Charlette Beasley

Every business relies on good written communication, from the marketing copy that attracts a customer to the instructions for putting together a product. For many small businesses, hiring a freelance writer makes the most sense. It can save you time and money while ensuring a higher-quality product. This article will discuss not only how to hire a freelance writer—finding and selecting the right one for your business—but also what freelance writers do, how much to pay them, and the benefits of hiring freelance writers. Finding Freelance Writer Candidates Finding a freelance writer is not that different from finding any freelance worker. Here are the most common ways. Selecting the Right Freelance Writer When you have your candidates, you’re ready for the contracting process. It’s not unlike hiring a regular employee, but remember that the emphasis is on their skill and ability to meet a deadline as well as professionalism when contacting others in the process of completing the work. Take the following actions to help you select the best freelance writer for your needs. Contact References Unless you are hiring for regular work, references may come in the form of published articles rather than contacts. However, with contacts, give priority to editors or those who hired the candidate for similar work. What a Freelance Writer Can Do Freelance writers are usually excellent communicators with strong interests in specific fields or styles of writing. Some have practical experience in a technical field. Others are generalists who are good at research and adapting to the style needed by the format and the company. Here are a few of the most common types of content freelancers write, but if it involves words, you can find a writer to do it. How Much to Pay a Freelance Writer Many factors go into determining rates for freelance writers, with a variety of sources pegging the average hourly pay at about $25–$35. For example, skilled freelancers, which would include freelance writers, earn an average of $28 an hour, according to the career site Zippa, while Indeed puts the average at around $21 per hour. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2021 median pay is $33.42 for full-time writers at a company. If you need a writer with specialized experience, unique knowledge, or many years of freelance writing experience, expect to pay well above these averages. Freelance writers, however, do not always work by the hour. More often, you may pay by the project, article, or word. There is no set price per word, although a fair rate is generally considered to be 20 cents per word. The more technical or involved the project, the higher the per-word price. A dollar a word is considered fair wages for very experienced writers. New writers are often willing to work for as little as 3 cents a word, but these are amateur wages, and will often result in content that needs extensive editing. Other items that go into consideration when negotiating price include: Experience Research Regular work vs one-time assignment Rights (covered below) Topic Types of Rights Rights are important to writers, particularly to freelancers, who may want to use the same material more than once. You can use rights as a negotiation tool. Regardless, your contracts should clearly state the rights the author grants in return for their pay. There are other rights, like the rights to purchase reprints, publish in anthologies, and more. But these two are the most important. Why Hire Freelance Writers Freelance writers can work by project, for the long term, or be held in reserve for specific needs. They offer many advantages over a full-time writing employee or handing writing assignments to existing employees. Infrequent needs: Hiring a freelance writer for occasional projects can be cheaper than hiring a part-time employee and may result in a higher-quality product than simply assigning it to someone in the office. You may pay more per hour or piece, but you’re only paying them when you need content created, not all the time like with a regular employee. Don’t worry about having to provide full-time work for a writer—freelance writers generally work with multiple clients, and many believe having a diverse portfolio of clients results in better job security (and more interesting work). Save on taxes: Freelancers are contract workers, meaning you don’t need to worry about taxes, benefits, or Social Security. Not enough work for an employee; too much time to DIY: When you hire a freelancer, you set the assignment, standards, and deadlines, and let them do the work. However, you should provide time for questions and provide in-house materials if needed. You don’t have the skills to do it yourself: Freelance writers have skills and experience with the written word as well as a natural disposition for grammar and storytelling. Easy to hire remote workers: Freelance writing is a no-brainer for remote work. Usually, all they need is a computer and the internet. Bottom Line Partnering with a freelance writer, whether by project or for regular assignments, is a cost-effective way to make sure you get high-quality content. Freelance writers are a different kind of worker, and your contracting process should take that into consideration. Think about experience over education, look at samples over references, and be sure you have a contract that specifies rights and deadlines as well as projects and pay rates. There are many ways to seek out freelance writers. For job boards, we recommend . It’s suited for gig-based recruiting, but is also a good place to find a great freelancer to be a regular part of your team. Go to Upwork and load your request today. You May Also Like… How To Hire Employees Types of Employees: A Guide to Worker Classification

Monster is one of the biggest and oldest online job boards, attracting millions of job seekers every month in a wide variety of industries and across multiple countries. Before posting a job on Monster, you’ll need to create an account, fill out your company profile, and select a paid job ad. Monster doesn’t restrict the number of applicants you can get, and it automatically includes your job posting in emails to candidates whose skills match your job requirements. It also offers a four-day free trial. Follow these simple steps for posting a job on Monster: Step 1: Sign Up for an Account & Select Your Plan Navigate to Monster’s sign-up page and click “Get Started for Free.” You’ll be redirected to a pricing page where you can select your plan option. Monster is transparent with its pricing—see the table below for features included in its Starter, Standard, and Premium plans. For small businesses that are not hiring for multiple roles at once, the Starter plan will more than suffice. You have the option to rotate between jobs if you are hiring more than one, but you can only have one active job at a time. Each of their three options also comes with a four-day free trial for new subscribers. During your trial, you can post a live job and get applicants. Once you’ve selected a plan, fill in your account details. Be aware that after your free trial ends, your card will be charged the monthly fee. After you’ve signed up, you’ll get an email with a link to create your password. This is a one-time link, so make sure you find this message (you may need to look in