Free exercise physiologist job description templates for clinical, fitness, corporate wellness, and sports settings, with ACSM credentials and FLSA notes.
6 templates for clinical, PT clinic, fitness, corporate wellness, sports, and small-business settings, with the ACSM credential, FLSA, and licensure guidance the template farms skip. Download as DOCX.
Exercise physiologist is a single job title that hides two very different jobs. One is a clinical role working with cardiac and pulmonary rehab patients under physician supervision. The other is a non-clinical role working with healthy people in gyms, corporate wellness, and sports performance. The generic templates default to the hospital version and ignore the rest, so the first job of any exercise physiologist job description is to say which one you mean.
At FirstHR, we build hiring templates that name the parts the template farms skip: the clinical-versus-fitness split, the credentials, the FLSA nuance, and the licensure facts. The six below cover the role by setting, from cardiac rehab to corporate wellness. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Exercise physiologist splits into clinical (cardiac/pulmonary rehab, under physician supervision) and non-clinical (fitness, wellness, sports). It needs a bachelor's degree and an ACSM credential (EP for non-clinical, CEP or RCEP for clinical), not a personal-trainer cert. Louisiana is the only state that licenses it. FLSA status is not automatic. Federal data (SOC 29-1128) shows a median of $58,160 (May 2024).
What Is an Exercise Physiologist?
An exercise physiologist is a degreed professional who applies exercise science to design and deliver exercise programs that improve health and performance. The role splits into a clinical type, working with chronic-disease patients in cardiac or pulmonary rehab under medical supervision, and a non-clinical type, working with healthy people in fitness, corporate wellness, and sports settings.
Federal data places the role under exercise physiologists (SOC 29-1128), which the Bureau of Labor Statistics explicitly distinguishes from fitness trainers, athletic trainers, and physical therapists. It requires at least a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, or kinesiology, with a master's often required for cardiac rehab. Naming the clinical-versus-non-clinical split is the decision that shapes the whole posting.
Exercise Physiologist Duties and Responsibilities
The duties cluster into assessment and testing, program design and delivery, monitoring and safety, and education and documentation. The mix shifts sharply by setting, heavier on clinical monitoring and emergency response in rehab, heavier on coaching and progress tracking in fitness.
Assessment and testing
Assess history, fitness, and exercise tolerance
Conduct exercise testing within scope
Track progress and adjust over time
Program design and delivery
Design individualized, evidence-based programs
Lead and supervise sessions safely
Adjust programs to response and goals
Monitoring and safety
Monitor vitals, EKG, and symptoms in clinical settings
Respond to clinical changes and emergencies
Maintain BLS/CPR and a safe environment
Education and documentation
Educate on exercise, recovery, and lifestyle
Document sessions accurately
Protect privacy and any health data
In a clinical setting the monitoring and documentation duties dominate, under physician supervision; in a fitness or sports setting the assessment and program-design work leads. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your setting. The clinical version is the flagship with the Medicare and ACSM-CEP detail; the PT clinic, fitness, corporate wellness, sports, and small-business versions match different settings, credentials, and rules. Use this guide to choose.
Clinical / Cardiac Rehab
Healthcare, CEP
The flagship: a clinical exercise physiologist in cardiac or pulmonary rehab under physician supervision, with the Medicare supervision rules and ACSM-CEP credentials built in.
Outpatient PT Clinic
Supports the PT team
For a physical therapy clinic adding an EP to support exercise programming alongside the licensed physical therapist who directs the plan of care.
Fitness / Health Club
Healthy clients
For a non-clinical fitness setting, applying exercise science with healthy members, a degreed role that goes beyond a personal-trainer certification.
Corporate Wellness
Worksite programs
For a wellness vendor or in-house program designing and running worksite fitness and screenings, with a focus on prevention and measurable outcomes.
Sports Performance
Athlete conditioning
For a performance setting applying physiology and testing to improve athletic performance, overlapping with strength and conditioning roles.
Small Clinic / Studio
Hands-on, owner-led
For a small cardiac-rehab program, PT clinic, fitness studio, or wellness practice making a versatile hire, with FLSA and credentialing guidance built in.
