The new hire onboarding process comes with managing multiple documents that must comply with state and federal regulatory requirements. Organizations that have multiple state work locations need to comply with different state regulations. Companies when hiring new hires have to comply with increasing number of new hire notification requirements. The notification requirements assign companies with informing the employees of various policies and legislation’s regarding leave policy and wages or salaries.
Companies needs to monitor legislation for each state to guard the organization against regulatory non-compliance. Companies find it tough to comply because each state has different standards and requirements for the notifications, absence of a centralized database to track research obligations in each state and non-availability of templates provided for each state. Some states have templates but it is confusing and contains multiple forms and shreds of data. Employers operating in different states have to ensure that they are handing over, collecting and retaining the proper documents.
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Here are some state-required forms and best practices to ensure compliance while onboarding new hires.
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Register With State Employment Agencies
State new hire registrationÂ
Employers must register new hires with their state’s new hire notification system; this allows the state to collect child support payments from them. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has guidance on how to register new hires with your state.Â
State employer registration
Each employee has to pay income tax based on state requirements. Employers have to deduct the income taxes from employee paychecks and give the withheld taxes to the concerned state agency.
State worker’s compensation
State worker’s compensation pays employees who are injured or fallen ill on the job. Organizations must register with it’s state’s Worker’s Compensation Agency and release payment into the fund.
State unemployment tax
Employers need to register with state’s Labor Department to pay state unemployment taxes. This tax is paid by employers into a fund that pays employees if they are laid off from the company.
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Stay Updated with State Laws
Analyze your existing onboarding processes to make sure you are compliant with current state laws. Execute a thorough research of the existing new hire requirements in each state where you operate. Keeping processes up to date is essential due to new policies introduced by state legislators and changing state notifications.
Setup a process to observe and check new laws, as well as updates of notice templates. You can get compliance updates from law firms to be aware of legislative changes or appoint legal counsel for guidance. Build a network for the department who manages this process. Reconfirm with organization wings who manage similar work to stay compliant.
Have flexible processes to execute updated notification templates. Sometimes there is very little time from when notification templates are issued and the time employers must use them. Moreover, in some cases the notification templates have been published after the date they are required to be used.
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Have a State Specific Plan
Every state differs with respect to new hire notifications. A generic plan will not work in such instances. Companies should incorporate specific plans for each state to manage its operations with compliance. Moreover, if a state does publish a notification template, you should use that template. The state will look for that document in case of an audit.
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Build an Audit Strategy
While not required by law, an employer must conduct an internal audit of current processes to ensure continual compliance with the state legislation’s. Regular self-audits and a detailed audit trail of your new hire notifications can help ensure compliance, detect common issues, support case during litigation, fulfill audit requirements and show good faith efforts.
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Maintain a Centralized Storage Location
A centralized storage location ensures you have the right documents at one place when you need them. This can simplify issues in the event of an audit or litigation. Companies with multiple work sites will have to adopt this strategy as files can be at different places when required. Centralized document retention also helps keep employee information guarded.
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Streamline the Process for New Hires using Automation
State Onboarding Compliance Solution with its efficient & custom e-forms with electronic signatures reduces paper work.  Automation ensures usage and tracking of correct forms for each new hire during onboarding with clear audit trails. Go paperless and automate all your tasks and paperwork. New Hire forms are filled electronically by new hires and signed using digital signature further simplifying and streamlining the compliance process. Forms are audited electronically. As a result redundant methods are eliminated saving both time and cost for HR and new hires. Authorized access, secure storage and audit trails can be maintained with automation.
