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First time hiring someone

2K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Not That Guy 
#1 ·
Just got a worker's comp policy, and need to hire some guys but worried that I may not have enough work to keep them busy. Need them full time for a few weeks then it will probably go to part time as needed. Don't want them to quit and file unemployment. Or they may prove to be not worth hiring and I may have to let them go.

How do you all deal with this? What's the best practice here?

The workers comp policy doesn't list employees individually. Is there any danger in hiring some guys as contractors (as long as I can verify their right to work in the US) and paying cash for a while, to test their metal before making them official employees and putting them through payroll?
 
#4 ·
Hire em, teach em how to properly swing the hammer, then go round up more work while they work.

You should raise your rates, it’s expensive to have employees and keep them employed. I always try to have fill in work for the guys when we’re between bigger jobs.

You shouldn’t feel guilty charging more, look at how much you bring to the table for a customer......employees, tools, equipment, insurance, etc.

We’re slow right now so we’ve been knocking out small jobs and doing maintenance on business stuff (shop, trailers, equipment) and working on my house. Once you get good help you have to keep em busy or they’ll move on.


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#5 ·
If you want to hire employees, and be able to keep them, then it in on you to step back from the tools, and get more work.
Employees really are a bit like children.
They depend on you.
They need 40 plus hours a week.
As they have obligations.
They don’t want unemployment.
They want to work.
If you aren’t up to the challenge, maybe you aren’t ready to hire yet.
It is a huge responsibility.


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#13 ·
He's talking employee's not subs. 1099'ing employee's is why wages are stagnant and no one wants in to the trades. Pay the taxes, give some benny's and treat the guy how you would want to be treated.

Not to mention the "dummy comp policy" does not cover said 1099. If they do get hurt, you will get sued along with homeowner of job that accident happened. Do it right or take a job, the wages are the same if you can't afford real employee's.

Not to mention, there is no dummy liability policy. You also have to commit insurance fraud unless they want to shell out another 3K for that (in MA). Unless you just run with no permits or insurance, which reverts back to take a job instead.
 
#17 ·
Sounds like you either might need to

-man up and get the work of a crew done by yourself for a project or 2

-use a temp agency for your few projects

-commit to hiring 1 guy and having the confidence to delver good work at a higher price than you are used to

-walking away from some jobs until your business is in a different place.


Just don't try to reinvent the wheal and have employees without "having employees". If there is enough money in the projects to justify doing them, there is enough money to put the few things in place to have guys hired on.
 
#23 ·
if your supplying the work, the tools, the materials for them to do their job, the govt, classifies that person as an 'employee'

A sub contractor, supplies his own tools and equipment, and sometimes materials to do his own job

Last thing you want is the IRS knocking on your door, AND that state insurance people...
 
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