Businesses operating in Pennsylvania have access to a range of talent hubs in the midwest and east coast. Pennsylvania is one of the leading job providers in most manufacturing and production industries such as metal fabrication, machinery and equipment, food production, and chemical and natural gas.
In terms of regulations, Pennsylvania is not as strict as other states, and labor laws may seem more relaxed if you're used to hiring in other states.
That being said, the high level of competition and frequent employee turnover of employees working in Pennsylvania can make it challenging to hire an employee in Pennsylvania.
To make an effective and fully-compliant hire in Pennsylvania, follow the guidelines of this post and present new hires with all federally required forms and information.
What Job You Are Offering in Pennsylvania (PA)?
To make skilled hires in Pennsylvania, 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. Make sure that you are very clear with your job requirements because there is a steep curve in terms of entry-level and more seasoned employees.
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.
Hiring an Employee in Pennsylvania
The salary you're offering needs to be appropriate when you're hiring an employee in Pennsylvania, but your open job also needs to be marketed in the right way.
People working in some of Pennsylvania's most popular industries expect a lot from their employer, and will pass on job opportunities that don't align with their salary expectations or needs. Especially in the growing healthcare industry, top nurses and healthcare practitioners will decline your job if your salary is not in the correct range.
Many companies hiring in Pennsylvania 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 and the benefits of working for your company, rather than enumerating job requirements.
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 jobs on Glassdoor for the position you're hiring for, and get some ideas for your job description.
[Related: Post Jobs Today]
Finding and Evaluating Employees in Pennsylvania
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.
Comply With Pennsylvania State Employment Standards
Pennsylvania is generally considered a fairly 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 Pennsylvania when hiring a new employee:
Federal and State Employment Posters in Pennsylvania
Employers in Pennsylvania are required to display both federal and state employment posters. These posters will vary by statute and business type
Employees in Pennsylvania 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
- Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
- Combined Employer's Registration Form
- Pennsylvania New Hire Reporting Form
- Employers must follow all requirements of Pennsylvania's New Hire Reporting Program
What Information is required in a new hire report in Pennsylvania? The following information must be included in the report of new hires:
- Company name
- Company address
- Company federal tax ID number
- Employee's name
- Employee's social security number
- Employee's address
- 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 Pennsylvania EEO standards during the hiring process
New Hire Checklist and Reporting in Pennsylvania
There's a lot to keep track of when making a new hire in Pennsylvania, so you can use this checklist to help you as you hire new employees.
Required Employment Forms in Pennsylvania
The new hire has signed the following forms:
- Signed Job Offer Letter
- W2 Tax Form
- I-9 Form and Supporting Documents
- Direct Deposit Authorization Form (template here)
- Federal W-4 Form
- Pennsylvania New Hire Reporting Form
- Employee Personal Data Form (template here)
- Company Health Insurance Policy Forms
- Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
- Company Non-Disclosure Agreement (if applicable)
Pennsylvania 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.
