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Series • Step 1 of 9 Human Resources 11 min read • Updated Sep 24, 2026

Hire Your First Employee: The Step-by-Step Legal & Payroll Roadmap

Get your EIN, register with state labor departments, set up workers comp, and run your first payroll compliantly.

Heather Neisen, SPHR
Written by
Heather Neisen, SPHR
SPHR Certified
Robie Ann Ferrer
Reviewed by
Robie Ann Ferrer
HR Reviewer

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Hiring Your First W-2 Team Member

Hiring employees is exciting but introduces stringent state and federal compliance rules.

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Bottom Line

Choosing the right strategy comes down to your current budget and operational constraints. Take advantage of free tiers and downloadable templates to test your assumptions before committing major capital.

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Editorial Contributors

Heather Neisen, SPHR
Lead Author

Heather Neisen, SPHR

Senior HR Staff Writer & Certified SPHR

Heather has over 15 years of human resources experience spanning startup talent acquisition, compliance, and employee relations.

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Robie Ann Ferrer
Editorial Reviewer

Robie Ann Ferrer

HR Specialist & Editorial Fact-Checker

Robie specializes in small business labor law compliance, payroll tax regulations, and performance management documentation.

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