Hire your first team without guessing.

The gap between an offer verbally accepted and a productive new hire on day 30 is where first-time employers get hurt: wrong classification, missed paid leave accruals, an "at will" clause that is not enforceable in Illinois, a handbook that no one has read. We fix that gap.

The problem, in plain English

First hires are where founders most often move fast without knowing what fast is costing them. The offer letter has boilerplate copied from a friend that does not hold up in Illinois. Payroll gets set up, but state withholding is missed. Nobody is tracking paid leave accrual. The "handbook" is a 60-page template nobody has read.

These are not creative problems. They are checklist problems. We run the checklist.

How we do it

Role and classification.
We work with you to define the role, then classify it correctly (W-2 employee, W-2 statutory, or independent contractor with a defensible justification). This is where the biggest downstream risk lives.
Offer letter and contract.
Illinois-compliant offer letter, at-will language written correctly, restrictive covenants only where they will actually hold up, benefits language matched to the plan you actually have.
Payroll and benefits setup.
Payroll provider chosen and configured, tax withholdings registered, workers compensation certificate in place, benefits basics (health, dental, vision, retirement) explained in language you can repeat.
Handbook and required policies.
A short handbook, not a template dump. Every legally required policy for Illinois and Chicago, plus the few policies that actually fit how you run the business.
First-day onboarding.
Accounts provisioned, laptop ready, first-day and first-30-day checklists so the new hire is contributing on day one and reviewed at day 30.

Why us, specifically

Illinois and Chicago specific. We know which city ordinances stack on top of state law. We do not hand you national templates and hope.
Plain-language handbooks. Not sixty pages. Enough pages to be legally sound and short enough that your team will read them.
Classification is a real decision, not a preference. We document the reasoning so it holds up under audit.
Onboarding is included. Getting the offer signed is easy. Making day one and day thirty productive is the actual job.

What you get

Written role definition and classification decision
Illinois-compliant offer letter or contract
Payroll provider selected and configured
State withholding, unemployment, and workers comp in place
Employee handbook tailored to your business
Onboarding checklist for day one and first 30 days

Timeline and pricing

Timeline: 5 to 10 business days from engagement to offer letter in the candidate's inbox. Payroll and benefits setup can run in parallel and finalize before day one.

Pricing: flat fee per role, quoted before start. If you are hiring three at once we quote the batch, not three separate fees.

Frequently asked

When does the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act apply to my business?

The Paid Leave for All Workers Act applies to nearly every Illinois employer from day one of hiring, regardless of headcount. Employees accrue at least one hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, and can use it for any reason without documentation. Chicago and Cook County have separate, more generous ordinances that stack on top. We set your handbook, payroll, and accrual tracking to the strictest rule that applies to you.

Contractor or employee: how do I decide?

Misclassifying an employee as a contractor is one of the most expensive mistakes a first-time hirer makes. The IRS and Illinois use behavioral, financial, and relationship tests, and it is rarely the founder's call to just pick. We walk you through the tests for your specific role and document the classification so it holds up under audit.

Do I need workers compensation insurance?

In Illinois, yes: nearly every employer with one or more employees needs workers compensation coverage from the first day of employment. There are narrow exceptions (some sole proprietors, some agricultural work) but the default is that you need it. We connect you with a broker and make sure the certificate is in place before day one.

What actually goes in an employee handbook?

Not a 60-page template dump. Your handbook needs the policies that are legally required for your state and city (paid leave, anti-harassment, at-will language done correctly for Illinois), a small number of policies that fit how you actually run the business, and nothing else. We write it in plain English so your team will actually read it.

Hiring your first person?

Tell us the role. You will get an offer letter and a plan within one business day.

Start with HR