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Get those workplace signs up!

As a small employer, hiring your first employee may seem like a daunting task.

  • What do you do first?
  • What impact will it have on how you file your tax information?
  • How systems do you have to have in place?
  • What costs are involved?
  • What laws do I need to comply with?
  • What are my responsibilities to maintain confidentiality in an age of cyber attacks?
  • How do I determine if an employee is exempt or non-exempt?
  • What policies if any, should I institute?

 Luckily, there is a wealth of information available on the web help you, but it is all about knowing where to look.  And then making sure you comply.  Some small employers mistakenly rely on their sense that if they only have a small team, compliance with legal requirements when it comes to personnel files, invasion of privacy, workplace safety, anti-discrimination and compliance in relation to posting notices is something they can - well, "stretch".

Below are sites that will provide guidance and information on a range of topics from taxation, to file keeping, to what kinds of signs you should have up in the workplace.

This site by the Small Business Administration has a wealth of useful information for hiring your first employee, and lays it out step by step.

The Department of Labor also has many useful tools to help employers, from helping them work out what workplace posters are needed, and providing links to those posters.  They also have a useful summary of all the laws related to employment that would affect small businesses.

Be sure to also get all the right Tax Witholding forms including those for your State - here is a link to the 2015 Maryland Employee Tax witholding forms.

You should also be sure that you carry out the I-9 employee verification check, and make sure you file the completed and signed from, having checked the appropriate documentation, or that you enroll in and carry out an E-Verify check, which is an internet based employee verification site from the Department of Homeland Security

Lastly, there is a great free tool from the Department of Labor that helps with the design of policy tools such as the Drug Free Workplace Policy Builder

If you have any questions or need help in setting up systems to support the hire of employees for your growing business, feel free to contact us at Namaqua Consulting to enquire about the services and support we can supply.

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