Email template · Pre-employment and background checks
Document submission request email
In short
A pre-employment documents email tells a new hire exactly which forms and documents to complete before day one, how to submit them, and the deadline. It covers tax forms, direct deposit, policy acknowledgments and Form I-9 instructions without dictating which identity documents to bring. Below are four templates, subject lines, an SMS and compliance tips.
When to send it: Send it as soon as the offer is accepted (and any contingencies like the background check are underway), ideally 7 to 14 days before the start date. For hourly hires starting within days, send it the same day the offer is accepted.
Document submission request email: 4 versions
Standard new hire paperwork
SubjectAction needed: your new hire paperwork for [Start Date]
Hi [First Name], We're looking forward to having you start as [Job Title] on [Start Date]. To get you set up and paid on time, please complete the items below by [Deadline]. Complete online here: [Portal Link] - Personal and emergency contact information - Federal Form W-4 [and state withholding form for [State]] - Direct deposit authorization - Employee handbook acknowledgment - [Confidentiality / IP agreement] - Form I-9, Section 1 (employment eligibility) Bring on your first day: original, unexpired documents for Form I-9, Section 2. You can choose which documents to present from the list of acceptable documents here: [I-9 Documents Link]. For example, a U.S. passport alone works, or a combination such as a driver's license plus a Social Security card. The choice is yours. The portal saves your progress, so you can do it in a few sittings. Most people finish in about 30 minutes. If you get stuck, reply to this email or call me at [Phone Number]. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Missing items
SubjectA few items still needed before [Start Date]
Hi [First Name], Thanks for completing most of your onboarding paperwork. We still need: - [Missing Item 1] - [Missing Item 2] You can finish them here: [Portal Link]. Without [e.g. your direct deposit form], we'll have to pay you by [paper check / pay card] for your first pay period. Could you complete these by [Deadline]? Let me know if anything is unclear. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Remote hire
SubjectYour onboarding documents and I-9 verification
Hi [First Name], Welcome aboard. Since you'll be working remotely, here is how we'll handle your paperwork: 1. Complete your forms online by [Deadline]: [Portal Link] 2. Complete Form I-9, Section 1, no later than your first day. 3. For Section 2, [we'll verify your documents on a live video call on [Date] at [Time] / an authorized representative near you will review your original documents in person]. Choose which documents to present from the acceptable documents list: [I-9 Documents Link]. Your equipment ships on [Ship Date] to the address you provided. Please let me know right away if that address has changed. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
High-volume / hourly
Subject[First Name], finish your paperwork to start [Start Date]
Hi [First Name], You're all set to start as a [Job Title] on [Start Date] at [Start Time]. Last step: complete your hiring forms on your phone (about 20 minutes): [Portal Link] Please finish by [Deadline] so you're paid on time. On day one, bring original documents that show your identity and that you can work in the U.S. You choose which ones from this list: [I-9 Documents Link]. Questions? Text us at [Text Number]. [Company] Hiring Team
Subject line ideas
- Action needed: your new hire paperwork for [Start Date]
- Complete your onboarding forms before day one
- Your pre-employment documents checklist
- A few items still needed before [Start Date]
- What to bring on your first day at [Company]
- Your onboarding documents and I-9 verification
- [First Name], finish your paperwork to start [Start Date]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Company] HR. Please complete your new hire forms by [Deadline] so you're paid on time: [Portal Link]. On day one, bring original ID/work authorization documents of your choice from the I-9 list. Questions? Reply here. Reply STOP to opt out.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Start Date], [Start Time], [Deadline], [Portal Link], [I-9 Documents Link], [State], [Missing Item 1], [Ship Date], [Text Number], [Your Name], [Title], [Company], [Phone Number]
Why the wording matters for Form I-9
This is the email where well-meaning recruiters most often create legal exposure. Under federal immigration law, employers may not specify which documents a new hire presents for Form I-9. Asking someone to "bring your passport" or "bring your driver's license and Social Security card" can be treated as unfair documentary practices, which the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section of the Department of Justice enforces. The right approach is to link the official list of acceptable documents and say the employee chooses.
Timing also comes from the rules: the employee completes Section 1 no later than the first day of employment, and the employer completes Section 2 within three business days of the first day of work. Don't ask new hires to complete Form I-9 before they have accepted the offer. E-Verify employers in good standing may use the DHS alternative procedure to examine documents remotely by live video; others need in-person review, sometimes by an authorized representative.
What to request, and what to leave out
A typical US pre-employment package includes:
- Contact and emergency contact details
- Form W-4 and any state withholding form
- Direct deposit authorization (many states restrict mandatory direct deposit, so offer an alternative)
- Handbook and key policy acknowledgments
- Confidentiality or invention assignment agreement where relevant
- Form I-9 Section 1
- Role-specific items: professional license, driver's license and insurance for driving roles, food handler or forklift certification
Leave out anything you don't need yet. Benefits enrollment usually has its own window. Don't ask for date of birth, marital status or photos in the same form as hiring documents unless you have a clear legal or business reason, and collect voluntary self-identification separately. Fewer fields means faster completion.
Make it easy to finish on a phone
In hourly hiring, paperwork is where accepted offers quietly die. A retail chain onboarding 300 seasonal associates in October will find that a meaningful share don't finish their forms before day one, and those people often don't show. A mobile-friendly portal with online forms and e-signatures, plus a 20-minute estimate in the email, makes a visible difference.
Put the deadline and the consequence in plain terms: "so you're paid on time" motivates more than "per company policy." Send the link by text as well as email. For the identity verification step, explain what will happen so the request doesn't feel suspicious.
Reminder sequence
- Offer accepted: send the documents email within hours.
- Two days later: a short reminder listing only what's missing. The new hire paperwork reminder email is built for this.
- Three days before the start date: a call or text from the recruiter.
- Day before: confirm the start time, location and what to bring, usually as part of the onboarding email before the start date.
Track completion by start-date cohort so you can see which items cause the most drop-off.
Privacy and record-keeping
Don't ask new hires to email scans of Social Security cards or passports as attachments. Use a secure portal; email is a poor place to store sensitive identity data, and many state data breach laws apply if it leaks. Store Form I-9s separately from personnel files and keep them for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. State tax and new hire reporting rules vary, so confirm requirements for each state where you hire.
Mistakes to avoid
- Telling people which I-9 documents to bring.
- A long attachment list with no portal, forcing new hires to print, sign and scan.
- No deadline or a deadline after the start date.
- Different document requests for candidates who seem foreign-born. Request the same items from every hire.
Frequently asked questions
What documents are required for new employees in the US?
At minimum, Form I-9 with acceptable identity and work authorization documents, Form W-4 and any state withholding form. Most employers also collect direct deposit details, emergency contacts and policy acknowledgments.
Can I tell a new hire which I-9 documents to bring?
No. You can share the official list of acceptable documents, but the employee chooses which ones to present. Specifying documents can be an unfair documentary practice under federal law.
When should I send the new hire documents email?
As soon as the offer is accepted, ideally 7 to 14 days before the start date. For quick hourly starts, send it the same day.
What is a joining documents email?
It is the term commonly used in India and some global companies for the same message: a list of documents a new joiner must submit, such as ID proof, education certificates and relieving letters from previous employers.
Can new hires email copies of their ID documents?
It's better not to. Use a secure portal for sensitive documents. For Form I-9, the employer must examine original documents in person or through an approved remote procedure.