
Hiring Your First Employee in the United States
Payroll, classification, and the paperwork that matters
Business · Subtopic
Employee versus contractor, onboarding paperwork, payroll withholding, and the insurance most states require.
Featured guide
Your first employees

Payroll, classification, and the paperwork that matters
Practical help
Calculators, checklists, and templates connected to business.
Generate an ordered launch checklist for a new American business, from entity choice through licensing and insurance.
Model the first twelve months of business costs: formation, software, insurance, payroll, and taxes.
Business Template
Entity choice, EIN, licences, banking, bookkeeping, and insurance — sequenced in the order you need them.
Updated June 11, 2026
Business Template
Offer letter outline, onboarding checklist, and payroll setup steps for a first American employee.
Updated March 30, 2026
Go deeper
Entity choice, registration, tax obligations, and the practicalities of your first hire.
Entity choice, EIN, licenses, bank account, bookkeeping, and insurance — sequenced in the order you need them.
Offer letter outline, onboarding checklist, and payroll setup steps for a first American employee.
Answers