spam). Step 2: Create Your Password & Security Questions When you click the link in your email, you’ll be prompted to create a strong password. You’re likely creating a company Monster account where you’ll store at least one credit card, so make sure the password you choose is strong. You’ll also need to create security questions. If you’re the owner, pick anything that works for you. However, if you’re an employee, you may want to check with HR to see if they prefer using standard security question answers (or they may get locked out if you leave and don’t let them know what your security question answers were). Step 3: Complete Your Company Profile To access your company profile from your dashboard, click on the gear icon in the top right corner and then select “My Company Profile” so you can add your details. When you’re done, you’ll be able to review your company profile. Make sure you read it carefully to avoid any errors. Taking all of these steps is important to let candidates know you’re serious about hiring. It also gives you a chance to add some creativity to your company profile, giving candidates clues about your culture. Step 4: Choose the Type of Job Ad & Pay Go back to your main dashboard after completing your company profile. In the top navigation bar, click on “Post A Job” so you can review the pricing options if you didn’t select one during signup. Once you’ve selected and paid for your plan, you’ll see your dashboard change: Step 5: Create Your Job Ad To post a new job, click on “Post A Job” at the top of your dashboard. This takes you to the job ad creation page. Fill out all the details required: job title, location, job and employee type, salary information, and job description. For job location, you can select “No Fixed Location” if your job is remote or you’re open to candidates in any location. Monster offers hundreds of job description templates—use them, they’re your friend. If you haven’t been in the habit of writing a job description for each of your new positions, Monster’s template library can be a significant source of aid. You can see, based on the job title we entered, Monster even suggested a job description template for us. Writing the job description is crucial. Every job ad should have a few sentences selling your company and answering this key question every candidate will have: Why would someone want to work for your company? Your job ad will also need to provide clear details about what you expect the worker to do. Give a list of skills necessary for the job and some nice-to-haves. Depending on the position, you may want to avoid requiring certain education levels, unless it’s required for a job like a doctor or a lawyer. Skills-based hiring often gives you better employees in the long run. Step 6: Post Your Job & Manage Applicants When your job ad looks ready to go, it’s time to post it. Monster also allows you to save this job to your library to use later, should you need to hire another employee in a similar position. As you post jobs, your dashboard will display details about the applications you’ve received. You’ll also have the ability to quickly review new candidates who’ve applied since the last time you logged in. Alternatives to Monster Bottom Line Finding employees you love doesn’t have to be hard. Using Monster to post your job ad, you immediately gain access to millions of potential candidates. Get your job ad up today and start receiving applications immediately.

An employment offer letter formally documents any verbal job offers and clarifies details discussed during the interview process. It typically includes basic information like the job description and compensation, but the true goal is to ensure both parties are on the same page about the offered job’s expectations and responsibilities. Offer letters should also clearly state the benefits of the role, making it easy for the recipient to accept. We’ve created a standard offer letter template and several alternative templates for different hiring scenarios, which you can access by expanding the sections below. You can personalize and use these templates to simplify the process of offering a job to your chosen candidate. If you want help crafting a legally binding employment contract after your candidate accepts the job offer, consider . It has ready-made employment contract templates for each state. You can create a contract for your new hire in as little as three steps. What to Include in an Offer Letter An employment offer letter should be specific to the company, industry, and type of role. However, there are a few elements that are usually included in a formal offer letter, including: Candidate’s name Company name and logo Job title and description Compensation Benefits summary At-will statement Offer contingencies Start date Offer period Method of acceptance Disclaimer When & How to Send an Offer Letter An offer letter signals the beginning of the onboarding process. It’s best to speak with the candidate before having your HR team draft one from an offer letter template. Many companies opt to do a verbal offer, which isn’t as official as a written letter but allows the hiring manager to gauge the candidate’s interest. Is the salary you have in mind too low? Will the candidate try to negotiate? How much notice do they need to give their current employer? Knowing these things beforehand will prevent you from having to adjust the letter later. Once you talk to your potential employee about the offer, send an email with the full offer details as a PDF attachment. In addition to the offer itself, attach any relevant documents that might help them make a decision—such as benefit plan documentation and company policies. This is also a good opportunity to streamline the onboarding process by providing documents the employee needs to complete before their first day. Where possible, an offer letter should be sent by the hiring manager for the role. This demonstrates to the recipient that the offer is official and represents the company’s willingness to enter into an employment agreement. However, if the candidate has been interviewing with another team member—or if the company’s owner prefers to send offer letters—this is acceptable too. The most important thing is to make the offer clear, concise, and professional. What to Do After You Send the Offer Letter With luck, your candidate will accept the job offer immediately. But in many cases, the initial offer may not be the end of the road. For that reason, hiring managers should expect to field questions from the candidate about benefits and other details of the offer. A hiring manager should also prepare to negotiate the terms of the offer—whether it be compensation, vacation time, or other benefits. To learn more about the other steps you should follow when hiring an employee, check out our guide on how to hire employees. Employment Offer Letter Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Bottom Line Use an offer letter template to prepare and send a formal document to the candidate you wish to hire. It sets the tone for the onboarding process and helps the employee understand what to expect moving forward. To ensure candidates have the information they need, draft the employment offer letter with important details like a job description, compensation and benefits, and how to accept or decline the offer.

