How to Hire an Employee in Florida

Businesses operating in Florida have direct access to one of the largest economies in the country. That being said, the stringent state employment requirements and the high standards of employees working in Florida can make it challenging to hire an employee in Florida. To make an effective hire in Florida, follow the guidelines of this post and present new hires with all federally required forms and information.

Evaluate the Job You Are Hiring for in Florida

To make skilled hires in Florida, you must be sure that the compensation you're offering is appropriate for the area you operate in and the level of experience you want from candidates. Along with the actual compensation offered, you should evaluate other job characteristics that talented candidates will be interested in, like:

• The level of autonomy, creative control or budgetary discretion they will have
• Health benefits, retirement, and other business perks
• The tools and resources they will have access to
• Your company's reputation as an employer

You can use Glassdoor Salaries to see the salary range for the position you're offering in your area and ensure that you aren't marketing a job that is impossible to hire.

Hiring an Employee in Florida

The salary you're offering needs to be appropriate when you're hiring an employee in Florida, but your open job also needs to be marketed in the right way. People working in some of Florida's most popular industries, such as hospitality and tourism, expect a lot from their employer, and will pass on job opportunities that don't align with their passions or basic needs. Many companies hiring in Florida devote much more of their job descriptions to appealing to readers and explaining their company's culture than enumerating job requirements. When your job advertising speaks to readers at a high level and is more geared toward explaining what your company offers as an employer, it will impress candidates who know they are qualified for your open roles. You can get into more specifics once they have applied, but, to get their interest in the first place, it is best to summarize requirements that will be understood by high-level candidates. To see some examples of how jobs are being marketed in your area, you can search Glassdoor Jobs for the position you're hiring for, and get some ideas for your job description.

Evaluate Job Candidates in Florida

When evaluating candidates for an open job, it's important to think about fit, both in terms of the work that a candidate will do and in terms of their fit with your company. No matter how proficient a candidate is at completing the work you need done, they won't be retained in the long term if they don't experience fit with your company or their co-workers. Because of this, candidates should be evaluated for:

• Technical skill to complete work required by the role
• Aspirational fit with work required by the role
• Personality fit with co-workers and direct managers
• Personal and ethical fit with your company

When interviewing candidates, it is important that you do not ask any questions that are considered discriminatory on the basis or race, gender, gender identity, religion, age or other demographic information that is protected by discrimination law.

Comply With Florida State Employment Standards

Florida is generally considered and employer-friendly state, but all employers must comply with these basic standards and regulations. Here are the employment requirements that all employers must meet in Florida when hiring a new employee:

Federal and State Employment Posters in Florida

Employers in Florida are required to display both federal and state employment posters.

• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Right Act (USERRA) Poster
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Minimum Wage Poster
• Equal Employment Opportunity Is The Law Poster
• Job Safety and Health: It's the Law Poster
• Florida Law Prohibits Discrimination Poster
• RT-83 Florida Reemployment Assistance Program Law Poster

Employees in Florida must be presented with the following forms and informational pamphlets as they undergo new hire orientation. Forms must be filled out completely, unless these forms are specific claims and informational resources must be read completely by new employees:

• I-9, Employment Eligibility Form
• W-4, Federal Tax Withholding Form
• DWC 1, Workers Compensation Claim Form (for future reference)
• Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)

Employers must also follow all requirements of Florida's New Hire Reporting Program. Employers must report hiring, rehiring, and return reporting to work within 20 days of the first day of work on form W-4 (or equivalent) to: Florida New Hire Reporting Center P.O. Box 6500 Tallahassee, FL 32314-6500 (888) 854-4791 (888) 854-4762 (fax) To report online, click here.

• Employers must deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment
• Follow all Florida EEO standards during the hiring process

New Hire Checklist and Reporting in Florida

There's a lot to keep track of when making a new hire in Florida, so you can use this checklist to help you as you hire new employees.

Required Employment Forms in Florida

The new hire has signed the following forms: 1. Signed Job Offer Letter 2. W2 Tax Form 3. I-9 Form and Supporting Documents 4. Direct Deposit Authorization Form (Template) 5. Federal W-4 Form 6. Employee Personal Data Form (Template) 7. Company Worker's Compensation Insurance Policy Forms 8. Company Health Insurance Policy Forms 9. Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government) 10. Company Non-Disclosure Agreement (if applicable)

Florida Payroll Tax and Reporting Requirements

• Report new employees within 20 days of start of their work date with a Report of New Employee(s)
• File both a Quarterly Contribution Return and Report of Wages (RT 6)
• Deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment

You should also check with your city and country to see if they have any other requirements for the hiring of new employees and any employment standards in addition to the statewide requirements.

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