Match the Template to Your Setting
Cardiac or pulmonary rehab: Clinical / Cardiac Rehab. A physical therapy clinic adding an EP: Outpatient PT Clinic. A gym or health club: Fitness / Health Club. A worksite program or wellness vendor: Corporate Wellness. An athletics or performance facility: Sports Performance. A small clinic, studio, or practice: Small Clinic / Studio. Whichever you pick, require the matching ACSM credential and confirm FLSA classification by duties.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: role context and position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance or scope note, an EEO statement, and pay. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Templates
Clinical, outpatient PT, fitness, corporate wellness, sports performance, and small business. All in one DOCX.
The flagship: a clinical EP in cardiac or pulmonary rehab under physician supervision, with the Medicare supervision rules and ACSM-CEP credentials built in.
Employment type: [Full-time / Part-time], [salaried or hourly], W-2
FLSA status: [Confirm exempt vs non-exempt by duties and salary]
Compensation: $______ [per year or per hour]
ABOUT THIS ROLE
In a sports-performance setting, the exercise physiologist applies
exercise science to improve athletic performance, working with athletes
to assess capacity and design conditioning programs. This role often
overlaps with strength and conditioning but is grounded in physiology and
assessment.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Employer Name] is hiring an Exercise Physiologist to support athlete
assessment and performance programming. You will test physiological
capacity, design conditioning programs, monitor adaptation, and help
athletes train safely and effectively.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assess athletes' physiological capacity and performance
•Design and adjust conditioning and recovery programs
•Conduct testing (VO2, lactate, strength, movement) as equipped
•Monitor training load, adaptation, and readiness
•Educate athletes on training, recovery, and nutrition basics
•Collaborate with coaches and any clinical staff
•Maintain testing equipment and a safe environment
•Respond to incidents and provide basic first aid (BLS/CPR)
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, or kinesiology
•[Master's preferred for advanced testing roles]
•[ACSM-EP certification; CSCS a plus]
•Current BLS/CPR
•Experience with performance testing and program design
•Strong analytical and communication skills
NOTE ON RELATED ROLES
This role overlaps with strength and conditioning coaches and athletic
trainers, which are distinct roles with their own credentials (athletic
trainers are licensed in nearly all states). Define the scope and the
credential you actually need so applicants self-select correctly. This is
not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Employer Name] is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable
accommodations are available for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ [per year or per hour]
To apply, email __.
Template 6: Small Clinic / Studio Exercise Physiologist
For a small cardiac-rehab program, PT clinic, fitness studio, or wellness practice making a versatile hire, with FLSA and credentialing guidance built in.
Because the role is rarely licensed, the credential is what signals qualification, and the right one depends on whether the work is clinical or non-clinical. Match the certification to the setting rather than accepting any fitness certification.
ACSM-EP (Certified Exercise Physiologist)
The core non-clinical credential, requiring a bachelor's degree. This is the right baseline for fitness, corporate wellness, and sports-performance roles working with generally healthy clients.
ACSM-CEP (Clinical)
The clinical credential, requiring a bachelor's degree plus 400-plus clinical hours. This is the credential to ask for in cardiac and pulmonary rehab and other patient-facing clinical settings.
ACSM-RCEP (Registered Clinical)
The advanced clinical credential, requiring a master's degree plus 600 hours. Ask for it when the role involves higher-acuity patients or program leadership in a clinical rehab setting.
Not a personal-trainer cert
NASM and ACE are personal-trainer credentials, not exercise physiologist credentials. Most clinical employers also require current BLS/CPR and often ACLS. Match the credential to the setting rather than accepting any fitness certification.
Louisiana Is the Only Licensing State
Louisiana is the only state that licenses clinical exercise physiologists, through the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. In the other states the role is unlicensed but certification-driven, a sharp contrast with physical therapists (licensed in all 50 states) and athletic trainers (licensed in nearly all). Outside Louisiana, requiring a license would screen out qualified candidates, so specify the degree and the appropriate ACSM certification instead. In Louisiana, confirm the current state requirements. This is general information, not legal advice.
FLSA: Are Exercise Physiologists Exempt?
This is the nuance small employers get wrong. Because the median pay clears the federal salary threshold, employers often assume the role is automatically exempt. It is not. Clearing the salary threshold alone does not create an exemption.
