Template · Onboarding
New hire information form
In short
A new employee information form collects the personal, contact, job and payroll details HR needs to set up a new hire's record: legal name, address, contact details, Social Security number, start date, position, pay and emergency contacts. Use it after the offer is accepted, and keep it separate from tax, I-9 and medical forms.
New Employee Information Form template
New Employee Information Form
Please complete every section and return this form to Human Resources by [Date]. The information is used to set up your employee record and payroll and is kept confidential. Contact [HR Contact Name] at [Email] with any questions.
Personal details
- Legal first name
- Legal middle name
- Legal last name
- Preferred first name (if different)
- Pronouns (optional)
- Date of birth (used for benefits and payroll)
- Social Security number
Contact information
- Home street address
- Apartment / unit
- City
- State
- ZIP code
- Mailing address, if different
- Mobile phone
- Alternate phone
- Personal email
- May we text you about schedules and urgent notices?
- YesNo
Position details (completed by HR)
- Employee ID
- Job title
- Department
- Manager
- Work location
- Start date
- Employment type
- Full-timePart-timeTemporarySeasonalIntern
- FLSA status
- ExemptNon-exempt
- Pay rate
- Pay basis
- HourlySalary
- Pay frequency
- WeeklyBiweeklySemi-monthlyMonthly
- Scheduled hours per week and shift
- Union or collective bargaining unit, if any
Emergency contacts
- Primary contact name
- Relationship
- Primary contact phone
- Secondary contact name
- Relationship
- Secondary contact phone
Work-related information
- Professional licenses or certifications required for the role (number and expiry date)
- Driver's license number and state (only if driving is part of the job)
- Uniform or safety equipment size (only if provided by the company)
- Languages you can use at work (optional)
- Do you have a relative employed by the company? If yes, name and department
Acknowledgment
- I confirm the information above is accurate, and I will tell HR promptly if any of it changes.
- Employee signature
- Date
- Received by (HR)
- Date entered in HRIS
How to use this template
- Fill in the position details section in HR before sending, so the employee only completes their own information.
- Send the form after the offer is accepted, never as part of the application.
- Ask the employee to return it at least two business days before the start date so payroll and IT have time to set up the record.
- Check the legal name and Social Security number against the Form I-9 and W-4 once those are complete; mismatches cause payroll and tax notices later.
- Enter the data into your HRIS, then store the signed form in the personnel file with restricted access.
- Ask employees to review their details once a year, or use an employee change form when anything changes.
What the form is for
A new employee information form, sometimes called an employee information sheet or new hire data form, is the single source for setting up the person's record in payroll and the HR system. It captures who they are, how to reach them, what job they are in and how they are paid. It is one item on the broader new hire paperwork checklist, which also covers tax forms, the I-9 and benefits.
The value is consistency. When every hire fills in the same fields in the same order, HR ops can enter data quickly, spot blanks and avoid the familiar problem of three versions of someone's name across payroll, badging and email.
What not to ask, and why
The form is completed after hire, so some details that would be risky on an application, such as date of birth, are fine here because payroll and benefits need them. Other questions still have no place on it:
- Race, ethnicity, sex, veteran or disability status. If you collect these for EEO-1 or affirmative action reporting, use a separate, voluntary EEO self-identification form stored apart from the personnel file.
- Health information or medications. Under the ADA, medical information must be kept confidential and filed separately. Allergy or medical details for emergencies belong, if anywhere, on a voluntary emergency medical form kept in the confidential medical file.
- Marital status, number of children or spouse's employer unless a specific benefits form requires it. Benefits enrollment collects dependent details on its own forms.
- Citizenship or immigration status. Work authorization is verified only through Form I-9, using the employee's choice of documents.
- Religion, union sympathies or political views. No legitimate purpose on this form.
State privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act as it applies to employees, can require a notice at collection explaining what personal information you gather and why. Rules vary by state.
Protecting the data
This form holds a Social Security number, date of birth and home address together, which is exactly the set needed for identity theft. Treat it that way. Do not send it as an editable attachment over email and ask for it back the same way. Use a secure portal or online forms with access limited to HR and payroll.
If you collect on paper, scan it into the HRIS on receipt and store the original in a locked file. Many states have data breach notification laws that apply if this information is exposed, and several require reasonable security measures for it. Shred old copies; do not recycle them.
Using the form for high-volume hiring
A distribution center onboarding 60 seasonal associates a week does not have time to re-key handwritten forms. Collect the information online, before the start date, with required fields that cannot be skipped and simple format checks on phone numbers, ZIP codes and the nine-digit SSN.
Pre-fill the position details from the approved offer so the rate, shift and site match what the candidate accepted. Most onboarding errors in hourly hiring are not in what the employee typed but in a mismatch between the offer and the record. Ask for texting consent on the form; it is the most reliable channel for shift changes and schedule notices for hourly staff.
Split emergency contacts into their own emergency contact form if your HRIS lets employees update them directly. People move and change phones far more often than they change jobs, and a self-service update stays current.
Common mistakes
- Collecting it on the application. Asking for SSN and date of birth before an offer raises discrimination and privacy risk and has no business purpose.
- Free-text names. Ask for legal name and preferred name separately. Payroll and the I-9 need the legal name; email, badges and the team need the preferred one.
- No update process. Information goes stale within a year. Pair the form with an annual review or an employee change form.
- Mixing it with the I-9. Keep work authorization documents and the I-9 in their own file.
Frequently asked questions
What information should be on an employee information sheet?
Legal and preferred name, date of birth, Social Security number, home and mailing address, phone and personal email, job title, department, manager, start date, employment type, FLSA status, pay rate and frequency, and at least one emergency contact.
Is a new hire information form required by law?
No single federal law requires this form. Employers do need the information on it to run payroll, file new hire reports and tax forms, and keep required employee records, so nearly every employer uses some version.
Can an employer ask for date of birth on a new hire data form?
Yes, after the offer is accepted. Payroll, benefits and retirement plans need it. Avoid asking for it before an offer, because age can be inferred and the ADEA protects workers aged 40 and over.
What is a personal information form for employees used for?
It sets up the employee record in the HR system and payroll, gives HR a way to contact the employee and their emergency contacts, and confirms the basic job and pay details the employee was hired on.
How long should an employee information form be kept?
For the length of employment and then according to your record retention schedule. Federal rules require many personnel and payroll records to be kept for one to three years after the record is made or the action taken; many employers keep personnel files longer. Check state rules.