An employment contract is a written employment agreement documenting the shared rights and responsibilities between your company and a W-2 employee. A strong employment contract should include terms of agreement, the employee’s responsibilities, compensation and benefits, and a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), among other items, and will help ensure all parties are aligned and all laws are followed. We’ve provided a general employment contract template for you to download and use, as well as a California-specific template since the state has numerous laws and regulations that make creating contracts a bit more complex. What to Include in an Employment Contract An employment agreement template works as a fill-in-the-blank document. You add your company name and logo plus the worker’s name along with dates and payment info. The benefit of starting with an employment contract template is that much of the wording is boilerplate. You only need to change details specific to your business and any agreements made with the worker. Beyond describing your company and details of the job that the employee is being hired for, the employment contract should address compensation, benefits, and employment terms. In addition, it’s helpful to include a clause to ensure confidentiality and clarify how disputes will be resolved. Here are six critical sections to include in employment contracts: Pros & Cons of Using an Employment Contract Both employers and employees can benefit from an employment contract. However, it’s in your best interest to write the employment contract in a way that preserves your rights as an employer, such as by specifying the amount of advanced notice you need to receive from the worker if they resign (for them to be eligible for bonuses or severance). Using an employment contract can go a long way toward eliminating confusion from the start; however, it can also create more work for you and is sometimes costly. The primary benefit of documenting your employment agreement in a written contract is that it clarifies expectations all around and provides you with an assurance that work will be done as expected. Employment Contract vs Job Offer Letter Different from an employment contract, a job offer letter is a more common way that businesses clarify the employment relationship with direct-hire employees. In an offer letter, you specify the hire date, pay rate, and job title and spell out any other pertinent agreed-upon information, such as a hiring bonus or extra paid time off. The differences between a job offer letter and a more formal employment contract are: Employment Contract Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Can I write my own contract? You can, but we don’t recommend it. Employment contracts are ripe for mistakes that can lead to costly litigation and disputes. It’s best to use a template and have it reviewed by an employment attorney before using it. Do I have to use an agreement for an independent contractor? Do you have to? No. Should you always? Yes. Without a formal written contract, you won’t be able to hold the contractor accountable since it’s just your word against theirs. Plus, you won’t have any protections for your business. I already have employee contracts. Can I use those for freelancers? No. Employment contracts and freelance contracts are different beasts. Freelancers should receive your standard independent contractor agreement. How do I know whether to use an employment contract or a 1099 contract? If you’re hiring an employee, use an employment contract. If you’re hiring a contractor, use a 1099 contract. The distinction between an employee and a contractor can be tough to make. Review our five key areas of difference to give you a better idea. Bottom Line An employment contract is a useful document to have in the personnel file if you are hiring a manager-level employee or higher. Use our free downloadable templates as a starting point to protect your business and yourself, as well as set clear expectations about the role and compensation of the worker. is an example of payroll software that offers features like e-signature and document storage as part of their payroll processing. Once you hire a worker, whether a 1099 contractor or W-2 employee, Gusto can process their payroll and store their signed contract documents online. Start with a 30-day free trial.

Although finding the perfect fit for a sales position can be daunting, following a few simple steps can make the process much smoother and improve your chances for success. Those steps include creating a strong job description, determining the best compensation package for the role, and using job boards and your job ad to target sales reps. We’ve even created a free checklist to help you. Don't forget about , too. Its user-friendly platform helps you source top talent with powerful tools like an applicant tracking system (ATS) and a free Highlight Enhancement ($60 value) included with your 4-day free trial. Plan ahead and find success when it comes to hiring stellar reps. 1. Create a Job Description Every organization knows that hiring for any role, let alone finding the perfect sales representative, is no easy task. Doing your due diligence, though, with a well-crafted job description can help to attract quality applicants and eliminate those who don't meet all of the necessary criteria—saving you time in sifting through applications and streamlining your recruiting process. With clear expectations from the start, it's much easier to find a candidate that fits just right. Follow these steps to create your job description: 2. Decide How to Compensate Your Sales Rep Once you’ve decided exactly what it is you want your sales rep to do, you can consider the best way to incentivize the position. There are several ways to pay a sales rep, but the most common is to provide them with some kind of base pay (salary or hourly), along with some pay that’s based on performance, such as a bonus or commission. This will vary by industry and sales rep experience, so make sure you’re considering all relevant factors when determining a commission structure. For example, retail employees may make a flat dollar amount for every item sold, whereas software salespeople may make a percentage of the first year’s deal value. No matter what you decide, we recommend setting a policy where you only pay a commission after a customer or client has completed their payment. 