The likely exemption is the learned-professional exemption, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science customarily acquired by prolonged specialized instruction. Because the entry credential is a bachelor's degree rather than a doctoral or licensed practice, the classification is fact-specific, and many bachelor's-level exercise physiologists, especially hourly ones in fitness or entry clinical roles, are non-exempt and owe overtime. The federal salary threshold is currently $684 per week ($35,568 per year) under the 2019 rule, since the 2024 increase was vacated by a federal court.
Classify by Duties, Not by Assumption
Do not assume a degreed role must be salaried and exempt. Classify by the actual duties and salary basis, apply the higher of the federal or state threshold, and when the role is hourly and routine, treat it as non-exempt. The guides to exempt versus non-exempt and the Fair Labor Standards Act explain how the tests work. This is general information, not legal advice.
Exercise Physiologist vs Related Roles
The title is easily confused with several adjacent roles. Getting the distinction right keeps your posting from attracting the wrong applicants or asking for the wrong credential.
Role
How it differs
Personal trainer
Certification-only (NASM, ACE), healthy clients, no degree required
Kinesiologist
Broader movement-science field; exercise physiology is a subfield
Physical therapist
Doctoral, licensed in all 50 states, treats acute injury
Athletic trainer
Master's, licensed in nearly all states, sports injury focus
Strength and conditioning coach
Performance focus; overlaps in sports settings; CSCS credential
Exercise physiologist
Degreed; exercise science; clinical or non-clinical; ACSM credentials
If you genuinely need a personal trainer or a physical therapist, hire and title for that role instead. If you need exercise-science depth and assessment, the exercise physiologist is the right hire, with the credential matched to clinical or non-clinical work.
Requirements and Qualifications
This is a degreed, credential-driven role. Name the degree and the matching ACSM certification precisely, and tailor the clinical add-ons to your setting.
Requirement
What to know
Education
Bachelor's in exercise physiology, exercise science, or kinesiology; master's for cardiac rehab
Certification
ACSM-EP (non-clinical) or ACSM-CEP / RCEP (clinical)
Life support
Current BLS/CPR; ACLS often required for clinical
Licensure
None in most states; Louisiana only licenses clinical EPs
Experience
Assessment and program design; clinical testing for rehab
Skills
Communication, documentation, and a client-centered approach
Keep the must-haves clear and match the certification to clinical or non-clinical work. The guide to writing a job description covers how to structure the rest.
Pay and Hiring Outlook
Exercise physiologist pay sits in the mid-range for allied-health roles, and while the occupation is small, demand is growing.
BLS Benchmark (Exercise Physiologists, May 2024)
Exercise physiologists (SOC 29-1128) had a median wage of $58,160 a year ($27.96 an hour) as of May 2024, with the lowest 10% under $40,930 and the highest 10% over $79,830. By industry, physician offices and hospitals pay near the median while PT and other ambulatory settings pay lower. Employment is projected to grow 9% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, though on a small base of about 23,900 jobs with roughly 1,700 openings a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Anchor your offer to the setting and region: clinical rehab and physician-office roles tend to pay near or above the median, while entry fitness roles sit lower. Market data shows wide variation by title and setting, so the BLS figure is the reliable anchor for an evergreen posting.
Hiring an Exercise Physiologist for a Small Business
The honest picture: clinical and fitness are two different jobs under one title so name which you mean, classifying the role exempt by default is a common and costly mistake, and the employer is usually a small clinic or studio carrying real credentialing and compliance. Here are the three realities to get right.
Clinical and fitness are two different jobs under one title, so name which you mean
Exercise physiologist maps to a single federal occupation, but in the real world it splits into two distinct jobs. A clinical exercise physiologist works with patients who have chronic disease, most often in cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation, under physician supervision, and needs clinical testing and patient-monitoring skills plus a clinical credential. A non-clinical exercise physiologist works with generally healthy people in fitness, corporate wellness, or sports performance, applying exercise science to design programs. The generic templates default to a hospital and cardiac-rehab framing and ignore the fitness side entirely, which misleads applicants for the other half of the field. The title is also confused with personal trainer, kinesiologist, physical therapist, athletic trainer, and strength and conditioning coach, each of which is a different role with different credentials. Decide whether you are hiring clinical or non-clinical, use the matching template, and name the certification, because that, more than the title, defines who can do the job.
