Saturday, March 15, 2008

Mandatory Documents For New Hires

Bern Lefson This article was written by Bern Lefson,
SCORE Orange County Management Counselor

Are you about to hire your first or more employees? What, you may ask, do I need in the way of documentation? Here is a rundown of what California employers need to provide their new hire(s):

1. Provide employee with a sexual harassment information sheet (Gov’t Code 12950).

2. Provide employee with Paid Family Leave pamphlet (DE 2511) [Unemployment Ins. Code 2613].

3. If employee is a minor, obtain a work permit.

4. Employment eligibility verification, IRCA form I-9, within three business days after employee begins work.

5. Distribute State Disability Insurance Provisions pamphlet (DE 2515) to employee within five days of hire.

6. Obtain employee withholding form (IRS W-4), prior to first pay date.

7. By the end of first pay period, provide employee with Workers’ Compensation Rights and Benefits Notice which can be obtained from your workers’ comp. insurance carrier.

8. Provide employee with “Predesignation of Personal Physician or Personal Chiropractor” form which allows the employee to opt to use his/her personal physician or chiropractor for work-related injury.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTS FOR NEW HIRES

All employers should consider the following additional documentation to be given the new hire or ask of the new hire and placed in the personnel file.

a. Employee Handbook

b. If an employee handbook does not exist, write and provide to the new hire a list of what is expected of the employee as far as attendance, behavior and work output.

c. Who to contact in case employee cannot come to work on time or at all (name of company person to be contacted in this situation).

d. When payday is; what the regular workday is; and, what the regular workweek is.

e. Who to contact within the firm if any harassment or workplace intimidation takes place.

f. Who to contact in the event the employee is involved in an emergency, ill or injured while at work.