3. Post the Sales Rep Job on a Job Board Once you’ve got your job description written and are clear on how you’ll pay your sales rep, it’s time to post your job opening where job seekers can find it. You’ll typically start with a job ad and screening questions and then determine the best job board(s) to use. You may consider a sales-specific job board like (focused on general sales positions) or  (focused on tech sales) or one of the highly popular general job boards. Write a Compelling Job Ad A sales rep job ad is a marketing tool to entice talented salespeople to join your team. However, it also serves to provide enough information to help interested job seekers determine whether the job is a good fit for them, including the pay structure you’ve decided on for this role. Not every salesperson will be comfortable working under a commission-only structure, for example. You can write a compelling job ad in a few simple steps: Use your sales rep job description as a starting point. Keep your job ad succinct, and use bullets to make it easier for job seekers to read. Include questions in your job posting so those applying to your job are clearly aware of your requirements. List experience requirements and set those as “must haves” or “preferred.” Use Pre-screening Questions To help job seekers assess their qualifications when applying for a job, online job boards like  (shown below) allow you to add pre-screening questions. For example, ask candidates about their years of selling experience, industry expertise, or level of education. You can also set up common and specific interview questions to automatically send to candidates who apply for your job. Make sure you’re avoiding any illegal interview questions. 4. Screen the Applicants Responding to Your Job Ad When hiring salespeople, it’s crucial to make sure they can do the job. Your sales rep serves as the face of the company by representing your brand. Therefore, it’s best to review their applications and schedule screening calls to confirm whether they fit your culture and style in addition to having the job skills you need. Review Applications & Cover Letters While a cover letter is nice to have, pay close attention to applicants’ resumes. Make sure the resumes match your must-haves for this position. As you review the job application, resume, and cover letter, check to ensure the applicant has the following: Experience in your industry or with your product line Basic selling skills, including prospecting and closing skills Solid communication skills (including a resume and cover letter free of typos) Satisfactory answers to any questions asked on the application Verify the Applicant’s Job History Online It’s not a bad idea to do a LinkedIn or internet search of the job applicant by name to see if their social media profile matches what they’ve listed on the job application, resume, and cover letter. If it doesn’t match, you may want to pass on that applicant entirely. According to Indeed, some 40% of job seekers lie on their resumes. Schedule Phone Calls With Top Applicants Phone screening is a quick and easy way to assess your top picks. It’s typically a short telephone call that lets you chat with the job applicant, answer any questions they have, and assess their true interest in the job. For tips on what kinds of questions to ask, read our article on how to do a telephone screening interview. 5. Interview the Most Promising Sales Rep Candidates Conducting an in-person or video interview with your top three to five candidates is one of the best ways to get a sense of the job seeker’s temperament and people skills when you’re hiring a sales rep. During the interview, you’ll ask them questions about situations they’ve encountered, such as how they have overcome pricing objections or what to do when a client says they need to get the OK from their partner first. Scheduling the Interview Scheduling the interview with a sales rep job applicant is often the most difficult part. Fortunately, there are new text and email scheduling apps available to help you manage multiple interviews and give your job candidates a choice in picking a time that works for them. Interview Questions Those wondering how to hire a sales rep are often curious about how to structure an interview or the types of interview questions to ask. Your interview questions should be focused on the job seeker’s interpersonal skills, such as listening, as well as their sales experience. Candidates should be able to provide you with examples of how they interact with people and what kinds of sales they’ve done. Pay close attention to their body language, tone of voice, and personality. Sales reps must convey a friendly attitude but also be resilient to objections. This is a fine line to walk, and finding someone who can do this well every time is like finding a needle in a haystack. Keep in mind that some interview questions may violate state or federal labor law, such as asking about family or marital status, age, or criminal background. Below are several helpful guides to give you a starting point for what to ask and what to avoid. Interview Scorecard A best practice to ensure fairness across all candidates and avoid discrimination is to use an interview scorecard to keep track of the feedback on each candidate. This is especially true if your sales reps are interviewed by more than one person, such as an HR rep or a department manager. We’ve provided several examples in our article on interview evaluation scorecards that you can download and customize for your sales rep interviews. 6. Put Your Sales Rep's Job Offer in Writing Once you find the best candidate, it’s time to put your job offer in writing. Your sales rep job offer should include more than a start date and job title; it needs to be specific and should include the job description as an attachment that the candidate signs off on, noting their ability to achieve the requirements of the role. Further, the compensation amount and how it’s to be calculated should be included in the job offer letter so that the sales rep understands how they’re getting paid. 7. Hire & Onboard Your Sales Rep If you use an ATS, hiring can be simple. You can send the candidate reminders along with forms they need to sign and documents they need to review. If all hiring is done in-house, use a new hire checklist to make sure you don’t forget to gather the proper paperwork for your new sales rep, such as their W-4 tax withholding forms or I-9 documentation. Additionally, onboarding your new hire will require a specific amount of sales training and support to ensure they are successful. Even for highly experienced salespeople, it’s crucial that you give them training on your industry, competitors, and the services and products you offer so they’re not tripped up by any potential client questions. It’s not a bad idea to assign your new hire a peer mentor or trainer to help them acclimate to the new role and learn best practices from a more seasoned sales team member. Bottom Line Hiring a sales rep is an important process that requires careful consideration. You need to pinpoint what they’re going to be selling and how they will be compensated, post a job, interview, and choose the best candidate. To streamline your hiring journey, consider using an ATS, which can manage these steps for you—saving time in the long run. If you need more assistance, check out our sales management guide. Make sure top-notch candidates apply by posting on ZipRecruiter—it offers job description templates and applicant tracking features, making it easier than ever before to find the perfect match for your team's needs. Try it free today—get one step closer to finding quality hires fast.

