Every new employee brings a set of documents, most with a deadline.
Employment eligibility
Federal law requires verifying identity and the right to work, on a prescribed form, within days of the start date. Some states and some contracts additionally require electronic verification.
The rules on what documents may be requested are strict, and asking for specific documents rather than letting the employee choose from the permitted list is itself a violation.
These forms are retained separately from the personnel file, for a defined period after employment ends — see record retention.
Tax withholding
Federal and, where applicable, state withholding forms, completed by the employee. Without them the employer must withhold at a default rate rather than guess.
New hire reporting
Most states require new employees to be reported to a state agency within a short window, primarily for child support enforcement. It is easy to miss and carries a penalty.
Wage notices
Several states require written notice of pay rate, pay day and employer details at hire, and again when pay changes.
Workplace notices
Required postings covering wage law, safety and discrimination, displayed where staff can see them. For a field team with no premises, the requirement is usually met by distributing them, and it still applies.
Trade-specific
Licences and certifications verified before work starts, with expiry dates recorded — see training and certification.
Driving records where the role drives, which matters for insurance as well as safety.
Wage garnishment
An order requiring part of an employee's pay be withheld and sent to a third party. It is compulsory, has its own deadlines, and there are limits on how much may be taken — mishandling it makes the employer liable for the amount.
Contractors instead
A contractor brings different paperwork — see Form W-9 — and the prior question is whether they are genuinely a contractor at all.