aside rom youremployees pay or ederal,
state and local taxes, in
addition to FUTA and FICA.
The IRS and Small Business
Administration provide
tables or calculating the
percentages to withhold
or each o the above
taxes, in addition to taxes
or the specic state and
city where your business
operates.
I you dont have an
accountant, be sure to
cross every T and dot every
I as well as you can, since
this process can be a little
tricky. Youll also want to
send these payments out
in a timely manner to avoid
late ees.
Check irs.gov and sba.gov
or calculating tables and
online payment methods.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf7/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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the employees job is protected without putting your business in too mucho a bind.
Unpaid leave can be taken:
or the birth o the employees child
or adoption or oster care o a child by an employee
to care or an immediate amily member with a serious health problem
when the employee has a serious health condition
Eligible employees need to have worked at least 1,250 hours over 12consecutive months at a company that employs 50 or more employeeswithin a 75 mile radius. There are some other rules as well, so i youre notclear on what your requirements are as an employer, visit the DepartmentLabors FMLA website.
HIpaa & pRotectInG pRIvacY
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act o 1996 (HIPAA)helps patients and health care consumers keep their personal inormation
private.
Protected individual health-related inormation can include:
Health care claims
Health care payments
Coordination o health carebenets
Enrollment or disenrollmentin a health plan
Health plan eligibility
Premium payments
Reerrals
Injury reports
Health care organizations have to be especially careul how they handlethese records, adopting special procedures and orms or protectingcondentiality. But many small businesses will deal with these coveredentities, too.
I your company has a sel-insured health plan or acts as a liaison betweenemployees and health care providers, you might want to review these ruleand possibly speak with an attorney to make sure youre adopting the righprocedures to avoid civil penalties.
coMplIance MaDe easY
The web has made it a whole lot easier or businesses to researchcompliance laws at the ederal, state and local levels, in addition toproviding downloadable orms and checklists or ocial use. To be on thesae side, you might also want to share your research with an attorney justto make sure youre on the right track.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Compliance Center
ReQuIReD
InsuRance
Any business with
employees is required by
law to pay or certain types
o insurance* to protectworkers rom work-related
injury, disability or losing
their jobs. Generally, they
are:
Workers Compensation
Insurance
Unemployment Insurance
Disability Insurance
*Not all o these are
required in every state, so
check your states rules to
make sure you need to sign
up or them.
local laws
Some local jurisdictions
have special laws and rules
in place to protect workers.
For example, your city or
county might have special
ordinances covering healthinsurance, minimum wage,
overtime and sick leave.
Check with your local
government (or a local
accountant or lawyer) to
make sure youre compliant
with all the laws that apply
to you.
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htmhttp://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htmhttp://www.rocketlawyer.com/corporate-compliance-legal.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/corporate-compliance-legal.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htmhttp://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htm7/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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As a business owner with employees, you can create a sae, supportiveand productive workplace. You can implement a great hiring andrecruiting process, and you can set out employment policies in a legallysound employee handbook.
But no matter how you do things, an employees bad behavior or poorperormance could throw a wrench into the system youve worked hardto create. Thats why youll want to have a clear and detailed companydiscipline policy.
A 2012 Proles International survey revealed that employers lose 79percent o negligent hiring lawsuits, so beore you head down this path
keep in mind that the best (and most air) attitude when dealing with adicult employee is not how to re them but how not to. The ollowingsteps or crating a disciplinary policy, handling disputes and so on willhelp you resolve conficts and protect yoursel and your organizationrom liability.
coMpanY DIscIplIne polIcY
Protecting yoursel in these situations is key, and the cornerstone oyour good employee relations is a well-written and detailed companydiscipline policy. This document will make absolutely clear the stepsyou (or management) ollow when behavior and perormance issues
threaten the livelihood o the business and workplace. You can createa separate discipline policy, or include it as a section o your employeehandbook (see Your Employees First Day section or more inormationon creating an employee handbook).
Anti-discrimination laws that apply when hiring an employee also applywhen it comes to employee discipline. Its against the law to re anemployee because o age, religion, gender, race, or marital status. Andpersonal reasons--not to mention issues resulting rom whistleblowing orocial complaints--also wont fy as grounds or termination. Youll needa legitimate, well-documented reason. Reasons or termination can be
made clear in your employee handbook or the employment agreementlisting general conduct and work expectations.
Going owad, emembe:
Communication is key: As you crat your companys discipline policy,remember that clear and concise communication should be a majorcomponent. You want to keep troubled employees inormed about yourissues rom the get-go.
an employees
bad behavior or
poor perormance
could throw awrench into the
system youve
worked hard to
create. Thats why
youll want to have
a clear and detailed
company discipline
policy.
