Get new hires through paperwork, site induction and safety training quickly, and keep proof of every step.
A new laborer may be hired on Friday and on site Monday. Paperwork that waits for the office slows everything.
New workers face the highest risk in their first weeks. Site inductions and basic safety training need to happen before the risky work starts.
Crews grow for a project and shrink after it. Rehires need refreshers, not the full process.
Experienced foremen carry most of the practical knowledge. Without a simple structure, such as a buddy for each new hire and a short list of skills to sign off, new workers learn by guessing, which is slow and unsafe.
New hires complete forms and policies on their phone with digital HR forms and e-signatures. The HR module runs onboarding tracks with owners and reminders, and training certificates go into the employee file.
Training time is usually working time, so trainees clock in for it and the hours are tagged as training.
| Need | How EZTime handles it |
|---|---|
| New-hire paperwork | Digital forms and e-signatures before day one |
| Step-by-step onboarding | Onboarding tracks with owners and reminders |
| Training proof | Certificates and sign-offs in the employee file |
| Training hours | Clock-in tagged by activity |
| Company updates | The company feed with read confirmations |
A concrete contractor hires eight laborers for a summer project. Each receives a link on Thursday, completes tax forms and signs the safety policy that evening. Monday morning starts with a two-hour site induction recorded in the app; the foreman ticks off PPE issue and a buddy assignment. By Friday, each new hire’s file shows the induction, the toolbox talk and their forklift certificate.
The business in this example is fictional.
Decide these with your safety lead and get qualified advice on pay and paperwork rules.
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Paperwork done before day one | Shows how smooth hiring is |
| Inductions completed in week one | Protects new workers |
| New-hire turnover in 90 days | Shows onboarding quality |
| Training hours per new hire | Helps budget for hiring |
Review each project start. Early turnover is often a sign that onboarding was rushed.
| Item | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-9, section 1 | By the first day of work | Completed by the employee |
| Form I-9, section 2 | Within 3 business days of starting | Employer examines documents |
| E-Verify | Within 3 business days, if you use it | Required on many federal contracts and in some states |
| New hire report to the state | Usually within 20 days | Some states set shorter deadlines |
| Form W-4 | Before first payroll | State withholding form where required |
Rehires need care too. A rehire within three years of the original I-9 can sometimes be handled by updating the existing form rather than completing a new one.
Federal OSHA does not generally require the OSHA 10-hour or 30-hour outreach card, but some states and cities do. New York, Nevada, Missouri on public projects, and several other states require OSHA 10 for workers on certain jobs. New York City goes further, requiring Site Safety Training cards with set hours of training for most workers on many building sites.
Whatever the card requirements, OSHA expects employers to instruct each employee in recognizing and avoiding the hazards of their work, in a language they understand. Record the date, the topic and who delivered it, so you can show it happened.
Many contractors hire the same people season after season. A returning worker does not need the full process, but they do need a refresher: changes to policies, new equipment, new site rules and any certificates that expired over the winter.
Keep a short rehire track: confirm contact and tax details, check the I-9 for whether it can be updated, review certificate expiry dates and run the site induction again. It takes an hour, not a day, and it avoids the trap of putting someone on a lift whose certificate lapsed in February.
| When | What | Who signs off |
|---|---|---|
| Before day one | Tax forms, I-9 section 1, policies signed | Office |
| Day one | Site induction, PPE issued, buddy assigned | Foreman |
| Week one | Task-specific training, such as ladders and power tools | Buddy and foreman |
| Week two | Equipment check-offs, if needed | Competent person |
| Day 30 | Check-in conversation and skills list | Foreman |
New workers are at the highest risk in their first weeks, so the buddy assignment and the task check-offs are safety controls, not courtesy.
Yes, using digital HR forms and e-signatures.
Generally yes for non-exempt employees. See our training cost calculator to budget it.
Yes, with expiry reminders in each employee file.
Yes. Their file keeps earlier records, so you only add what is new.
Not under federal OSHA rules in general, but several states and some cities require it for certain projects, especially public work. New York City requires Site Safety Training cards for many building sites.
Yes. OSHA’s construction rules require training for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards, given by a competent person, and a written certification record with the employee’s name, the date and the trainer’s signature.
Yes. Training the employer requires, including site inductions and safety orientation, is work time for non-exempt employees, even if it happens before the first day on the tools.
The employee completes section 1 by the first day of work, and the employer completes section 2 within three business days of the start date.
Time tracking for construction crews
Step-by-step guide
Free template
Cost of a new hire
Book a short demo and see how EZTime fits the way your team works.
Note: This page is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Rules differ by state and city. Examples are fictional.