FirstHR

Payroll

Payroll templates, forms, and downloadable documents for small business.

All Articles

What Is an Independent Contractor Agreement

PayrollJul 22, 202616 min

What Is an Independent Contractor Agreement? + Templates

A plain-English answer plus six free independent contractor agreement templates for US small business: a standard agreement, a simple one-page version, an ongoing retainer, a trade subcontractor agreement, a worker classification checklist, and a paperwork and payment checklist. Covers the IRS three-category test, state ABC rules, W-9 collection, and the $2,000 1099-NEC threshold. DOCX, no signup.

Commission Agreement

PayrollJul 22, 202617 min

Free Commission Agreement Template for Small Business

Six free commission agreement templates for US small business: an employee sales commission agreement, a 1099 contractor version, commission-only with a minimum wage floor, tiered, draw against commission, and a compliance checklist. Covers the commission base, the earning trigger, chargebacks, and the written-agreement and signed-receipt rules. DOCX, no signup.

Payroll Change Form

PayrollJul 22, 202614 min

Payroll Change Form Templates

Six free payroll change form templates for US small business: an all-purpose change form, a pay rate change form, a status and FLSA reclassification form, a deduction authorization, a written pay change notice, and a processing checklist. Every form pairs current values with new values, and covers the state notice rules that require telling an employee before a pay change takes effect. DOCX, no signup.

Payroll Advance Agreement

PayrollJul 22, 202616 min

Free Payroll Advance Agreement Template + Request Form

Six free payroll advance templates for US small business: the core advance agreement, a salary advance version, an employee request form, a standalone wage deduction authorization, an employee loan agreement, and a compliance checklist. Covers the written authorization states require before disbursement, the no-interest rule, and the minimum wage math for hourly staff. DOCX, no signup.

Overtime Policy

PayrollJul 22, 202616 min

Overtime Policy Templates

Six free overtime policy templates for US small business: a standard policy, a short plain-language version for small teams, a mandatory overtime policy, a request and approval form, a handbook section, and a compliance self-check. Written to the current federal salary threshold of $684 per week, with the daily overtime states flagged and the new W-2 overtime reporting requirement covered. DOCX, no signup.

Direct Deposit Authorization Form

PayrollJul 17, 202613 min

Free Direct Deposit Authorization Form for Small Business

Four free direct deposit authorization form templates for small business: a standard form, a split multi-account form, a change and cancellation form, and a contractor ACH form. EFTA and state compliance notes. DOCX, no signup.

Income Verification Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202614 min

Free Income Verification Letter Templates

Five free income verification letter templates for small business: a standard employer-issued letter, a blank fillable version, a self-employed version, a rental version addressed to a landlord, and a salary-disclosure consent form. Salary-consent guidance. DOCX, no signup.

Payroll Spreadsheet

PayrollJul 17, 202614 min

Free Payroll Spreadsheet Templates for Small Business

Free payroll spreadsheet templates for small business as real Excel files with worked examples: weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, and monthly, plus hourly with overtime, salaried, tax deductions, contractor, and a year-to-date register. Built with 2026 FICA rates and FLSA overtime. XLSX, no signup.

Bonus Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202613 min

Free Bonus Letter Templates for Small Business (6 Types)

Six free bonus letter templates for small business: year-end, performance, discretionary, Christmas, signing, and spot recognition. Each states the amount, reason, and pay date, with gross-versus-net and FLSA discretionary notes. DOCX, no signup.

Compensation Policy

PayrollJul 17, 202616 min

Free Compensation Policy Template for Small Business

Four free compensation policy templates for small business: a standard version, an hourly and non-exempt version, a salaried and exempt version with FLSA classification, and a startup version with equity. Pay-philosophy picker, salary bands, and 2026 FLSA and pay-transparency guidance. DOCX, no signup.

Salary Increase Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202613 min

Free Salary Increase Letter to Employee (7 Templates)

Seven free salary increase letter templates for small business, one per reason: merit, cost-of-living, promotion, annual, market adjustment, company-wide, and retention. Each includes at-will and acknowledgment clauses competitors skip. DOCX, no signup.

Severance Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202616 min

Free Severance Letter Templates for Employers

Five free severance letter templates for small business: a standard position-elimination letter, a layoff and RIF letter, a mutual separation letter, an executive and over-40 letter, and a no-release goodwill letter. Plain-language transmittal letters that point to an attorney-prepared agreement. DOCX, no signup.

Termination Of Employment Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202614 min

Free Termination of Employment Letter (7 Templates)

Seven free termination of employment letter templates for small business, one per scenario: at-will, for-cause, poor performance, layoff, mutual separation, end of contract, and probationary. With final-pay, COBRA, and WARN notes for teams without HR. DOCX, no signup.

Last Day Of Employment Letter

PayrollJul 17, 202615 min

Free Last Day of Employment Letter Templates

Five free templates for employers to confirm an employee's last day: after resignation, after termination or layoff, on mutual or contract end, an employment verification of last day, and a manager's farewell note. With a final-pay and offboarding checklist. DOCX, no signup.

Payroll Deduction Authorization Form

PayrollJul 17, 202613 min

Free Payroll Deduction Authorization Form (6 Templates)

Six free payroll deduction authorization form templates for small business: a standard form plus benefit premiums, loan and advance repayment, 401(k), uniform and equipment, and one-time deductions. With FLSA minimum-wage-floor and written-consent language. DOCX, no signup.

Payroll Policy

PayrollJul 17, 202615 min

Free Payroll Policy Template for US Small Business

Four free US payroll policy templates for small business: a standard company policy, a lean small-business version, an SOP-style policy and procedures document, and an employee-facing handbook section. Covers pay periods, overtime, FLSA classification, deductions, and timekeeping. DOCX, no signup.

On-Call Policy For Hourly Employees

PayrollJul 17, 202614 min

On-Call Policy for Hourly Employees (6 Free Templates)

Six free on-call policy templates for hourly employees: a general policy plus on-call pay, retail and restaurant, healthcare, IT and manufacturing, and a signable agreement. Built on the FLSA engaged-to-wait rule that decides when on-call time is paid. DOCX, no signup.

Contractor Policy

PayrollJul 17, 202615 min

Free Contractor Policy Template for Small Business

Four free independent contractor policy templates for US small business: a standard policy, a lean small-business version, a classification checklist, and an onboarding checklist. Covers the classification tests, the agreement, W-9 and 1099-NEC, misclassification risk, and access. DOCX, no signup.

Ready to transform your onboarding?

7-day free trial No credit card required
Start Your Free Trial