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Discipline, Disputes& Liability
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Documentation is also key: To limit your liability and preventunnecessary lawsuits, make sure every part o your process is on record.
pRoGRessIve steps
Depending on what your Human Resources person or company attorneyrecommend, you might have your own method or handling disciplinarysituations; however, some companies like to ollow a step-by-step process
that creates a standard or all situations.1. Initial Feedback
This rst step in the disciplinary process is basically a verbal cautionabout the problem. Set a deadline, i it seems helpul, to give youremployee a goal or correcting the problem. I the problem is xable, thislittle chat might be all you need to take care o it.
2. Verbal Warning
I the issue pops up again, youll need to have another talk with theemployee and document the visit on paper (possibly with a witness).
Oten an employer will keep the warning in eect or a specic periodo time.
3. Written Warning
When the rst two steps have not kept the issue at bay, a written warningis needed to inorm the employee that youre entering a more seriousstage o the disciplinary process (our employee warning letter is a goodplace to start). As a rule o thumb, youll want to let the employee knowwhat the consequences could be and remember to keep a copy o thewarning in your personnel les.
4. Suspension
More volatile situations might warrant a little time-out or everybody.I the rst three steps dont help the situation, you could suspend theemployee or a period o time without pay. This can allow you to get backto work and regroup, and it could inspire your troubled employee to nda job elsewhere.
5. Termination
The nal straw, termination can be undertaken when theres reallynothing more you can do to work through an employees bad behavior or
poor perormance.
Remember to document in writing (and with witnesses, i possible)all stages o the disciplinary process (our termination letter orm ishelpul). Not only will this (a) protect you rom lawsuits resulting romthe termination, it will (b) minimize your terminated employees anger,conusion and stress, and (c) maintain morale in the oce by underliningthe act that nothing more could be done in this no-win situation.
establIsHInG
a DIscIplInaRY
pRocess
Its important to have a
process in place rom
the get-go. Considerincluding these steps:
1. Initial Feedback
2. Verbal Warning
3. Written Warning
4. Suspension
5. Termination
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-warning-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/termination-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/termination-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-warning-letter.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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laYos vs. teRMInatIon
Firing an employee or behavior or perormance issues is just one sideo the coin: You might nd that your business is not generating enoughrevenue to justiy an employee.
Layos are a completely dierent animal in the legal sense. Here are thedierences:
Termination is when the employee leaves the company due to poorperormance or unacceptable behavior without any chance o beingrehired.
Layofis when the employee is let go because theres not enough workto keep them, but they could be eligible to come back i economic ororganizational conditions get better.
Why the labeling is important: Employees who are laid o are eligibleor unemployment benets* and COBRA (health insurance extensions);in addition, the intention to rehire might need to be part o the exitdocumentation to keep everything legal.
*States have thei own specifc laws about unemployment benefts and
COBrA, so emembe to contact you state and local govenment o ino
i you decide to go this oute.
DIsputes anD lIabIlItY
Employee lawsuits are on the rise, and sometimes the best, mostthorough and well-documented disciplinary policies wont keep a disputerom escalating.
One saeguard is Employment Practice Liability Insurance (EPLI), which
protects your company against lawsuits covering things like: Wrongul termination
Sexual harassment
Discrimination
Wrongul discipline
Emotional distress
Breach o employment contract
Small businesses are especially vulnerable to these claims, since theyoten have neither the means nor the time to tackle them head-on. So iyoure dealing with a dispute, its smart to consult with an attorney. Youdont want to tread into these sticky situations alone.
To sum up, your disciplinary policy helps create a more positive work
environment by encouraging employees to improve, as well as clearlydocumenting your attempts at resolving the problem. A air andtransparent process is good or everyone.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Employee handbook
Employment agreement
Employee warning letter
Employee termination letter
a teRMInatIon
letteR:
Helps protect you rom
lawsuits
Communicates the
situation clearly to theterminated employee
Makes the termination
ocial
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-warning-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/termination-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/termination-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-warning-letter.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employment-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/employee-handbook.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
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Whether your employee is moving on or good reasons or bad, by choiceor against their will, its never easy to see them go. However, like any roadbump in the lie o a business, its an excellent learning opportunity oryou as an employer.
Beore ocially saying goodbye to an employee, there are a ew points toconsider. During this exit period you basically want to:
1. Learn the reasons or the persons departure
2. Assemble inormation on the employees existing projects andcontacts
3. Gather intelligence to share with the employees replacement
4. Account or any company property used by the employee
5. Protect your company secrets
6. Protect yoursel rom liability
Since youve already hammered out an eective hiring process, anemployee handbook and a disciplinary policy, the next logical step is asolid exit interview process.
tHe exIt InteRvIew
When anyone voluntarily leaves your company, you want to know
why. And the exit interview sets aside a designated time to get candid,specic inormation about what its like or someone else to work at yourcompany.
Crat your questions or this ace-to-ace meeting in conversational styleand try to ollow these guidelines:
Create a relaxed atmosphere: Exiting employees are much morelikely to share their eelings i theres zero pressure and an easygoingenvironment.
