Businesses operating in Indiana have access to a new wealth of talent. Historically, talent has migrated out of Indiana, but in recent years Indiana has become a new hub for talent. Indiana is one of the leading job providers in the auto industry, tech, construction and life sciences.
That being said, the state employment requirements and the high standards of employees working in Indiana can make it challenging to hire an employee in Indiana.
To make an effective hire in Indiana, follow the guidelines of this post and present new hires with all federally required forms and information.
What Job Are Hiring For in Indiana?
To make skilled hires in Indiana, 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. This can differ throughout the different cities in Indiana.
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
- Health benefits, retirement and other business perks
- 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: Hiring Is Easier With Great Benefits - Here's How]
Hiring an Employee in Indiana
The salary you're offering needs to be appropriate when you're hiring an employee in Indiana, but your open job also needs to be marketed in the right way.
People working in some of Indiana's most popular industries, such as finance, healthcare and insurance, expect a lot from their employer, and will pass on job opportunities that don't align with their salary expectations or needs.
Many companies hiring in Indiana devote much more of their job descriptions to requirements and responsibilities, but you can cut through the noise by appealing to readers and explaining your company's culture, rather than enumerating job requirements. Also, people in Indiana are willing to commute to work. Don't be afraid to advertise your jobs in all major cities in Indiana, including: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Gary, Bloomington, and others.
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 candidates who know they are qualified for your open roles. 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.
Evaluate Candidates in Indiana
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 Indiana:
Comply With Indiana State Employment Standards
Indiana is generally considered an employer-friendly state. While there are significantly fewer barriers to hiring, all employers must comply with the basic standards and regulations.
Here are the employment requirements that all employers must meet in Indiana when hiring a new employee:
Federal and State Employment Required Posters in Indiana
Employers in Indiana are required to display both federal and state employment posters. These posters will vary by statute and business.
1. Fair Labor Standards Act (Minimum Wage)
2. Job Safety and Health Protection (OSHA)
3. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
4. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC)
5. Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
6. Notice to Workers with Disabilities
7. Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Worker Protection
8. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
9. Unemployment Insurance Poster (English)
10. Unemployment Insurance Poster (Spanish)
11. Equal Employment Poster (English)
12. Equal Employment Poster (Spanish)
13. Workers Compensation Poster (English)
14. Workers Compensation Poster (Spanish)
15. DOL posters (Child Labor, IOSHA, Minimum Wage)
Employees in Indiana 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
- Indiana State/County Withholding WH-4 form
- Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
- Combined Employer's Registration Form
- Indiana New Hire Reporting Form
- Employers must follow all requirements of Indiana's New Hire Reporting Program.
The following information must be included in the report of new hires:
1. Company name
2. Company address
3. Company federal tax ID number
4. Employee's name
5. Employee's social security number
6. Employee's address
7. First day of paid work
- Employers must deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment
- Follow all Indiana EEO standards during the hiring process
New Hire Checklist and Reporting in Indiana
There's a lot to keep track of when making a new hire in Indiana, so you can use this checklist to help you as you hire new employees
Required Employment Forms in Indiana
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)
6. Indiana State/County Withholding WH-4 form
7. Employee Personal Data Form (Template)
8. Company Health Insurance Policy Forms
9. Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
10. Company Non-Disclosure Agreement (if applicable)
Indiana Payroll Tax and Reporting Requirements
- Report new employees within 20 days of start of their work date with a Report of New Employee(s)
- Deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment
You should also check with your city and country to see if they have any other requirements for the hiring of new employees and any employment standards in addition to the statewide requirements.