Virginia has a progressive state income tax but no local taxes, and the HR laws generally follow federal guidelines. However, you still need to pay close attention to your payroll process to ensure you make no mistakes. You can make running your Virginia payroll even easier by using an all-in-one payroll service like . From electronically onboarding new employees to staying abreast of Virginia payroll tax rates and both filing and paying taxes, QuickBooks Payroll helps you make sure your payroll is accurate every time. Sign up today and get 50% off for three months. Step-by-Step Guide to Running Payroll in Virginia Virginia has few state-specific HR laws and generally follows federal guidelines. With a progressive income tax and business taxes, running payroll by hand could present complexities and potential mistakes. Here is a basic guide to running payroll in Virginia (we’ve also included a checklist you can follow). Step 1: Set up your business as an employer. New companies may need to access the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to create a new Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). Your FEIN is required to pay federal taxes. Step 2: Register your business with the State of Virginia. If your business is new, you need to register on the Virginia Secretary of State's website. Any company that pays employees in Virginia must also register with the Virginia Department of Revenue. Step 3: Create your payroll process. You’ll need to decide on a regular pay schedule, how you’ll track employee time if paying hourly workers, when you’ll start processing payroll to ensure payments deposit into employee bank accounts on payday, etc. Starting a new business may mean you need to create a payroll process from scratch. If the business has been processing payroll for a while, some of these key decisions should already be in place. Step 4: Have employees fill out relevant forms. Your business must have every employee complete payroll forms during their onboarding process. Every employee must complete I-9 verification. New employees must also have a completed W-4 on file, along with Virginia’s Form VA-4. Step 5: Review and approve time sheets. One of the most crucial pieces of your payroll process includes collecting and reviewing time sheets before your payroll due date. Reviewing the time sheets from your nonexempt employees before the day your payroll is due gives you time to speak with anyone who might have made mistakes. Step 6: Calculate employee payroll and taxes. With a progressive income tax and employment taxes, including unemployment, tax calculations can be complex. You’ll need to calculate total hours worked (use our free timecard calculator), gross pay, deductions, etc. You can also use payroll software or Excel to calculate payroll. Step 7: Pay employee wages, benefits, and taxes. The best way to pay your employees is through direct deposit. But cash and paper checks are also options. Virginia has a minimum wage of $12.00 per hour, higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. You can pay your federal and Virginia business taxes online. If you use a benefits provider, it should work with you to make deductions simple, automatic, and electronic. Step 8: Save your payroll records. Keeping your company business records is good practice. Virginia requires businesses to keep record of all hours worked and wages paid to each employee, including their name, address, and date of birth. Virginia does not note how long these records must be kept, so following the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it’s good practice to keep these payroll records for at least three years and payroll tax records for four years. Step 9: File payroll taxes with the federal and state government. All Virginia state taxes need to be paid to the applicable state agency on the schedule provided, usually quarterly, which you can do online at the Virginia Tax Department's website. To pay federal taxes, you can make those payments online using the EFTPS on one of the following two schedules: Monthly: When the IRS assigns you a monthly schedule, you need to deposit employment taxes on payments made during a calendar month by the 15th of the following month. Semiweekly: When the IRS assigns you a semiweekly schedule, you must deposit employment taxes for payments made Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday by the following Wednesday, and for payments made Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, by the following Friday. Please note that reporting schedules and depositing employment taxes are different. Regardless of the payment schedule you are on, you only report taxes quarterly on Form 941 or annually on Form 944. Step 10: Complete year-end payroll reports. Doing payroll in Virginia requires more than just paying employees on a regular schedule. Every year, you will need to complete payroll reports, including all W-2 Forms and 1099 Forms. You must provide these forms to employees no later than Jan. 31 of the following year. Virginia Payroll Laws, Taxes & Regulations Doing payroll in Virginia will require that you calculate Virginia payroll taxes and ensure compliance with all federal and state employment laws. To help you maintain compliance with payroll regulations, review Virginia’s relevant regulations below. With few exceptions, most employers in the US must pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes. The current FICA tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% and 1.45% for Medicare. Both the employer and the employee will pay these taxes, each paying 7.65% for the combined Social Security and Medicare taxes. Virginia Taxes Like most states, Virginia has certain taxes that companies must pay. There’s also a progressive income tax that you will need to calculate and withhold from every employee’s paycheck. Virginia does not levy local taxes on employees. Income Taxes Virginia has a progressive income tax that you will need to calculate and withhold from every paycheck. Here are the four tax brackets that apply to all Virginia employees, regardless of filing status: You can use Virginia’s withholding tables to determine how much you need to withhold from each paycheck. Employer Unemployment Taxes All businesses in Virginia must pay State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) taxes. The current wage base is $8,000 and base rates range from 0.33% to 6.43%. New Virginia businesses will pay a rate of 2.73%. Keep in mind this doesn’t include contributions to the pool fund or any other surcharges. Businesses that pay SUTA in full and on time can claim a tax credit of up to 5.4% on their Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes. To learn more about FUTA requirements, check out our guide on FUTA and Form 940. Workers’ Compensation Virginia requires every employer with two or more full- or part-time employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees who suffer on-the-job injuries and