Base Pay
Specify salary or hourly rate, pay frequency, overtime treatment, and sample calculations to avoid ambiguity in payroll processing.
A written Employee Compensation Agreement reduces ambiguity about pay, supports consistent payroll and tax treatment, and creates enforceable duties for both parties. It aids compliance with wage laws and eases audits by documenting agreed terms and effective dates.
Employers, HR teams, hiring managers, and new hires commonly exchange and sign these agreements during onboarding or when compensation changes.
Use consistent internal routing and approval to ensure authorized signers execute the document and payroll reflects the signed terms.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signer Authentication | Email + SMS code or stronger KBA where required |
| Audit Trail | Enable full timestamps, IP addresses, and action log |
| Document Retention | Automatic storage in encrypted repository |
| Access Controls | Role-based permissions for viewers and editors |
Specify salary or hourly rate, pay frequency, overtime treatment, and sample calculations to avoid ambiguity in payroll processing.
Detail bonus eligibility, targets, payout timing, and any clawback rules tied to performance or errors.
Describe health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, and eligibility start dates and waiting periods.
State withholding responsibilities and reference that employee must provide accurate W-4 or W-9 information.
Outline final pay, accrued PTO payout, severance terms, and compliance with state wage laws.
Address conflict with employee handbook, governing law, and amendment procedures for future compensation changes.
Set MM/DD/YYYY and ensure payroll implements changes on that pay period.
Employees must receive W-2 by Jan 31 each year (IRS requirement).
Issue to contractors and file with IRS by Jan 31 (IRC guidance).
Retain I-9s 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2).
Keep tax-related records at least 3 years from filing (IRC §6501(a)).
Employer sends proposed compensation terms to candidate or employee.
Employee signs agreement, confirming pay and start date.
HR updates HRIS, tax forms, and benefits enrollment.
Payroll runs using the signed terms in the next eligible pay cycle.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial, no credit card | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Bulk Send | Yes (Business Premium) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes (BAA available) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.
airSlate SignNow provides us with the flexibility needed to get the right signatures on the right documents, in the right formats, based on our integration with NetSuite.