Classifying the role exempt by default is a common and costly mistake
Because the median pay clears the federal salary threshold, employers often assume an exercise physiologist is automatically exempt from overtime. That is not how it works. Exempt status under the learned-professional exemption requires advanced knowledge in a field of science customarily acquired by prolonged specialized instruction, and because the entry credential is a bachelor's degree rather than a doctoral or licensed practice like physical therapy, the classification is fact-specific. Many bachelor's-level exercise physiologists, especially those paid hourly in fitness or entry clinical roles, are non-exempt and owe overtime. Getting this wrong is exactly the kind of error a smaller employer makes, and it creates real wage-and-hour liability. Classify by the actual duties and the salary basis, not the title or the assumption that a degreed role must be salaried and exempt, and apply the higher of the federal or state threshold. When the role is hourly and routine, treat it as non-exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
The employer is usually a small clinic or studio carrying real credentialing and compliance
While hospitals are the largest single employer of exercise physiologists, the smaller employers that hire them, independent cardiac-rehab programs, outpatient PT clinics adding an EP, fitness studios, and corporate-wellness vendors, are typically owner-led operations running lean. For them, this hire carries more compliance than the generic templates suggest. Clinical roles fall under Medicare cardiac and pulmonary rehab supervision rules and involve protected health information under HIPAA, the credential matters and differs by setting (ACSM-EP versus CEP versus RCEP), Louisiana is the only state that licenses clinical exercise physiologists, and BLS or CPR and often ACLS are expected. A small clinic or studio handles the offer, the credential verification, the training, and the documentation with a lean back office. That is where a repeatable system helps. FirstHR fits it directly: e-signature for the offer and policy and HIPAA acknowledgments, document management to store the degree, ACSM certification, BLS and ACLS cards, and any Louisiana license with renewal reminders, training modules for required topics, and task workflows so every onboarding runs the same way. A simple HRIS keeps the org chart and records in one place. Because pricing is flat rather than per seat, a small operation pays one rate as it grows. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
After You Hire: Onboarding an Exercise Physiologist
Onboarding an exercise physiologist is more than paperwork, because the role is degreed, credential-driven, and sometimes clinical. Send the offer stating the pay and the FLSA classification you have correctly determined, collect the signed offer, and complete Form I-9 and tax forms as part of the new hire paperwork.
Then verify the credentials, which are the core of this hire: confirm the degree and the matching ACSM certification for the setting, verify current BLS or CPR and any required ACLS, and in Louisiana verify the state license, recording every expiration date. For clinical roles, complete any background check, health screening, and HIPAA training, and orient the hire to the supervision structure and the Medicare documentation standards. Keep the signed onboarding documents and credential records on file. If this is among your first hires, the guide to hiring your first employee covers the broader steps.
Because this is an infrequent, nuanced hire, having the sequence documented helps you get it right the first time. FirstHR fits it directly: e-signature for the offer and policy and HIPAA acknowledgments, document management to store the degree, ACSM certification, BLS and ACLS cards, and any Louisiana license with renewal reminders so nothing lapses, training modules for required topics, task workflows so every onboarding runs the same way, and a simple HRIS to keep records and the org chart in one place. Because pricing is flat rather than per seat, a small operation pays one rate as it grows. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Exercise physiologist splits into clinical (cardiac/pulmonary rehab, under physician supervision) and non-clinical (fitness, wellness, sports): name which you are hiring.
The role needs a bachelor's degree and an ACSM credential (EP for non-clinical, CEP or RCEP for clinical), not a personal-trainer certification like NASM or ACE.
Louisiana is the only state that licenses clinical exercise physiologists; elsewhere the role is unlicensed but certification-driven.
FLSA status is not automatic: many bachelor's-level EPs are non-exempt and owe overtime, so classify by duties rather than assuming exempt.
Clinical roles fall under Medicare cardiac and pulmonary rehab supervision rules and handle PHI under HIPAA.
Federal data (SOC 29-1128) shows a median of $58,160 (May 2024) and 9% projected growth, on a small base of about 23,900 jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exercise physiologist?
