Hiring your first employee is exciting, and maybe a little intimidating. From payroll and paperwork to employment rules and onboarding, here’s a practical, plain-English checklist to help small-business owners make their first hire in Canada or the U.S. with at least a little more confidence than they started with.

Probation periods sound simple enough… but do you really need to include them in a contract? Is it always three months? And what’re they actually for?

Discover why even the smallest businesses need an employee handbook: a blueprint for your company's future.