covers the cost of medical treatment and lost wages. Workers’ compensation payments start on the fourth day of disability. The average cost is 74 cents per $100 of payroll. Virginia Minimum Wage Virginia has a minimum wage of $12.00 per hour, higher than the federal minimum wage. For tipped employees, companies must pay at least $2.13 per hour, provided that their tips get them to the hourly minimum wage. If not, the company must make up the difference. Please note, Virginia has a minimum wage increase schedule, which annually increases the minimum wage, Jan. 1 of each year, eventually reaching $15.00 per hour by Jan. 1, 2026. Note that 2023 and 2024 have the same minimum wage, so there is no increase for that 24-month period. Also note that the Virginia minimum wage law states that if the federal minimum wage is increased to a rate higher than what is noted below, the federal minimum wage will apply. Calculating Overtime While Virginia overtime rules generally follow the Fair Labor Standards Act requirements, beginning July 1, 2021, the Virginia Overtime Wage Act took effect, creating a different overtime calculation for nonexempt salaried employees. The 2022 Virginia General Assembly amended this act, essentially replacing it with language mirroring the FLSA. Be aware that the amendment is not retroactive, so businesses could still face claims for overtime violations during the short period when the act was different from the FLSA. Under the FLSA, all employers must pay employees 1.5 times their regular hourly wage for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Paying Employees Virginia law requires hourly employees to be paid at least once every two weeks or twice per month. Salaried employees must be paid at least once per month. No matter what pay schedule you choose, make sure you remain consistent and do not arbitrarily change your pay schedule. Virginia also allows employers to pay workers by one of the following methods: Cash Paper check Direct deposit, only if authorized by the employee in writing Payroll card If you need help keeping track of your payroll periods, use one of our free pay period calendars. Pay Stub Laws Under Virginia law, you must give each employee a pay stub with every paycheck, except employees in the agricultural industry. The pay stub must be paper and show the following information: Name and address of employer Name of employee The number of hours worked during the pay period Rate of pay Gross wages earned Itemized deductions If you do not use a payroll service, download one of our free pay stub templates to help you get started. Virginia Paycheck Deductions You’re not allowed to deduct money from an employee’s paycheck for the following reasons: Cash shortages Damage to company property Required uniforms or tools Rent Virginia employers may only deduct wages from an employee’s pay if required or authorized by law, or if the employee consents in writing. Terminated Employees’ Final Paychecks Virginia employers are required to pay employees who quit or resign or are discharged, fired, or laid off no later than the next regular payday. State regulations do not address employees who are suspended or resign due to a labor dispute, so it’s best to assume that you need to pay those employees no later than the next regular payday or sooner. If you need to pay an employee right away and aren’t currently using a service, use one of our recommended ways to print a free payroll check. Virginia HR Laws That Affect Payroll Virginia mostly follows federal guidelines, so if you are familiar with those, you should have no issues understanding the additional Virginia HR laws. However, it does have a few state-specific HR laws that you need to know. Virginia New Hire Reporting Every employer in Virginia must report new hires and any rehired employees to the Virginia New Hire Reporting Center within 20 days of the date they’re hired. This information is used to enforce child support orders and must include the employee’s name, address, and Social Security number. Meals & Breaks You must provide lunch breaks of at least 30 minutes to workers aged 14 and 15 if the employee is scheduled to work over five consecutive hours. Virginia has no break laws for employees 16 and older. If your company does provide meal and break periods to those workers, breaks of less than 20 minutes must be paid, but breaks or meal periods over 30 minutes generally do not need to be paid. Virginia Child Labor Laws Workers aged 16 or older do not have restrictions placed on them. However, under Virginia law, workers aged 14 and 15 must obtain an employment certificate to work. During the school year, minors can only work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., not during school hours, no more than three hours per school day, and no more than 18 hours per week. During non-school weeks, minors may work up to eight hours per day and up to 40 hours per week. Check out our guide to hiring minors for more insight into federal child labor laws. Time Off & Leave Requirements For many companies, time off is a key component of their employee benefits package. But some time off and leave benefits are required under state or federal law. Here’s a breakdown. Payroll Forms Below are some state and federal forms needed to produce accurate pay for employees and compliant payroll reporting and tax remittance for businesses. Virginia Payroll Forms Form VA-4: Virginia’s Employee Withholding Exemption Certificate Federal Payroll Forms Here is a complete list and location of all the federal payroll forms you should need. W-4 Form: Provides information on employee withholdings so you can properly calculate and withhold federal and state income taxes W-2 Form: Used to report total annual wages for each employee W-3 Form: Used to report total annual wages for all employees; summary form of W2 Form 940: To calculate and report unemployment taxes due to the IRS Form 941: Used to file quarterly income tax Form 944: Used to file annual income tax 1099 Forms: Provides information for non-employee contract work For a more detailed discussion of federal forms, check out our guide on the federal payroll forms you may need. Virginia Payroll Tax Resources Virginia Department of Revenue provides many forms, information on the latest laws and regulations, and other employer-specific information. Virginia New Business Resources offers comprehensive information related to your business, keeping up to date on certifications, and paying taxes. Virginia Department of Labor and Industry offers support and resources to help businesses ensure compliance with unemployment and workers’ compensation, plus other labor laws. Bottom Line Virginia has a few state-specific HR laws, progressive income tax, and a higher minimum wage than the federal government requires. While most of Virginia payroll regulations follow federal guidelines, understanding the differences will be crucial to making sure you calculate payroll and payroll taxes correctly.