An exercise physiologist is a degreed professional who applies exercise science to design and deliver fitness and exercise programs that improve health and performance. The role maps to a single federal occupation but splits into two real-world types. A clinical exercise physiologist works with patients who have chronic conditions, most often in cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation but also diabetes, metabolic, and neuromuscular settings, typically in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and physician offices under medical supervision. A non-clinical exercise physiologist works with generally healthy people in fitness centers, corporate wellness, university recreation, and sports performance. Both assess clients, design individualized evidence-based programs, supervise exercise safely, monitor responses, and educate on lifestyle change, but the clinical role adds patient monitoring, clinical exercise testing, and emergency response under physician oversight. The role requires at least a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, or kinesiology, with a master's often required for cardiac rehab. It is distinct from a personal trainer, who is certification-only and works with healthy clients, and from a physical therapist or athletic trainer, who are licensed clinicians. When you hire, the first step is deciding whether you need the clinical or the non-clinical version.
What does an exercise physiologist do?
An exercise physiologist assesses clients or patients and designs and delivers exercise programs tailored to their health, fitness, or rehabilitation goals. The core duties include analyzing history, fitness, and exercise tolerance, conducting exercise testing within their scope, designing individualized evidence-based programs, leading and supervising sessions safely, monitoring responses and adjusting programs over time, educating on exercise, recovery, and lifestyle change, and documenting their work. In a clinical setting such as cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation, the role adds monitoring of vital signs, EKG, and symptoms during sessions, responding to clinical changes and emergencies with BLS or ACLS skills, and documenting care to meet medical-necessity and program requirements under physician supervision. In a fitness, corporate wellness, or sports-performance setting, the work centers on assessment, program design, coaching, and progress tracking for generally healthy people. Across settings the role is hands-on and client-facing, applying physiology and assessment rather than simply leading workouts, which is what distinguishes it from a personal trainer. The specific mix of duties depends heavily on whether the role is clinical or non-clinical, so define that before writing the posting.
What is the difference between an exercise physiologist and a personal trainer?
An exercise physiologist and a personal trainer both work with exercise, but they differ in education, scope, and the populations they serve. An exercise physiologist typically holds at least a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, or kinesiology and applies exercise science to design evidence-based programs, and in clinical settings works with patients who have chronic disease under medical supervision. A personal trainer is generally a certification-only role, earned through credentials such as NASM or ACE without a required degree, and works with generally healthy clients on fitness goals. So the exercise physiologist brings deeper scientific training and can work with clinical or higher-risk populations, while the personal trainer focuses on general fitness coaching. This distinction matters when you write a job description, because asking for an exercise physiologist and then accepting a personal-trainer certification undercuts the role you are trying to fill. NASM and ACE are personal-trainer credentials, not exercise physiologist credentials; the exercise physiologist credentials are the ACSM-EP for non-clinical work and the ACSM-CEP or RCEP for clinical work. If you genuinely need a personal trainer, hire and title for that instead; if you need the science and assessment depth, hire an exercise physiologist and require the matching degree and certification.
Do exercise physiologists need a license?
In almost every state, no. Louisiana is the only state that licenses clinical exercise physiologists, through the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners; in the other 49 states the role is unlicensed, though it is certification-driven. This is a sharp contrast with physical therapists, who are licensed in all 50 states, and athletic trainers, who are licensed in nearly all states, and it is a point employers frequently get wrong. Because there is generally no license requirement, the credential is what signals qualification: the ACSM-EP (Certified Exercise Physiologist) for non-clinical roles, and the ACSM-CEP (Clinical) or ACSM-RCEP (Registered Clinical, master's level) for clinical roles, with most clinical employers also requiring BLS and often ACLS. Some states have drafted but not enacted licensure legislation, so the landscape could change, and in Louisiana you must confirm the current LSBME requirements before hiring or posting. For employers outside Louisiana, the practical takeaway is to specify the degree and the appropriate ACSM certification rather than a license, since requiring a nonexistent license would screen out qualified candidates. Confirm your state's current rules before posting. This is general information, not legal advice.