Ask open-ended questions: Yes and no answers wont generate much
eedback, so try to cast a wide net with your inquiries.
Put the onus on yoursel:Another way to de-stress the interviewee, thiswill also help you retain good employees in the uture.
Listen: The more you talk, the less inormation youll gather rom theinterview.
Take copious notes: Not only will it help your record keeping, but youcan use this inormation to correct any issues that might have infuencedthe employee to move on.
ask tHe eMploYee:
Why are you leaving?
What could have
persuaded you to stay?
How do you eel about
the company?
What is your new
company ofering that
were not/cant?
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
The Exit Interview &Saying Goodbye
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Still unsure what you need to ask in the interview? Here are a ew basicquestions you can fesh out or your particular needs. Ask the employee:
Why are you leaving?
What could have persuaded you to stay?
How do you eel about the company?
What is your new company oering that were not/cant?
The above questionsand any oshoots that result rom theconversationshould help you gather enough inormation to makechanges, i any, to your workplace culture. As with any ocial companyprocedure, you might want to consult a lawyer i youre not sure aboutsomething.
Quick aside: Some ormer employees will want to avoid a ace-to-ace exitinterview or one reason or another. I youre unable to meet with them inperson, crat a questionnaire or them to complete during their last dayon the job.
Release o lIabIlItY
Finally, you want to have a record that the employee is not beingred but is in act quitting and will not sue or wrongul termination,discrimination or any other reason outlined in the termination sectiono our guide.
Small business owners can be pretty vulnerable when it comes to ormeremployees, even those who quit voluntarily. The law allows employeesyears to le wrongul termination lawsuits against ormer employers, orexample, and in cases when the employees new job oer doesnt pan out,the ormer employer can sometimes be liable or unemployment benets.
A release o liability orm can make this parting ocial (our generalliability release o claims will help you put it in writing). As with anyliability release, it wont prevent ormer employees rom suing i theyreally want to, but it can make your lie a whole lot easier when you haveclear documentation to back up your side o the story.
You never want to see a good worker go, but it will certainly happen romtime to time during the course o your business career. Establishing asolid exit strategy or each and every employee will provide you with thecrucial eedback to become a better manager and a better employer.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:Non disclosure agreement
Noncompete agreement
General liability release o claims
RetuRn pRopeRtY &
Revoke access
I the exiting employee
uses any company property
regularly or has access to
sensitive inormation, now isthe time to:
Gather or veriy
company-owned electronic
equipment (laptops,
smartphones, etc.)
Collect keys and
security badges
Change passwords to
entryways and online
accounts
non-DIsclosuRe,
non-coMpete
Back during the hiring
process your employee
signed a non disclosure
agreement to protect your
trade secrets and other
valuable inormation.
A riendly reminder o this
agreement should be parto your exit process, and
give you a chance to provide
your ormer employee with a
copy or their records. This is
especially important i he or
she is heading of to work or
a competitor, but its good to
do it every time.
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/noncompete-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/noncompete-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/non-disclosure-agreement.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/document/general-liability-release-of-claims.rl?utm_source=10657/28/2019 eGuide to Small Business Hiring
22/22
When your business is strong enough to employ people, its in a specialclass, considering that the U.S. Labor Department estimates that 75percent o American businesses have no payroll. But youll also have
more responsibilities. Youll need to develop employment policies andprocedures, stay up to date on labor and tax laws, and keep good recordsto help protect your business.
As you search or answers and inormation about the process o hiring,retaining and saying goodbye to the people who work or you, youll ndthat many o the orms, contracts and guidelines you need can be oundonline.
From employee handbooks to termination letters, Rocket Lawyer can helpyou put together a wide range o employment related contracts, ormsand other documentation. As you go along, youll probably have more
questions about specic state and local laws too. Rocket Lawyer has anetwork o attorneys who can help you with these employment-relatedlegal questions.
I we can help you with an employment legal issue or anything else, justlet us know and well point you in the right direction.
MoRe Help RoM Rocket lawYeR:
Labor and employment legal center
As you go along,
youll probably
have more
questions aboutspecic state and
local laws too.
Rocket Lawyer
has a network
o attorneys who
can help you with
these employment-
related legal
questions.
Visit www.rocketlawyer.com
eGuIDe to HIRInG:
Conclusion
Rocket Lawyer eGuide Disclaimer
This eGuide is oered or inormational and educational purposes only and should not be
construed as legal advice. The law diers in each legal jurisdiction and may be interpreted
or applied dierently based on your specifc actual situation. Use o the inormation in this
eGuide is not a substitute or the advice o licensed legal counsel in your state and you should
not act or rely on any inormation contained in this eGuide without frst seeking advice rom
http://www.rocketlawyer.com/labor-employment-legal.rl?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/?utm_source=1065http://www.rocketlawyer.com/labor-employment-legal.rl?utm_source=1065