Doing payroll in Japan isn’t as hard as in some other countries, but you will need to pay close attention to some specific rules and nuances you don’t face domestically. Because running international payroll means you have to abide by another country’s laws that you may not be familiar with, you must take your time and set yourself up for success. Use these seven steps as a guide on how to do payroll for Japanese workers—or, if you prefer a payroll service to handle most of the heavy lifting, expand the section below for a look at our top picks. Step 1: Set Up Your Business as an Employer Before running your first Japan payroll, you have to register your business. Like many other countries, Japan does not allow foreign companies to hire and pay employees inside Japan. Foreign companies can partner with and pay independent contractors, something that might be the more efficient option if you’re only looking for a handful of workers. But if you’re looking to hire a larger workforce or you intend to expand your presence in Japan and hire direct employees, you’ll need to either register as a business in Japan or partner with a local employer of record (EOR) that can manage your workforce. Step 2: Establish Your Payroll Process & Policies You’ll want to create a structured process to follow so that you don’t miss any vital payroll steps. Consider the following: Pay schedule: How frequently will you pay employees? The general payroll cycle in Japan is monthly, though you can do more frequent runs. If you pay monthly, all payments must be made by the 25th of each month. Type of employees: Are you looking to hire for a full-time or part-time role? Tracking time: How will you track employee hours, and how will it be reported to you? Benefits: What benefits will you offer? Who pays for them? How will you manage the payroll deductions? Taxes: How often will you need to pay taxes? What tax rates will you pay? How often do you need to remit taxes and to what agencies? Payroll processing and calculations: Will you calculate payroll by hand, via Excel, or through a payroll service or software? Paychecks: Will you write manual checks, use pay cards, pay via direct deposit, or pay in cash? To ensure your company processes Japan payroll effectively, you should also have policies on: Leaves: What leaves are required to be paid vs unpaid, and at what rates? Overtime: At what rate do you need to pay employees overtime, and for how many hours? Absences: How do you track absences and know whether they’re paid or unpaid, excused or unexcused? Holidays: What holidays are paid and at what rate? Step 3: Determine Salaries & Ensure Compliance The cost of living in Japan is much less than in the US, generally about half as much. In 2021, the average Japanese worker made ¥3,688,800 ($26,509.56) in a year. When determining what you’re going to pay your Japanese workers, consider their experience and skills, in addition to the cost of living. You may be able to save money by having Japanese workers, but you’ll still need to pay competitive rates to ensure you attract and retain the best talent. Payroll & Employment Law Compliance Japan has similar employment and payroll compliance laws to the US, but some go further in providing additional benefits to employees. It’s vital that you understand these differences so you remain compliant. Step 4: Collect Employee Data & Forms As with US-based employees, you’ll need to collect certain data from your Japanese employees. Japan doesn’t require employment contracts, though they are commonly used. Whether an employment contract or offer letter, your document must include the following, showing that both parties agree to the terms: The term of employment The physical location of the work The job description Working hours, overtime, rest periods, holidays, and leave Hourly rate and regular wage Terms for wage increases Termination of employment procedures You’ll also need to collect documentation to provide to government authorities. For example, you’ll need to submit pension and health insurance forms within five days of an employee’s start date. Step 5: Collect Time Sheets & Calculate Payroll When a business first launches, they often use paper time sheets. We don’t recommend this, as it’s ripe for errors and misuse. The best and most effective way to keep track of employee hours is to use time tracking software. Your employees clock in and out electronically, and your managers can review and approve time sheets before they get to your payroll team for processing. Once payroll gets the time sheets, they should still review them for accuracy. A second set of eyes to spot any glaring errors is crucial to ensuring your company runs payroll correctly each time. It’s easier to fix these errors before running payroll, and it creates a smoother process for everyone involved. When calculating your Japanese payroll, you’ll need to account for tax and payroll deductions. Missing these will leave you out of compliance and could cause costly fines and penalties from Japanese government agencies. Besides these payroll withholdings, you’ll also need to withhold appropriate income tax from your employee’s paychecks. Here are the current tax brackets in Japan. For reference, the top tax bracket here is equal to about $290,000. It’s also important to note that Japanese taxpayers are frequently taxed at the local level, usually at a flat rate of 10%. Step 6: Pay Employees Now that you’ve reached the point of calculating your payroll, it’s time to pay your employees. Make sure you’re following the pay schedule you’ve previously outlined and put into your employee’s contracts. If you have just a single or handful of employees in Japan, you may want to outsource your payroll to a local provider. They will be licensed and familiar with Japanese payroll laws and processes. While you’ll pay them a fee, it’ll likely be worth your time for just a few workers. However, if you have more employees or plan on dramatically expanding your Japanese workforce, you may want to hire an international payroll and HR expert to handle payroll in-house, depending on cost differences. If you opt not to outsource, make sure you or your payroll team are familiar with Japanese payroll laws and deductions to ensure you’re making the right deductions from employees’ paychecks and sending tax payments to the right Japanese government authorities. Step 7: Document & Store Your Payroll Records Payroll records in Japan must be kept for up to seven years. Your payroll records should include, at a minimum: Each employment contract for each employee The dates of employment and rate of pay The frequency of pay Deductions Total regular and overtime pay Net employee pay A Note on Japanese Culture Japanese work culture is quite different from US work culture. While both cultures encourage workers to work long hours and take little vacation time, US workers tend to be more forward than their Japanese counterparts, who often seek managerial approval for even routine decisions. This is a nod to traditional Japanese culture called ho-ren-so, yielding authority to elders and those in higher positions. This often results in slow decision-making processes and a feeling of micromanagement since employees must seek approval for all decisions. While remote work is becoming more common, if you have a workplace in Japan, expect it to be much more formal than in the US. Business casual isn’t really an idea in Japan. Most workers who aren’t in uniform stick to traditional business attire. In the US, we often see co-workers at the bar together having a drink and letting off steam. In Japan, they do the same thing and while it’s not a requirement, there is more social pressure and even an expectation to engage in these activities. There’s also more focus in Japan on the company’s goals instead of the career path of the individual workers. While workers band together as a team, that can come at the detriment of their individual career interests. This is why cultural fit is extremely important when hiring in Japan. Bottom Line Doing payroll in Japan for the first time is overwhelming but it can be done. If you’ve determined that adding Japanese employees is right for your business, make sure you stay compliant by following this guide.

