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HR & employmentGeneral (US)Original PDFBetter template

Employee Onboarding Checklist

For managers and HR teams bringing a new employee on board, from the week before day one through the first 90 days. It keeps required paperwork from slipping and gives the new hire a predictable first month.

Fields
34
Pages
2
Paper
Letter
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Before you start

What you need to fill it in

  • New hire's name, role, manager and start date
  • List of required forms (I-9, W-4, state withholding, direct deposit)
  • Systems and equipment the role needs
  • Training sessions and policies to acknowledge
  • A buddy or mentor, if you assign one

What's inside

34 fields, ready to fill

  • 10Typed answersnames, addresses, descriptions
  • 6Dateschecked as real dates
  • 16Choicescheckboxes, options, dropdowns
  • 2Signaturessignature and initials

4 required — the editor counts down how many are left while you fill.

Instructions

How to fill out the Employee Onboarding Checklist

  1. 1

    Enter employee details

    Fill in the name, role, manager, start date and buddy.

  2. 2

    Tick tasks as they finish

    Check each task in the before-day-one, paperwork and training lists when it is done.

  3. 3

    Record owners and exceptions

    Use the section notes to record who owns open items, such as IT or payroll, and anything delayed.

  4. 4

    Hold check-ins

    Record the 30, 60 and 90-day conversations and any follow-up actions.

  5. 5

    Sign off

    Manager and employee sign when onboarding is complete. File it with personnel records.

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What filling it looks like

The PDFBetter editor in Edit & fill mode: an invoice template with the bill-to details and line items typed in, and each amount calculated from quantity and unit price
  1. Edit & fill, Invite to sign and Create form are three modes of the same editor
  2. Amounts are formula fields: they calculate as you type
  3. The field navigator counts what's left and jumps to the next field

Shown with our invoice template. Sample content; names are fictional.

Written for: General (US)

This template is a general starting point, not legal advice. Employment laws differ by state and country; have a qualified professional or HR advisor review it for your situation.

Written by PDFBetter and last reviewed October 15, 2026. Spotted a problem? Tell us.

Employee Onboarding Checklist: questions people ask

Which forms are legally required on day one?

US employers need Form I-9 section 1 completed by the first day and section 2 within three business days, plus Form W-4 for federal withholding. Most states also require state withholding forms and new-hire notices.

Where should the I-9 be stored?

Keep I-9 forms separately from personnel files so they can be produced for inspection without exposing other records.

Can I customize the checklist?

Yes. Open the template in the editor to rename rows, or use the form builder to add role-specific tasks.

Does the employee need to sign this checklist?

Not legally, but a signature confirms they received the listed policies and equipment, which helps with later questions.

Ready when you are

Fill the Employee Onboarding Checklist now — no account to start.

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