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Startup payroll from the first hire onward
The first pay run needs more than a bank account and an offer letter. Tidwell helps a startup establish the information, approvals and recurring schedule needed to keep employee payroll organized as roles change.
Last reviewed:
General information, not legal advice.
Turn the hiring decision into an employer record
Confirm the employing entity, start date, work location and approved compensation. EDD’s new-hire rule requires reporting within 20 calendar days of the start of work. Assign responsibility for the submission and keep its confirmation with onboarding records.
Choose dates that remain workable after hiring accelerates
For weekly and biweekly periods, DLSE describes payment within seven calendar days after the pay period ends. Build the review cutoff around that requirement, with room for corrections. Investor funding dates are a cash-planning input, not an employee pay schedule.
Sources: DLSE FAQ - Paydays
Separate a salary instruction from an exemption decision
The startup’s employment adviser determines classification and applicable rules. Keep salary changes, hourly records, approved reimbursements and bonus terms distinct in the payroll request. California’s regular rate can include nondiscretionary bonuses, so flag incentive arrangements before the affected run.
Sources: DLSE FAQ - Overtime
Leave an audit trail as responsibilities move
Document who approved each change and who will respond when a payroll question arises. Maintain a calendar for the next run and a reconciliation of actual payroll to the amounts posted in the books; do not rely on an informal message history as the permanent handoff.
Sources for hiring and recurring compensation
Startup bookkeeping and employee onboarding
Set up the first recurring pay cycle
Tell us which records need attention and who approves the next steps.
Payroll service starts at $125 a month. See pricing