Can this form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

Are there exceptions to eSigning?

Certain documents—like wills, court orders, and some family law decrees—are generally excluded from ESIGN/UETA coverage and may require wet signatures or notarization.

What about I-9 document inspection?

Employers must follow DHS rules; retain I-9s per 8 CFR §274a.2 and ensure physical document inspection requirements are met unless temporary exceptions apply.

How should corrections be handled?

Use versioning or an amendment section; have the signer re-sign corrected pages and retain both versions with an audit trail to preserve record integrity.

Is notarization required for onboarding forms?

Typically no. Notarization is only needed for specific instruments (POAs, affidavits, some releases) depending on state law; check jurisdictional rules before notarizing.

How long must I keep completed forms?

Retention depends on document type: follow IRS (IRC §6501(a)), I-9 (8 CFR §274a.2), HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and applicable state rules when setting retention schedules.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Current Address

Primary Phone

Email Address

Emergency Contact

Position & Employment Details

Job Title Department

Reporting Manager

Anticipated Start Date

Employment Type: Full-time Part-time Temporary/Seasonal Intern/Apprentice Contractor

Salary / Rate

Compensation Frequency

Employment History (Most Recent First)

Employer 1 — Company Name

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Employer 2 — Company Name

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree or Certification Institution Graduation Date

Professional References (Provide three)

Reference 1 — Name

Reference 2 — Name

Reference 3 — Name

Legal Disclosures & Authorizations

At-Will Employment: I understand and agree that my employment is at-will, and either I or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, except as otherwise provided by law or a written agreement signed by an authorized Company representative.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The Company prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of protected status. Employment decisions are made on the basis of business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications.

Authorization to Verify: I authorize the Company and its agents to investigate and verify all statements made on this form and to obtain information concerning my character, employment history, education and any other records necessary for employment. I authorize prior employers and listed references to provide information about my employment and fitness for employment.

Acknowledgement: I acknowledge the At-Will Employment statement. I acknowledge the Equal Employment Opportunity policy. I authorize background and reference checks as described above.

Onboarding — Administrative & IT Provisioning

Company Property Issued (check items issued and record identifiers)

Laptop — Make/Model / Serial Mobile Device — Make/Model / Serial Access Badge / Key Number

Accounts Provisioned (check all that apply)
Email HR System Payroll VPN/Network Code Repository Shared Applications

Required Training Completed Benefits Enrollment Date

Offboarding — Separation & Return of Property

Separation / Termination Date Reason for Separation

Final Pay & Entitlements:

Company Property Returned (check items returned and record identifiers)

Laptop returned Mobile device returned Badge/key returned Other

Access Revocation (check when completed)
Email disabled VPN/network access disabled HR & payroll access disabled Code repository access disabled Physical access revoked

Exit Interview Completed

Rehire Eligibility: Yes No

Authorization to Deduct Unreturned Property: By checking this box I authorize the Company to pursue recovery or payroll deductions to cover the cost of unreturned or damaged Company property, where permitted by law.

Applicant / Employee Certification

I certify that the information provided in this Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form is true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any falsification, misrepresentation or omission of material facts may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

I consent to the collection, use and retention of the personal information provided on this form for legitimate personnel, payroll, benefits, security and administrative purposes in accordance with Company policies and applicable law.

By signing below I acknowledge receipt of Company property listed above (if onboarding), or confirm return of Company property and completion of offboarding procedures (if separating).

Employee Name:

Signature:

Date:

What the Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form Is

An Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form is a combined HR intake and exit checklist used to capture essential personnel data, acknowledge company policies, assign equipment and access, and document final settlements or return-of-property. It centralizes information for payroll, benefits enrollment, I-9 verification, security access, and exit clearances so employers maintain consistent records across the employee lifecycle while reducing administrative gaps.

Why a Single Form Matters for Compliance and Continuity

Using a unified onboarding and offboarding form reduces missed steps, improves auditability, and helps enforce consistent policy application across hires and departures. Consolidated records support payroll accuracy, rapid access termination, and defensible retention practices required by federal and industry regulations.

Who Typically Completes and Signs This Form

Multiple parties interact with the form during an employee lifecycle: HR collects personal and tax information, managers confirm role details, and IT or security documents access and equipment assignments.

HR administrators collect, verify, and store personnel, tax, and benefits information for payroll and compliance.
Hiring managers confirm job title, start date, compensation, and approve onboarding tasks or issue clearances on offboarding.
IT and security teams record account provisioning, system access, asset issuance, and confirm return of company property.

The completed form becomes part of the official personnel file and is retained according to applicable federal, state, and industry retention rules.

Primary Signers and Approvers

HR Manager

Responsible for collecting required employee data, ensuring tax and benefits sections are completed, and certifying that onboarding/offboarding steps comply with company policy and relevant regulations.

Hiring Manager

Confirms role-specific details, authorizes access levels, and signs off on equipment issuance or return; may approve final pay or separation terms where delegated.

Essential Elements to Include in the Form

A professional onboarding/offboarding form groups personal data, employment terms, equipment and access logs, compliance acknowledgements, tax and benefits enrollment, and final clearance checklists for efficient processing.

Personal Data

Full legal name, preferred name, date of birth, home address, and contact information used for payroll, benefits, and legal notices; accuracy affects tax and background checks.

