Florida Guide · Updated 2026
Florida New-Hire Onboarding Checklist
Florida onboarding is largely federal, with one big state-specific step for mid-sized employers — E-Verify — and the convenience of no state income tax.
Work authorization: I-9 + E-Verify at 25+
Complete the federal Form I-9 (edition 01/20/2025) for every new hire, and if you have 25+ employees, create an E-Verify case within 3 business daysand retain records for 3 years (Fla. Stat. § 448.095). See our Florida E-Verify guide for the details.
Reporting & taxes
Report the new hire to the state, and collect the federal W-4 — there is no state income tax in Florida, so no state withholding form. Certain care, education, and licensed roles also require fingerprint-based Level 2 background screening(Fla. Stat. ch. 435).
Required postings
Post the Florida minimum wagenotice, the workers'-compensation coverage notice, and reemployment-assistance information — plus the federal posters (FLSA, EEOC, FMLA at 50+, OSHA, USERRA, EPPA). Private-sector safety is federal OSHA.
Handbook & policies
A Florida handbook should carry a clear at-will disclaimer, an anti-harassment/anti-retaliation policy with reporting channels (the Faragher-Ellerth defense), an E-Verify/immigration-compliance policy, and — if you use them — restrictive covenants drafted to § 542.335 or the CHOICE Act. Keep signed acknowledgments.
Practical takeaways
Build the 3-business-day E-Verify step into onboarding if you're at 25+, complete I-9s for everyone, run Level 2 screening where required, preserve at-will language, and verify your poster set each year.
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