Are exercise physiologists exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
It depends on the specific role, and assuming exempt by default is a common mistake. While the median pay for exercise physiologists clears the federal salary threshold of $35,568 a year, clearing the salary threshold alone does not make someone exempt. The most likely applicable exemption is the learned-professional exemption, which requires advanced knowledge in a field of science customarily acquired by prolonged specialized instruction. Because the entry credential for this occupation is a bachelor's degree rather than a doctoral or licensed practice like physical therapy, whether a given exercise physiologist meets the learned-professional test is fact-specific and not automatic. In practice, many bachelor's-level exercise physiologists, particularly those paid hourly in fitness settings or entry-level clinical roles, are non-exempt and are entitled to overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek. A master's-level clinical exercise physiologist in a specialized role has a stronger case for exempt status, but it still turns on the actual duties and the salary basis. The safe approach is to classify based on the real duties and the pay structure, apply the higher of the federal or state threshold, and when the role is hourly and routine, treat it as non-exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
What certifications does an exercise physiologist need?
The right certification depends on whether the role is clinical or non-clinical, and matching it to the setting is the key hiring decision. For non-clinical roles in fitness, corporate wellness, and sports performance, the core credential is the ACSM-EP, the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, which requires a bachelor's degree. For clinical roles, the credential steps up: the ACSM-CEP (Clinical Exercise Physiologist) requires a bachelor's degree plus more than 400 clinical hours, and the ACSM-RCEP (Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist) requires a master's degree plus 600 hours and suits higher-acuity or leadership roles. The ASEP EPC is another recognized credential. Beyond the discipline certification, most clinical employers require current BLS or CPR certification and frequently ACLS, especially in cardiac rehab. It is important not to accept personal-trainer certifications such as NASM or ACE as substitutes, since those credential a different, certification-only role. When you write the posting, name the specific certification that fits your setting rather than asking generically for certification, verify it before the start date, and track its expiration so it does not lapse. In Louisiana, also confirm the state clinical exercise physiologist license requirement.
Who hires exercise physiologists, and do small businesses hire them?
Exercise physiologists are hired across healthcare and fitness, but the employer base is concentrated and the occupation is small. The largest share of the workforce is self-employed, and among employers, hospitals are the biggest, followed by physician offices and physical therapy and other ambulatory care settings. Hospitals are large enterprises, but smaller employers do hire exercise physiologists, just more thinly: independent and hospital-affiliated cardiac-rehab programs, small outpatient PT clinics that add an exercise physiologist, independent fitness studios and health clubs, sports-performance centers, and corporate-wellness vendors. Many of these are genuine small businesses in the range a flat-fee HR tool serves. The caveat is volume: this is a tiny occupation with only about 1,700 openings a year nationally, so any single small employer hires for this role rarely. When a smaller clinic or studio does hire one, though, it carries real complexity, the clinical-versus-fitness distinction, the credential to require, the FLSA classification, and the Louisiana licensure question, often with a lean back office to sort it out. That is the situation the small-business template and the guidance on this page are built for: making an infrequent, nuanced hire correctly the first time.
What happens after I hire an exercise physiologist?
Run a structured onboarding that handles standard employment paperwork plus the credential verification this role requires. Start with the basics: send the offer stating the pay and, importantly, the FLSA classification you have correctly determined, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 in the first days, and gather the W-4 and any state tax forms. Then verify the credentials, which is the heart of this hire. Confirm the degree and the appropriate ACSM certification for the setting, ACSM-EP for non-clinical or CEP or RCEP for clinical, verify current BLS or CPR and any required ACLS, and in Louisiana verify the state clinical exercise physiologist license. Record each expiration date so nothing lapses. For clinical roles, complete any background check, health screening, and HIPAA training, and orient the new hire to the supervision structure and documentation requirements, including the Medicare medical-necessity standards in cardiac or pulmonary rehab. For fitness, wellness, or sports roles, orient them to your programs, equipment, and clients. Because this is an infrequent, nuanced hire, having the sequence documented helps you get it right. FirstHR fits it directly: e-signature for the offer and policy and HIPAA acknowledgments, document management to store the degree, certifications, BLS and ACLS cards, and any license with renewal reminders, training modules for required topics, task workflows so every onboarding runs the same way, and a simple HRIS to keep records and the org chart in one place. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
