How to Hire an Employee in Massachusetts

Businesses operating in Massachusetts have direct access to one of the largest economies in the country. Massachusetts is home to one of the largest metropolitan hubs, and shares close proximity to other major cities in the east coast. That being said, the high cost of living in Massachusetts and high standards of employees working in Massachusetts can make it challenging to hire an employee in Massachusetts. Luckily, Massachusetts does not require significant additional paperwork beyond what is mandated by federal law. To make an effective and hire in Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts

To make skilled hires in Massachusetts, 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
• 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. [Related: Glassdoor's Guide to Salary Conversations]

Hiring an Employee in Massachusetts

Due to the high level of competition, the salary you're offering needs to be appropriate when you're hiring an employee in Massachusetts. In addition, you'll also want to make sure you market your job in the correct way to attract the best talent. People working in some of Massachusetts's most lucrative industries, such as tech and finance, expect a lot from their employers, and will pass on job opportunities that are "run of the mill." Many savvy companies hiring devote much more of their job descriptions to appealing to readers and explaining their company's culture, than enumerating job requirements. This can result in a greater number of under-qualified applicants, but this tactic will also result in more engagement from skilled senior candidates. 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 top-tier candidates who know they are qualified for your open job. 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.

Evaluating Candidates in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, and other cities in Massachusetts

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. To help you evaluate the difficulty you will have in filling open jobs, here are some stats on hiring demand in Massachusetts:

Comply With Massachusetts State Employment Standards

Massachusetts does not require too many documents in addition to federal regulations, but all employers must comply with these standards, or pay the price. Here are the employment requirements that all employers must meet in Massachusetts when hiring a new employee:

• Employees in Massachusetts must fill out a federal W2 tax form, which must be filed with the IRS by their employer
• Form M-4
• Employers must meet general employer protection information posting requirements and provide the required employee protections described therein
• Meet industry and occupation specific information posting requirements and provide the required employee protections described therein

Employees in Massachusetts 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
• M-4, Massachusetts Tax Withholding
• Employers must follow all requirements of Massachusetts's New Hire Reporting Program

You are required by law to report the following:

• Employer's:
  • Massachusetts employer payroll tax account number
  • Branch Code (complete only if employer was assigned a Branch Code number)
  • Federal employer identification number
  • Business name and address
  • Contact person and phone number
• Employee's:
  • First name, middle initial, and last name
  • Social Security number
  • Home address
  • Start-of-work date
• Employers must deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment

New Hire Checklist and Reporting in Massachusetts

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

Required Employment Forms and Paperwork in Massachusetts

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. M-4 Massachusetts Form
7. Employee Personal Data Form (Template)
8. Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
9. Company Non-Disclosure Agreement (if applicable)
10. Massachusetts New Hire Reporting

You should also check with your city and county 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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