Before your first employee's start date, you'll need an Employer Identification Number (EIN), state unemployment insurance registration, and — depending on your state — workers' compensation coverage. Missing any of these can create liability from day one.
New hires require a completed Form W-4 and I-9 within their first few days, and most states require new-hire reporting to a state directory within 20 days of the hire date.
Decide on a pay schedule early — weekly, biweekly, or semi-monthly — since some states mandate minimum pay frequency by industry. Whatever you choose, payroll tax deposits (federal and state) run on their own separate schedule that doesn't always match payday.
Finally, don't forget benefits compliance: even a simple health stipend can trigger ACA reporting requirements once you cross certain employee-count thresholds. We run a compliance check for every client the moment headcount changes.
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