# Household employee onboarding checklist

Use this worksheet to assign the practical setup tasks before work begins and check what happened after the first payday. It is not a complete compliance checklist. Add requirements for the state, locality, and specific work arrangement.

**Role:** [___]  **Planned start:** [___]  **Work location(s):** [___]

For each task, record **owner / due date / completion date / where the record is kept**. An unchecked item means it still needs attention.

## Before the offer is finalized

- [ ] Confirm duties, regular schedule, work locations, and any live-in, travel, or overnight arrangements.
- [ ] Resolve who employs and directs the worker, including any agency or second household’s role. Start with the [household employee basics](https://honesthousepromise.org/resources/household-employee-basics/).
- [ ] Review applicable wage, overtime, leave, notices, insurance, and hiring requirements for each work location with appropriate help.
- [ ] Agree on gross pay, pay frequency, offered benefits, schedule-change arrangements, and approved expenses.
- [ ] Complete the agreed reference and screening process with required permissions.
- [ ] Put final employment terms in writing and provide required notices. Record any open questions and who will resolve them.

## Before the first shift

- [ ] Assign employer-registration, payroll, tax, and year-end reporting responsibilities. Review the [payroll starting checklist](https://honesthousepromise.org/resources/household-payroll-starting-checklist/) and [IRS Publication 926](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p926).
- [ ] If using a payroll service, confirm its written scope, setup date, funding process, and employer review tasks. Use the [provider questions](https://honesthousepromise.org/resources/questions-for-household-payroll-provider/).
- [ ] Arrange employment-eligibility verification where required. Assign the current Form I-9 process and deadlines using the [existing I-9 guide](https://honesthousepromise.org/household-employment/form-i-9-household-employees/). Do not treat this worksheet as a substitute for the official instructions.
- [ ] Collect payroll information through an appropriate secure channel. Keep identity documents and bank details out of shared planning worksheets.
- [ ] Set the workweek, time-entry method, review process, and first payday. Consult the [recordkeeping guide](https://honesthousepromise.org/household-employment/recordkeeping-basics/).
- [ ] Prepare emergency contacts, household safety information, access arrangements, and any role-specific care instructions.

## During orientation

- [ ] Review duties and boundaries together, including tasks that are outside the role.
- [ ] Walk through routines, supplies, emergency procedures, and who to contact when plans change.
- [ ] Explain privacy, photos, visitors, device use, and household access expectations.
- [ ] Demonstrate timekeeping and the process for reporting mistakes, expenses, schedule changes, or concerns.
- [ ] Schedule a first-week check-in and record questions that still need answers.

## After the first payday

- [ ] Compare recorded hours and agreed pay arrangements with the pay record; resolve discrepancies promptly.
- [ ] Confirm payment arrived and the worker can access the appropriate pay information.
- [ ] Confirm assigned setup tasks were completed; investigate missing confirmations.
- [ ] Store payroll and employment records securely with access limited to those who need it.
- [ ] Review whether the duties and schedule match the actual job; document agreed changes.

## Open items

| Task or question | Owner | Due date | Outcome / secure record location |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [___] | [___] | [___] | [___] |
| [___] | [___] | [___] | [___] |
| [___] | [___] | [___] | [___] |

[Return to the nanny hiring guide](/household-employment/hiring-a-nanny/) · [Open the job-description template](/household-employment/nanny-job-description-template/)

**Information only. Source review: October 19, 2026.** General planning information, not legal or tax advice. Federal tax setup references were checked against the current IRS guide; linked existing guides provide additional source context. No new I-9 timing or wage-rule claims are made here. State and local review remains necessary. No specialist sign-off.