Illegal interview questions address subjects that are not allowed, generally related to protected categories such as age or religion. You will want to steer clear of these questions as they may violate discrimination laws. In addition to age and religion, other areas to avoid asking questions about during interviews include: Disability Gender, sex, sexual orientation, and pregnancy Marital or family status Race or ethnicity Examples of Illegal Interview Questions We have broken down our list of illegal interview questions into the categories of protected classes listed above. Be sure that you do not ask any of the questions listed or similar questions to avoid possible discrimination during the interview process. Questions in the Gray Area Not all interview questions fall nicely into the legal or illegal category. Some may appear harmless, and although they may not be strictly illegal, we recommend avoiding them. There are plenty of great interview questions to ask instead during your limited time with a candidate. Here are a few examples of questions in gray areas, along with brief explanations of why you should avoid them. 5 Steps to Avoid Illegal Interview Questions The best way to avoid asking illegal interview questions (or just bad ones) is to be prepared. The best-prepared employers use a system to structure their interactions with candidates. First, write a simple and professional job description that minimizes potential risks from the start. When it comes time to run the actual interview, we highly recommend following a structured interview process where you prepare a list of questions and ask those questions to each candidate. Follow-up questions should be asked but keep them clearly focused on the topics at hand. Deviations from the list and asking vastly different questions of different candidates can lead to claims of discrimination and further legal troubles. 1. Write a Rock-solid Job Description Your job description is often the first thing a candidate reads about your business—and thus, in a sense, is your first interaction with them. Just as you would greet a new visitor to your business with professionalism and respect, your job ad should do the same. If there’s any perceived bias in your job description, it can easily spill over into the rest of the hiring process. For example, “Looking for young, enthusiastic rockstars willing to give it their all” could present a potential age bias. Instead, you should focus on the requirements and demands of the job: “Candidate must be OK with long hours and monthly business trips for three to five days.” 2. Include a Questionnaire A questionnaire on your application lets you ask candidates important questions right away, such as if they hold a certification or meet a language or educational requirement. Be aware that just because this isn’t an interview does not mean you can ask any question you want. You still need to avoid illegal questions in a questionnaire for applicants. Job boards, such as , may include an optional questionnaire-builder when you post a job ad. This makes it easy to ask these questions straightforwardly and professionally. You can get these key interview questions out of the way early, and in a way you know will be compliant. A questionnaire also ensures candidates are aware of your requirements right away, and that no under-qualified applicant sneaks onto the shortlist. 3. Phone Screen Candidates Before conducting your main job interviews, it’s important to schedule short phone interviews with your top candidates. These can be anywhere from five to 30 minutes, and your goal is simply to determine whether you want to proceed to a longer in-person interview. As with any other step in the hiring process, phone screens are a time when illegal interview questions can accidentally slip. To avoid this, keep the conversation focused on the candidate’s resume, including their work history and qualifications. Remember that even seemingly relevant questions like “When did you graduate from college?” can be unlawful because of their implication (age bias). Be sure to check out our top phone screen questions to help you come up with ideas. 4. Conduct a Structured Interview When it comes time for your main job interviews, it is recommended that you conduct structured interviews. A structured interview is when you ask the same questions to every candidate. As long as you’re careful in selecting your questions, this method is nearly airtight for mitigating liability. Because the conversation can vary depending on a candidate’s response, you’ll also want to have a list of follow-up questions prepared, which you can roughly emulate for each candidate. As a result, you’ll be able to more easily compare and rank candidates, based on their responses to the questions. 5. Keep Notes Keeping and saving notes ensures you’ll have a clear justification for your hiring decision. In the event you’re charged with making a biased decision or asking an illegal interview question, your notes will serve as your best defense. Have your list of questions handy, and write (or type) the candidate’s responses to each question. Another primary reason for notes is to aid your memory when it comes time to compare candidates and make a hiring decision. With you can save notes directly on the candidate’s application, so you have all the important information organized in one place. This is especially helpful when you have multiple hiring managers reviewing candidates. What to Do if Candidates Share Protected Information People overshare these days—on social media, in line at the grocery store, and during interviews, too—especially when they are nervous and have a rush of adrenaline. If a candidate accidentally says something like, “Well, I beat breast cancer last year” or “I’m having some problems paying off my debt, which is why I want a new job,” you should follow these three steps: Pause in your answer to them. Make solid eye contact to ensure your point will get across if the interview is in person. Say something like, “Let’s stick to the set of questions I have here; we are short on time” and move right to the next question. If the candidate goes there again, you can be firmer and say, “We unfortunately are going into personal details. I’ll ask you to stick to answering the questions at hand, please.” If the candidate still continues down the oversharing lane, it is advised that you end the interview as politely as possible. This indicates they aren’t listening or are looking for you to open an illegal can of worms. At worst, they could be a lawsuit seeker. Implications for Asking Illegal Interview Questions The most obvious drawback of asking illegal interview questions is legal trouble. Applicants and employees who think they’ve been discriminated against can file a claim with the EEOC. The EEOC will investigate the claim. Even if it decides against bringing a civil rights action against your company, once the EEOC has conducted its investigation, the applicant or employee is free to file a civil lawsuit. In 2021, the most recent year for recording, the EEOC filed over 60,000 charges against companies for discrimination against applicants and employees. This number does not include any complaints filed by state or local agencies. The number of charges is also down by about half from a decade earlier. Another, less obvious implication, is loss of reputation. Everyone talks, and many people overshare online. If an applicant was asked an illegal question during an interview with your company, they may post about it on social media or business websites. If this happens frequently enough, your company could gain a poor reputation, leading to fewer applicants. Bottom Line Illegal interview questions can become a legal headache that could potentially lead to a discrimination lawsuit. We have provided a list of illegal interview questions you should avoid based on protected classes—age, disability, gender or sexual orientation, marital or family status, race or ethnicity, and religion. Implementing a structured hiring process will keep your conversations on-point from the very beginning. It can also help you make better hiring decisions because you can more easily rank candidates based on their responses to the interview questions.