Before and upon commencing employment, PEO employees must go through onboarding, just like any other employee. Read and follow the steps below to ensure a smooth and seamless onboarding process.
What is a PEO Employee?
A PEO Employee is legally employed by both an organization and Deel; but are paid and managed on the Deel platform. A PEO Employee must go through a specific onboarding process.
In this article:
What are the steps for onboarding as a PEO Employee?
✅ Step 1 - Create your account
Check your email! Keep an eye out on your inbox for a welcome email from Deel. This will include instructions on creating an account with Deel and other information to help get you started.
Tip: Please check your spam folder as the email may end up here.
When you log on to your account, select Home in the left sidebar to open your Home dashboard, where you can review assigned tasks and onboarding items.
✅ Step 2 - Submit additional details
Once you're logged on and provided your personal information, we'll verify your identity and other details.
Note: If you don't have your Social Security Number (SSN) available at this stage, you can skip it and provide it later. However, your SSN must be submitted before your first payroll can be processed.
You will be asked if you want to electronically fill out and e-sign documents in the Deel platform. There is no need to manually download, complete, and upload documentation.
✅ Step 3 - Add bank details
We will collect your bank details and direct deposit information so you can automatically receive your salary.
Tip: If you wish to change your bank details or select another form of payment like a paper check, expand the relevant section in the left sidebar, select the bank-account sub-item, and click Edit.
✅ Step 4 - Upload mandatory compliance documents
Select Home in the left sidebar and scroll through the Home dashboard to find the For You section under My Tasks.
Identify the document marked as required and click Start next to it. The upload form for that specific document will open.
These documents and payroll information are necessary to process your enrolment and pay, so upload them as soon as possible to avoid delay.
Most required documents can be filled out on platform and e-signed.
PEO employees can upload their W-4 and other forms by selecting the Workspace Icon > Documents tab.
Click 'Start' to begin the upload process for the first time. If you are submitting an updated form, click the three-dot action menu to delete an old form and upload the updated W-4.
Please refer to Compliance Documents for PEO Employees for more information on uploading mandatory compliance documents.
If For You or the relevant Start button is not available after reviewing the Home dashboard, the document is not currently assigned to your profile. Refresh the page and check again after a short wait. If it is still unavailable, contact your organization’s compliance, HR, or Deel administrator and ask them to confirm that the document has been assigned. Do not use unrelated Home Quick actions as a substitute for starting a required-document upload.
✅ Step 5 - Complete Form I-9 (Section 1 & 2)
Note: The I-9 form Section 2 must be completed within three (3) calendar days after your start date.
The I-9 form, formally titled Employment Eligibility Verification, is a government form used to verify an individual's eligibility to work in the U.S.
While you can complete Section 1 on the Deel platform, you must identify and assign a representative to review your documents to complete Section 2. The representative can complete Section 2 even before your official employee start date.
The chosen representative can be a colleague, a neighbor, a friend, or even a direct family member— almost anyone(a mix of people that the employee adds as their I9 representative).
Anyone can verify an I-9 as long as they follow these requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be physically present to review and sign the documents
- It cannot be the employer or the employee themselves
Please see Guide To Submitting Form I-9 On Deel (US Eligibility) for more details.
✅ Step 6 - Benefit Enrollment (Optional)
If your employers offer benefits, then you can also sign up for benefits packages on Deel. To know more refer to this article How PEO Employees Can Sign Up For Benefits On Deel.
✅ Step 7 - Get paid
Your salary will be paid directly into your bank account every pay cycle.
Note: The actual pay day is set by your employer, not by Deel. On the Home dashboard, scroll through the dashboard cards and look for the My payday section. If it appears, you will see your specific payday there.
If My payday is not visible, continue to the lower dashboard content and check the Finance card. If its Last payslips tab shows No payslips created yet, payday details are not currently available for your profile.
Important: Section 2 of the Form I-9 must be completed and submitted within three (3) calendar days after your start date, or you risk being placed under unpaid leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
[ACCORDION] How do I see the documents I need to submit?
On the Home dashboard, scroll to the For You section and click Start next to the required document. These documents and payroll information are necessary to process your enrollment and payroll.
If For You or the document is missing, the task may not yet be assigned to your profile; refresh the page and contact your compliance, HR, or Deel administrator if it remains unavailable.
[ACCORDION] How do I know if I am submitting the correct forms for my state?
The compliance documentation list you see on the Home dashboard will vary depending on your mailing address. So long as your mailing address corresponds to the state you are residing and working in, you will see the correct forms in the For You section.
[ACCORDION] Why can't I complete 100% of my onboarding checklist?
Your onboarding checklist will show 75% completion after you complete all mandatory steps before your start date.
You can achieve 100% completion only after your official start date, when you identify your legal representative and they complete Section 2 of the Form I-9.
Section 2 must be completed within three (3) days of your start date.
[ACCORDION] Can Deel process severance for an employee terminated before PEO go-live?
No. Deel cannot process severance through the PEO for employees who were terminated before the PEO go-live date and were never active on Deel.
If severance is still owed, clients should work directly with their prior payroll provider or bookkeeper to process the payment.
Deel does not support onboarding an individual solely to pay severance, as this would create a false employment record and may result in compliance issues, including Workers’ Compensation (WC) and State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) reporting errors.
[ACCORDION] How can I see my payslips?
On the Home dashboard, scroll to the Finance card and select the Last payslips tab if it is not already selected. You can review and download payslips from the list shown below the tab.
If the card displays No payslips created yet, you have successfully reached the payslips list, but no payslips are currently available for your profile. If the Finance card is not visible, scroll further through the Home dashboard.
New payslips will be available as soon as possible, but it may take up to three days after your payment is received.
Please see Understanding Your Payslip as a PEO Employee for more details on taxes and deductions.
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