Get new hire paperwork done right
I-9, W-4, and the state new-hire report.
Read the guide →Define the job and wage before hiring
Real duties, hours, and market pay in writing.
Read the guide →Employee or contractor: classify right
Get the classification right; misclassifying is expensive.
Read the guide →Workers' comp insurance from day one
Required in most states from employee number one.
Read the guide →Hang required labor law posters right
Federal and state labor notices where staff can see them.
Read the guide →Hire your first staff the right way
Recruit and train the first people on your team.
Read the guide →Interview candidates, check references
Structured questions; call two references.
Read the guide →Make a written job offer that sticks
Pay, schedule, start date, and terms on paper.
Read the guide →Plan a new hire's first week right
Training, checklists, and a 30-day check-in.
Read the guide →Register as an employer before day one
EIN, state withholding, and unemployment accounts.
Read the guide →Payroll setup that files taxes for you
Software or a service; taxes filed automatically.
Read the guide →Write a job post that actually works
Pay listed, real duties, easy apply.
Read the guide →Every guide here is a checkbox in the app.
Start free and work through them one clear task at a time. No credit card required.
See plans →
Across the site
More on Hiring across the site
Case studyMadam C.J. WalkerMadam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Co.Case studyNina VacaPinnacle GroupNews$100,000 H-1B fee still applies in 2026 despite court striking it downStartups sponsoring H-1B talent from abroad should still budget for the $100k fee or structure filings as change-of-status/extensions where possible, and track the appeal before committing to a hire.News$4,000 H-1B and $4,500 L-1 fee now hits extension petitions from Sept 9, 2026H-1B and L-1 heavy startups that cross the 50-employee and 50% thresholds should budget these fees into renewal cycles. Amended petitions that do not request an extension stay exempt.News19 states raised minimum wage on Jan 1, 2026, led by Hawaii's $2 jumpFounders with hourly staff should recheck payroll, offer letters and unit economics against their state's 2026 floor now, since local city/county minimums often stack even higher on top of the state rate.News50+ new state workplace laws hit in 2026: 19+ minimum-wage hikes, new paid leaveFounders with employees across states must reconcile payroll to each state's new minimum wage and enroll in or fund new PFML programs to avoid penalties.News9-11 biometric fee hits H-1B and L-1 same-employer extensions from Sept 9, 2026Startups with large H-1B/L-1 workforces should budget the $4,000/$4,500 fee on extensions filed on or after Sept 9 and, where eligible, file pending extensions before that date to stay exempt.NewsAEWV minimum pay rises to NZD $23.95/hr from 1 April 2026Any founder hiring a migrant through the AEWV scheme must ensure offer letters and job ads meet the $23.95/hr floor from 1 April 2026 or risk visa refusal. Budget wage costs against the new rate before advertising, and note the reduced 2-year work-experience requirement makes overseas hires easier than in prior years.NewsAnthropic makes Claude Enterprise Admin API GA, adds agent site limitsTeams standardizing on Claude can now script user provisioning and lock down where agents browse, which helps pass security reviews and automate onboarding/offboarding.NewsAntler pre-team founder program applications close September 30, 2026This one is aimed at people who want to start a company but don't yet have a co-founder or a locked-in idea, an unusual on-ramp most accelerators don't offer. If you're a strong operator or technical builder still solo, Antler is a structured way to meet vetted potential co-founders and get initial capital. Treat the deadline as a forcing function to decide whether you're ready to commit full-time.NewsAntler residency applications close September 30, 2026 for pre-team foundersIdea-stage or solo founders seeking a co-founder and first funding should apply free before the September 30 deadline rather than waiting to assemble a team first.NewsAppeals court keeps $100,000 H-1B fee blocked while appeal proceedsStartups can proceed with H-1B sponsorship without budgeting the $100,000 surcharge for now, but keep the money reserved as contingency since the appeal is unresolved and the fee could return.NewsAugust 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 and EB-5 India stay unavailable, EB-1 India near cutoffGreen-card timelines for Indian-born key employees are frozen until the Oct 1 reset; plan retention (H-1B extensions, O-1 bridges) and set expectations with sponsored hires now.NewsAugust 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India unavailable, EB-1 India at riskIndia-born founders pursuing employment-based green cards should treat O-1 or EB-1 self-petition timing as urgent and consult counsel before the FY2026 cutoff, since EB-2 numbers are effectively frozen until October.NewsAustralia cuts National Innovation Visa to 3,500 places for 2026-27The NIV is a fast permanent-residency path but invitation-only and tightening, so founders should submit an EOI framed tightly around a Tier One priority sector (critical tech, health or renewables) where nearly all invitations are landing rather than a general innovation pitch.NewsAward wages up 4.75%, national minimum wage now $26.44/hr from 1 July 2026Founders with staff on award or minimum rates must update payroll to the new rates from the first pay period after 1 July 2026 and budget for the ~4.75% wage lift; check the specific modern award covering each role via Fair Work's Pay Calculator.NewsCalifornia statewide minimum wage rises to $16.90/hour on Jan 1, 2026If you employ hourly or lower-salary staff in California, update payroll to $16.90 (or the higher local/industry rate) and confirm any salaried-exempt employees still clear $70,304, or reclassify and pay overtime. Post the updated wage notice.NewsCanada adds $173.7M to Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, incl. microloans up to $50KWomen founders can access microloans up to $50,000 and free training/mentorship by applying through WES-funded delivery partners rather than a single federal portal; check the Ecosystem Fund partner list and Loan Fund lenders in your region to find the right intake.NewsCanada closes Start-Up Visa to new applicants; high-impact pilot due 2026Foreign founders can no longer start a fresh SUV application, so anyone with a 2025 commitment certificate should file their PR application before the June 30, 2026 deadline, while prospective founders watch for the new high-impact pilot and consider a work-permit route in the meantime.NewsCanada pauses Start-Up Visa intake Jan 1, 2026; new targeted pilot comingA foreign founder relying on the SUV must have a designated-entity commitment certificate issued in 2025 and file by June 30, 2026, or wait for the replacement pilot; those already in Canada can still extend existing SUV work permits.NewsCBRE: US office vacancy to fall to 18% as tech drives leasingThe tenant-favorable window for office space is narrowing—founders planning to sign or expand a lease should move sooner and lock terms as availability tightens and rents firm up.NewsChina extends jobless-insurance refunds and youth-hiring subsidies through end-2026A founder who paid unemployment insurance in full for 12+ months and kept layoffs at or below the target can apply through the local social-security bureau for a cash refund of up to 60% of last year's premiums, and claim per-head subsidies for hiring young staff before the December 31, 2026 deadline.NewsChina issues new Exit-Entry Administration rules, effective Sept 15, 2026A China-based founder hiring or relocating foreign talent should double-check every visa document for accuracy before Sept 15 and confirm any immigration agency they use is properly registered, since errors now risk multi-year entry bans rather than a simple visa denial.NewsChina rolls out national action plan to boost startup founders and sci-tech spinoutsFounders spinning a company out of a university or public research institute can now formally take leave while keeping their post, and SME-focused founders should watch for the incubation, training, and matchmaking programs local governments will roll out under this plan.