Top 5 Tips for Hiring Summer Employees

Whether you're a seasonal business booming in the summer months, or a year-round shop wanting to give kids a job on their summer breaks, hiring temporary employees for a few months can be a great way to expand your business and provide valuable learning opportunities. That's if you do it right. Hiring summer employees isn't always as simple as throwing someone on the payroll in July.

Here are five tips for getting your summer hiring decisions right, from our archives:

1. A Biz Owner's Legal Guide to Summer Hiring

Make sure you're prepared for summer employees with this quick overview covering everything from starting your job search to terminating seasonal employees, including why it's so important for them, and you, to be OSHA-compliant.

2. 5 Rules for Hiring Kids This Summer

Chances are, if you're hiring summer help, they're going to be teenagers. From theme parks to landscaping companies to your aunt's law firm, summer jobs are for the children. So how does hiring a minor differ from hiring an adult? Make sure you know the rules, both state and federal.

3. For Summer Help: Intern, Contractor, or Employee?

Now that you've decided to bring someone on for the summer, how do you classify them? And be careful -- the legal distinction between contractors, employees, and interns is not a frivolous one. Just ask Viacom. Or Conde Nast. Or Lyft.

4. 5 Tasks Your Summer Interns Shouldn't Handle

Let's say you decide to designate your summer help as interns. Maybe you want to skimp on salary; maybe you see it as a true education al experience. Either way, you'd better be careful about treating your interns too much like employees. It's a great way to get sued.

5. 5 Clauses to Include in Summer Employment Contracts

If you designate your summer staff as employees, you may want them to sign an employment contract. Having a clear contract can put everyone on the same page in terms of the length of employment, compensation, and non-disclosure when the employee leaves in a few months.

The best way to take care of your summer employees and your small biz is to consult an experienced employment law attorney before you get down to hiring. You can find one in your area today.

Related Resources:

• Find Employment Lawyers Near You (FindLaw's Lawyer Directory)
• 5 Things Your Small Business Should Do This Summer (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
• 'Tis the Season to Prepare for Summer Job Seekers (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
• How to Hire Summer, Seasonal Employees (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)