New Hire Paperwork and Compliance for Oklahoma

When hiring new employees in Oklahoma, there are several rules and regulations that you need to follow to ensure compliance. Onboarding paperwork is one of the key components of this process, and it's important that you get it right to ensure that your new hire starts their job on the right foot.

Don't think it's that big of a deal? 80% of new hires who receive poor onboarding plan to quit. This is especially true for remote workers, making it crucial to build a great onboarding process to offer a positive experience for your new employees.

Unsure where to start or what new hire paperwork is required in Oklahoma? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know. From I-9 forms to tax withholding, you'll find everything you need below.

New Hire Paperwork in Oklahoma

As a hiring manager or HR professional in Oklahoma, you must follow all the steps to comply with state regulations. Here are some basic forms you'll need to collect from new hires.

Oklahoma New Hire Reporting Form

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) requires employers to report all newly hired employees within 20 days of hire. This is done to help the state track and prevent unemployment insurance fraud.

You can report your new hires online or by mail/fax using the New Hire Reporting Form. This form collects standard information such as the employee's name, address, Social Security number, and start date. If you're going to mail the form, you can mail it to the following address:

Oklahoma New Hire Reporting Center
PO Box 52003
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-2003

Keep a copy of this form in your employee's file.

I-9 Form

The I-9 Form is required by federal law for all new employees. It's used by the government to verify an employee's identity and eligibility to work in the US.

This form must be completed within three days of hire, and the employee must provide acceptable identity documents such as:

• Passport

• Driver's license

• Social Security

• Birth certificate

Once they fill out the document, review it, and then keep it on file for at least three years after the employee's hire date.

Employee Handbook and Other Forms

In addition to these basic forms, some employers also provide new employees with an employee handbook and forms related to specific company policies. Some common policies that may be covered in this way include:

• Drug testing and background check consent

• Notification of workplace security or surveillance

• Dress code policy

• Remote work policies

• Corporate travel policies

• Performance review notifications

• Other workplace regulations

If relevant (or helpful), provide these documents to your new hire and answer any questions they may have. It's important to ensure your company is aligned with Oklahoma's state regulations, so your new hire paperwork and policies should be comprehensive and current.

Oklahoma Payroll & Tax Reporting Requirements

Payroll taxes are taxes that must be paid on wages and salaries earned by employees. These taxes include federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax. While you likely collected those forms as part of the new hire paperwork process above, here's a breakdown of what you need to know.

Federal Income Tax Withholding (Form W-4)

Form W-4 is used to withhold federal income tax from the employee's paycheck. This form must be filled out by the employee and is used to calculate the amount of tax to withhold. They can choose how many allowances to claim, which affects the amount of tax withheld.

Note that Form W-4 can be updated at any time by your employees.

State Income Tax Withholding

Like federal income tax withholding, taxes are withheld from an employee's paycheck for state income taxes. Use Form OK-W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. This form helps determine the amount of state income tax to withhold from an employee's paycheck.

Social Security and Medicare Taxes

Social Security and Medicare taxes are paid under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). The employer pays half of FICA, and the other half is paid from the employee's wages.

State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA)

Employers pay state and federal unemployment taxes based on a percentage of each employee's salary. This tax is known as State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA). Employers are responsible for paying these taxes, and they are not withheld from an employee's paycheck.

The current SUTA rate in Oklahoma is between 0.3% to 9.2%. If you're a new business and aren't currently registered, you must register with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) to report wages and pay unemployment taxes. This is where you'll also submit quarterly reports and other tax payments.

Onboarding Checklist: What to Do Before a New Hire's First Day

First impressions matter, especially when onboarding new employees. Ensuring new hires feel welcomed and prepared on their first day is key to smooth onboarding. Before your new hire starts, make sure you've got everything covered with this easy-to-follow checklist.

Set Them Up On Payroll

The first thing you need to do is set up your new employee on payroll. As mentioned above, you'll need to gather some basic information, like their Social Security number, banking information for direct deposit, and tax withholding preferences. Make sure you have all the necessary documentation and forms ready to go before their first day.

Connect Them to Their Manager and Team

Ensure the new hire's team and manager are ready to welcome them on their first day. Establishing clear expectations and a plan of action for the employee's first few days, weeks, and even months on the job is important.

Set Up Their Workspace

Before the new hire arrives, ensure their workspace is ready to go. This might include setting up a computer, phone, and other necessary equipment or even remote access or a company laptop if you've hired a remote employee. If they work in the office, ensure everything is clean and organized so your new hire feels cared for.

Prepare Access Codes and Keycards

If your new employee needs access to certain areas of your office or company systems, ensure they have the necessary keycards or codes ready to go. Nothing is more frustrating than starting a new job and feeling like you can't get started because you don't have access to the right tools.

Create a First-Day Onboarding Kit

Consider creating an onboarding kit that includes important paperwork, training materials, and other information the new hire will need to start. This could include a welcome letter from the company, an employee handbook, and company-specific training materials, but it should definitely include all of the forms mentioned above (if you haven't already sent them over before).

Prepare a New Hire Introduction

Take a few minutes to prepare an introduction to make your new hire feel welcome and part of the team. Introduce them to the team, share a bit about their background, and let them know you're excited to have them join the company.

Follow Up Consistently

Finally, make sure you follow up with mentors and other employees who will be working closely with the new hire. Check in to see how things are going and ensure the new employee feels supported and has the resources needed to succeed.

How GoCo Supports Oklahoma Onboarding Paperwork

If you're a hiring manager or HR professional in Oklahoma, you'll want to ensure your employee onboarding process is as smooth and efficient as possible. GoCo software allows you to personalize each step of the onboarding process for your new hires and makes collecting the necessary data a breeze.

We even take the headache out of Oklahoma's complex onboarding paperwork and compliance requirements so you can focus on building a strong team. And even if you're based in another state, GoCo still has you covered with workflows that align with Oklahoma's specific requirements.

Ready to take the next steps towards a streamlined onboarding process for your new hires? Schedule a demo of GoCo today and give your employees a professional onboarding experience that's easier on you and your team, too.