Employment Terms

Start date, termination date, job title, exempt/nonexempt status, base pay and compensation method; these fields determine eligibility and pay calculations.

Tax & Benefits

W-4/W-9 guidance, benefits enrollment selections, and direct deposit details necessary for correct withholding and benefit administration.

I-9 & Eligibility

Section for I-9 inspection notes and document types; employers must follow 8 CFR §274a.2 for retention and verification requirements.

Access & Assets

Records issued devices, system access, badge IDs, and required return steps at termination to support security and inventory reconciliation.

Signatures & Acknowledgments

Signature blocks for employee, HR, manager, and IT; include dates and checkboxes for policy acknowledgments to document consent and intent to sign.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Onboarding & Offboarding Form

Follow these sequential steps to gather necessary information, obtain approvals, and archive the completed file for compliance and audit readiness.

01

Collect Data: Gather personal, tax, and emergency contact information from the incoming employee.
02

Verify Documents: Complete I-9 inspection and note document types and expiration dates.
03

Provision Access: IT assigns accounts, permissions, and records issued equipment in the asset log.
04

Complete Clearance: At offboarding, confirm return of assets, revoke access, and document final pay adjustments.

How to Configure a Digital Onboarding Workflow

Map each form field to a workflow action so data flows to HRIS, payroll, and ticketing systems without manual re-entry.

Field	Configuration
Personal Data Mapping	Auto-fill to HRIS and payroll records
I-9 Verification	Flag for in-person inspection and retention
IT Provisioning	Trigger account creation and asset assignment ticket
Offboarding Checklist	Auto-notify payroll, security, and IT on termination

Routing and Submission Flow for the Form

A clear routing order reduces delays: the form should move from HR intake to manager approval, then to IT and payroll for action and archival.

HR Intake: HR uploads employee info and requests signatures.
Manager Approval: Manager verifies role and authorizes access.
IT Action: IT provisions or revokes accounts and logs assets.
Final Archival: Completed form stored in the personnel file with audit trail.

Digital Signing and Integration Considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure eSignature, audit trails, and integration with HR and IT systems to automate downstream tasks.

Authentication Methods: Email links, SMS codes, or advanced signer authentication.
Integrations: Sync with HRIS, payroll, and ticketing (Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365).
Formats Supported: Accepts PDF, DOCX, and exports for archival and records.

Ensure the chosen platform supports ESIGN/UETA compliance, provides tamper-evident audit logs, and can retain records according to legal retention schedules.

Key Deadlines and Retention-Related Dates to Track

Certain fields trigger statutory retention obligations and tax deadlines; track dates precisely to avoid penalties and support audits.

W-2 Delivery to Employee:

Provide by Jan 31 each year to employees.

1099-NEC Filing:

Issue to recipients and file with IRS by Jan 31.

I-9 Retention Rule:

Keep for 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2).

Payroll Recordkeeping:

Maintain payroll and time records per FLSA for 3 years (29 CFR §516.5).

Tax Return Deadlines:

Follow federal filing deadlines such as Form 1040 due April 15 unless extended.

Penalties and Legal Risks of Incomplete or Incorrect Forms

Incorrect TIN: May trigger 24% backup withholding.

Late 1099 Filing: Penalties $60–$330 per form under IRC §6721.

I-9 Violations: Fines range $281–$2,789 per violation.

HIPAA Breach: Civil penalties and corrective action plans possible.

Access Control Failures: Security incidents and potential data breach costs.

Lost Asset Records: Inventory and replacement expenses plus audit findings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing the Form

Skipping identity verification or entering mismatched legal names causes delays and can trigger backup withholding or failed background checks.
Failing to log issued devices and credentials leads to unresolved access after termination, raising security and compliance risk.
Not recording the exact document inspection method or retention location for I-9 and tax records makes audits more difficult.
Using inconsistent job titles or department names breaks downstream reporting and payroll classification, complicating benefits administration.

Security and Compliance Controls to Record

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Timestamp, IP, and action log

Access Controls: Role-based permissions

BAA Availability: HIPAA BAA required for PHI

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II; ISO 27001

Retention Logs: Tamper-evident storage and versioning

Pricing and Feature Snapshot for Employee Form eSignatures

Compare starter pricing and core capabilities for common eSignature providers relevant to HR workflows; signNow appears first per comparison convention.

	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	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	No cap	No cap	No cap

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

Answers to common legal, technical, and procedural questions about using an Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Form and signing it electronically.

Need help? Contact support

Can this form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
Are there exceptions to eSigning?
Certain documents—like wills, court orders, and some family law decrees—are generally excluded from ESIGN/UETA coverage and may require wet signatures or notarization.
What about I-9 document inspection?
Employers must follow DHS rules; retain I-9s per 8 CFR §274a.2 and ensure physical document inspection requirements are met unless temporary exceptions apply.
How should corrections be handled?
Use versioning or an amendment section; have the signer re-sign corrected pages and retain both versions with an audit trail to preserve record integrity.
Is notarization required for onboarding forms?
Typically no. Notarization is only needed for specific instruments (POAs, affidavits, some releases) depending on state law; check jurisdictional rules before notarizing.
How long must I keep completed forms?
Retention depends on document type: follow IRS (IRC §6501(a)), I-9 (8 CFR §274a.2), HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and applicable state rules when setting retention schedules.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now