A practical plan for onboarding remote and hybrid hires: paperwork and I-9 rules, equipment, the first day on video, time tracking and the first 90 days.
In an office or on a job site, a new hire picks up a lot without anyone planning it. They see how colleagues handle a problem, overhear who to ask about what and get invited to lunch. Remote employees get none of this by default. If onboarding is not designed deliberately, a remote hire can spend the first weeks unsure of priorities, waiting for logins and hesitant to ask questions.
With the EZTime time clock app, employees clock in from their phone with GPS and managers approve hours from anywhere.
A good remote onboarding plan replaces the informal learning with structure: a clear schedule, named people to go to and regular check-ins. This guide works for fully remote staff as well as hybrid employees and field workers who rarely visit a central office. For the basics that apply to every new hire, see the employee onboarding glossary entry.
The week before the start date is when remote onboarding is won or lost. Use it to finish everything that does not need the employee’s attention on their first day.
Every new employee in the United States must complete Form I-9. The employee completes Section 1 no later than the first day of employment, and the employer must examine identity and work authorization documents and complete Section 2 within three business days of the start date.
For remote hires there are two main options. First, employers enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing can use the Department of Homeland Security’s alternative procedure, which allows remote examination of documents through a live video interaction, with copies of the documents retained. If you use the alternative procedure for remote hires, apply it consistently. Second, any employer can designate an authorized representative near the employee, such as a notary or another person you choose, to examine the original documents in person on your behalf. The employer remains responsible for any errors the representative makes.
Read our full Form I-9 guide for deadlines, acceptable documents and record retention.
The first day sets the tone for everything that follows. For a remote hire, it should be scheduled hour by hour so the employee is never left wondering what to do next. A simple structure works well:
| Time | Activity | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Welcome call: introductions, agenda for the day and week | Manager |
| 9:30 | Equipment and account check, first clock-in if hourly | IT or office manager |
| 10:30 | Company overview: mission, customers, how teams fit together | Manager or HR |
| 11:30 | Meet the buddy and the immediate team | Buddy |
| 12:30 | Lunch break (off the clock for non-exempt employees, if fully relieved of duty) | — |
| 1:30 | Policies: hours, breaks, time off, communication norms | HR |
| 2:30 | First real task with clear instructions | Manager |
| 4:00 | End-of-day check-in: questions, plan for day two | Manager |
Keep video calls short and leave gaps between them. A full day of back-to-back meetings is tiring and leaves no time to absorb anything.
Remote work goes smoothly when expectations are written down rather than assumed. On the first day, explain clearly:
Every step ticked. Your new remote hire is set up for a good first week.
For hourly remote employees, recording time accurately is a legal requirement, not just a preference. Non-exempt employees must be paid for all hours worked, including time spent answering messages or finishing tasks after their scheduled shift. Our guide on how to track remote employee hours covers methods and policies.
Remote employees are generally covered by the employment laws of the state where they physically work, not the state where your business is based. That can affect minimum wage, overtime, paid sick leave, final pay deadlines and payroll tax withholding. Before a remote employee starts, confirm their work location and register with that state’s tax and unemployment agencies if needed. Our state labor law pages summarize the rules by state.
Some states, including California, require employers to reimburse employees for necessary business expenses, which can include a reasonable share of a personal phone or internet service used for work. Even where it is not required, a clear expense reimbursement policy avoids confusion.
Most of remote onboarding is good practice, but two dates are fixed by federal rules:
If you are not enrolled in E-Verify, plan the physical review before the start date. Many employers name an authorized representative near the new hire, such as a notary or a colleague in the same city, to examine the documents in person. Put the appointment in the onboarding plan so it does not slip past the third business day.
Onboarding does not end on day one or even week one. Plan check-ins at regular points and give the new hire goals they can actually reach.
A 30-60-90 day plan written together with the employee in the first week makes these conversations easier.
Remote employees can feel isolated, especially if most of their colleagues work together in person. Small, consistent actions make a difference: introducing the new hire in a company-wide announcement, including them in team updates, inviting them to virtual team events and making sure managers give recognition in shared channels, not only in private messages. Ask for feedback on the onboarding experience itself after the first month and use it to improve the process for the next hire. An onboarding survey makes that easy to repeat.
EZTime gives remote and field teams one app for the basics: clocking in from a phone or web browser with a GPS stamp, viewing schedules, requesting time off, completing digital HR forms with e-signatures and receiving company announcements. The HR module includes onboarding tracks, so each new hire’s documents and tasks are in one place. See HR module and digital HR forms.
Employers enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing can use the DHS alternative procedure to examine documents remotely over live video. Otherwise, the employer can designate an authorized representative near the employee to examine the original documents in person. Section 2 must be completed within three business days of the start date.
The formal first-week program usually takes a few days, but onboarding in a broader sense lasts about 90 days, with check-ins at 30, 60 and 90 days. Plan the first week in detail and the following months as goals and check-ins.
Generally yes. For non-exempt employees, time spent in required training, orientation and setup is usually work time that must be paid. Record it like any other hours worked.
Usually the laws of the state where the employee physically performs the work. This affects wage and hour rules, leave laws and tax withholding. Confirm the work location before the start date.
Most employers provide a computer and any software, headset or phone needed for the job, shipped before the start date. Some states require reimbursing necessary business expenses, so set a clear policy for anything employees provide themselves.
Yes, in most cases. A buddy is a peer, not the manager, who answers the small questions a new hire feels awkward asking: where files live, how the team uses chat, who to ask about expenses. Set a short daily check-in for the first week and a weekly one for the first month.
Ship the laptop, any monitor or headset you provide, and written setup instructions, timed to arrive at least a couple of business days early. Include a contact for IT help on day one and confirm delivery before the start date.
With EZTime, remote employees clock in from the app or the web, see their schedule, sign digital forms and read company updates, so day one starts with a working setup rather than a pile of emails.