New Hire Paperwork and Compliance for Michigan Employers

Managing a Human Resources department is a huge responsibility. Having the right team of HR generalists will ultimately impact whether the business is booming. The size of your company doesn't matter.

HR professionals make big decisions every day. Hiring a new employee is one of the most significant decisions someone in their role will make. The more experience they have, the better they become at choosing the right people.

The dynamics of who you're hiring and how you hire can change over time. However, the process itself is pretty much the same. Knowing how to hire someone in Michigan sets the foundation for a great first impression. Plus, it also helps you stay compliant with the law.

Hiring isn't just about paperwork - it's about connecting with candidates. You want them to be excited about joining your team. Giving them everything they need to get off to a great start helps with onboarding.

Read this guide as we cover everything you need to know about Michigan new hire paperwork and HR best practices for a positive experience. Let's get started!

New Hire Paperwork for Michigan

Once you've made an offer to a candidate, and the candidate accepts the job, it's time for new hire onboarding.

Onboarding is integrating new employees into an organization. It encompasses various activities, including completing the initial new hire orientation process. Orientation is usually when the candidate completes the new hire paperwork package.

Depending on the organization, onboarding may consist of a single day of activities or a sequence over a week or month.

All employees must sign documents regulated by the local, state, and federal government. Here are the most common documents every new hire must sign.

Form I-9

Every employer in the US has to fill out this form for each person they hire, whether they're a US citizen or not. The form is completed by both the employer and the employee. It verifies the employee's true identity.

On the form, the employee has to say they are eligible to work in the US. They must also provide documents to show their employer they can work in the US.

The employer must look at the documents to ensure they are legit and match the employee's information. Employers keep the form for a set amount of time and give it to the government to review.

Form W-4 and MI-W4

Form W-4 includes information needed to help employers deduct state and federal income taxes. Information gathered includes the following:

• Employer's filing status

• Employee's multiple jobs adjustments

• Number of credits

• Other income

• Number of deductions

Employees can also designate extra money they must take out of each paycheck.

Benefits

Each company decides whether to provide other benefits to their employees. In most cases, the employer bears some of the benefits' financial costs. During the new hire process, employees learn about their benefits which include the following perks:

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Health benefits

• Retirement plans

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Other perks

Some companies offer benefits that start on the employee's first day. Others may have a 30, 60, or 90-day waiting period.

New Hire Reporting

Michigan law requires employers to report newly hired employees to the state's child support office within 20 days of being hired. The new hire information includes:

• Employee's name

• Address

• Birth date

• Social Security number

• Start date

The employer information includes their FEIN, name, and contact info. Information for new hire reporting is submitted online, by mail, or via fax.

The information is tracked in the state's new hire directory. Plus, the national directory of new hires to see if the person owes child support.

Payroll Taxes

Once the new hire completes the paperwork, HR professionals typically hand it to their payroll department. Payroll is responsible for calculating the employee's payroll taxes and other payment deductions like insurance and FSAs.

Suppose your payroll system lets you set up your new employee right away. As soon as the new hire is in the system, they can get scheduled for their first day. Plus, it's one less thing you must deal with as you set up their new file and meet reporting and tax obligations.

Once you set up the employee in your payroll system, they can access the company's timekeeping system.

New Hire Orientation

Starting a new job can be intimidating for a new hire. That's why new hire orientation is so important. It's when you introduce new hires to their roles, coworkers, and the company. It can help your new hires settle in and thrive if done right.

New hire orientation is a great way to introduce new employees to your company and give them a quick overview of everything they need to know. Use it as a brief introduction to your company and its culture.

Orientation and new hire onboarding can set the standard for the employee, making it less likely that they will quit before they start. It's also a great way to ensure employees feel comfortable and welcome, reduce stress, and set expectations immediately. Plus, you're preparing them for their new job.

How Orientation Differs From Onboarding

The terms "orientation" and "onboarding" are often used interchangeably. However, they're pretty different.

Orientation is a one-time event on a new hire's first day. Onboarding is more of an ongoing process throughout the hiring process until a new hire settles into their role.

Orientation gives new employees a general overview of the company and team. At the same time, onboarding goes into more detail and dives into specific roles and processes. When done wrong, a new hire can complete orientation only to learn that their onboarding wasn't successful.

Often, their start date is pushed back until the issues get resolved. A company can lose valuable new hires when this happens.

Compliance and Other Forms

Orientation is where employees will receive the majority of new hire paperwork. It is vital to review each form to ensure the employee understands what they are signing. Also, reiterate deadlines for submitting the documents to HR.

Affordable Care Act Notice

If you're an employer who doesn't offer health insurance, the Affordable Care Act Marketplace notice (Federal) is a requirement. It has all the information employees need about the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Workplace Posters

The Department of Labor enforces labor-related laws and rules. They make it mandatory for employers to give out notices to their employees or post them in their workplaces.

DOL gives out free e-copies of the posters to post, some in languages other than English. It's important to note that posting requirements can vary depending on the law. Not every rule applies to every employer or employee.

For instance, some small businesses aren't covered by the FMLA, so they might not need to post a notice.

The FirstStep Poster Advisor can help you figure out which posters you need to post at your place of business. You can download them for free and print them directly from the Advisor if you know which ones to post.

Security Awareness

Security awareness training is about ensuring your employees know what they need to know for their and the company's safety. The goal is so they can protect themselves and your company's assets from any type of loss or damage.

Notifications go to employees, temporary staff, contractors, and anyone else doing different online work for your organization. For this purpose, they are all considered members of your organization.

Most organizations have to follow industry regulations or frameworks like:

• PCI

• HIPAA

• Sarbanes-Oxley

• NIST

• ISO

Employers provide security awareness training once or twice a year. Small and medium enterprises may not need it for compliance reasons. However, they can still use it to help employees stay safe from cyberattacks, including phishing and account takeover.

There are other common ways that cybercriminals try to steal company money. Each industry has unique security training needs.

Benefits Forms

Every company that offers employee benefits understands the importance of time-sensitive documents and reporting. Due to federal laws, some benefits have enrollment and change requirements. Employees need to know eligibility requirements and open enrollment periods.

Here are the primary forms employees need for open enrollment.

• Dental insurance

• Dependent Care FSA

• Disability insurance

• Health FSA

• Health insurance

• Life insurance

• Paid family leave

• Paid time off (PTO)

• Professional development

• Retirement plan benefits

• Tuition reimbursement

• Vision insurance

Your company should have a session dedicated to benefits during new hire onboarding. If possible, have employees complete all enrollment forms during the new hire orientation.

Don't Slip on New Hire Compliance

State and federal compliance applies to every industry. Knowing the correct new hire paperwork in Michigan is sometimes challenging to keep up with. That's why our services are essential.

GoCo takes the hassle out of hiring and onboarding. It frees up time for you and your teams so you can welcome your new employee on their first day with a smile — instead of a pile of forms.

Take a tour today to learn more about our HR solutions.