# doany.ai — Engineering Onboarding Package

**Prepared:** 2026-04-13 | **Prepared by:** People Ops (Jamie Torres)
**Covers:** 3 new engineering hires across California (US) and Ontario (Canada)

> **Legal disclaimer:** This package provides general HR guidance and templates. It is **not legal advice**. Consult doany.ai's outside counsel before finalizing offer letters, contractor agreements, or taking actions with legal effect — especially cross-border matters.

---

## 1. Summary

This package delivers a unified onboarding workflow for three April/May 2026 engineering hires, with jurisdiction-specific compliance callouts for **California** and **Ontario**. It replaces the incomplete v1 checklist and adds the missing sections Jamie flagged: jurisdiction compliance, contractor flow, manager comms, privacy guidelines, and metrics.

**Hires covered:**

| # | Name | Role | Type | Location | Start Date | Reports To |
|---|------|------|------|----------|------------|------------|
| 1 | Priya Ramanathan | Senior Backend Engineer | FTE | San Jose, CA | 2026-05-05 | Alex Chen |
| 2 | Marcus Webb | Frontend Engineer | FTE | Toronto, ON | 2026-05-05 | Alex Chen |
| 3 | Jordan Liu | Infrastructure Engineer | Contractor (6-mo) | Oakland, CA | 2026-05-12 | Alex Chen |

---

## 2. Inputs & Assumptions

- **Company:** doany.ai, Inc. — 28 employees, AI/DevTools SaaS, fully remote (US + Canada)
- **HRIS/Payroll:** Rippling (US + CA) | **ATS:** Lever | **Background checks:** Checkr (US), Sterling (Canada)
- **Benefits:** Aetna (US), Manulife (Canada) | Equipment: company-shipped laptop + monitor + $500 stipend
- **No union presence** in either jurisdiction
- **At-will employment** (California FTEs); **ESA-governed** (Ontario FTE)
- Jordan Liu is a **contractor** — AB5/ABC test analysis required before engagement (see Section 7)
- Core collaboration hours: 10 am - 2 pm PT

---

## 3. Onboarding Checklists

### 3A. Pre-Start Checklist (All Hires)

**Target: Complete by T-5 business days before start date**

| # | Task | Owner | Priya (CA FTE) | Marcus (ON FTE) | Jordan (CA Contractor) |
|---|------|-------|:-:|:-:|:-:|
| 1 | Send offer letter / contractor agreement via DocuSign | Recruiter (Rina) | Offer letter | Offer letter | SOW + mutual NDA |
| 2 | Initiate background check | People Ops | Checkr | Sterling | Checkr |
| 3 | Collect tax/payroll forms | People Ops | W-4, I-9 | TD1 (federal + provincial), SIN | W-9 |
| 4 | Add to Rippling (payroll + benefits) | People Ops | Yes | Yes | Contractor profile only |
| 5 | Order & ship laptop + monitor | IT | Yes | Yes (international shipping — allow extra time) | Self-provided (per contractor policy) |
| 6 | Provision accounts: Google Workspace, GitHub org, Slack, Linear, Notion | IT | Yes | Yes | Scoped access per SOW |
| 7 | Assign onboarding buddy | Alex Chen | Yes | Yes | Optional — project lead pairing |
| 8 | Schedule Week 1 meetings | People Ops | Manager 1:1, team intro, HR orientation | Same | SOW kickoff, IT walkthrough |
| 9 | Send pre-boarding welcome email (see Section 8) | People Ops | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Prepare jurisdiction-specific compliance documents (see 3B/3C) | People Ops | CA packet | ON packet | CA packet (limited) |

### 3B. California-Specific Compliance (Priya + Jordan)

**Required documents / actions:**

- [ ] **I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification** — Section 1 on or before Day 1; Section 2 by **Day 3** (federal requirement). *Remote: use authorized E-Verify agent or video verification if permitted.*
  - *Jordan (contractor): I-9 NOT required for independent contractors*
- [ ] **CA Wage Theft Prevention Notice** (Labor Code s 2810.5) — provide written notice of pay rate, pay day, employer info, workers' comp carrier. *FTEs only.*
- [ ] **DFEH Right to File a Complaint** notice (CRD-185)
- [ ] **Workers' Compensation** pamphlet and carrier info
- [ ] **Sexual Harassment Prevention** — 1 hour training within 6 months (SB 1343); 2 hours for supervisors
- [ ] **Paid Sick Leave** notice (Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act)
- [ ] **CCPA Employee Privacy Notice** — inform of data categories collected and purpose
- [ ] **At-will employment** acknowledgment (in offer letter)
- [ ] **IP Assignment Agreement** (existing company template)
- [ ] **Handbook acknowledgment** signature

**California pay transparency:** Offer letter must include pay scale/range for the role per SB 1162.

### 3C. Ontario-Specific Compliance (Marcus)

**Required documents / actions:**

- [ ] **Offer letter / employment agreement** must state: job title, wage rate, pay period, expected hours per week (ESA s. 1(1))
- [ ] Collect **SIN (Social Insurance Number)** for payroll — store encrypted in Rippling only; minimize access
- [ ] **TD1 forms** — both federal and Ontario provincial
- [ ] **OHSA (Occupational Health & Safety Act) orientation** — workplace safety awareness within first week (s. 25(2)(a))
- [ ] **AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) training** — within first week of employment
- [ ] **ESA poster** ("Employment Standards in Ontario") — provide digital copy
- [ ] **Workplace Violence & Harassment Policy** — provide and obtain acknowledgment (Bill 168)
- [ ] **PIPEDA consent** — written consent for collection/use of personal information; document purpose and retention period
- [ ] **Employment contract review** — ensure any restrictive covenants (non-competes) are reasonable and compliant post-*Waksdale v. Swegon* and Ontario's Working for Workers Act (non-competes largely unenforceable)
- [ ] **IP Assignment Agreement** — ensure enforceable under Ontario law (outside counsel to confirm)
- [ ] **Probationary period** — if applicable, specify in offer letter (common: 3 months; ESA minimum notice still applies)

**Ontario leave minimums (ESA):**
| Leave Type | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Vacation | 2 weeks (first 5 yrs), 3 weeks (5+ yrs) — doany.ai's unlimited PTO exceeds this |
| Personal Emergency Leave | 3 paid sick days + 2 unpaid (10 employees+) |
| Public Holidays | 9 per year (Ontario) |
| Parental Leave | Up to 61-63 weeks (birth/non-birth) |

### 3D. Day 1 Checklist

| # | Task | Priya (CA FTE) | Marcus (ON FTE) | Jordan (CA Contractor) |
|---|------|:-:|:-:|:-:|
| 1 | Welcome call with People Ops (30 min) | Yes | Yes | Abbreviated (15 min) |
| 2 | I-9 Section 1 completion | Yes | N/A (SIN already collected) | N/A |
| 3 | Sign remaining paperwork (IP, handbook ack, privacy notice) | Yes | Yes | SOW + NDA (if not already signed) |
| 4 | Jurisdiction-specific notices delivered (see 3B/3C) | CA packet | ON packet | Limited CA packet |
| 5 | Manager 1:1 with Alex (30 min) | Yes | Yes | SOW kickoff meeting |
| 6 | IT setup verified: all accounts working | Yes | Yes | Yes (scoped) |
| 7 | Security training (Rippling LMS module) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8 | Buddy introduction / lunch chat | Yes | Yes | Project lead intro |
| 9 | Benefits enrollment overview | Yes (Aetna — 30-day window) | Yes (Manulife) | N/A |

### 3E. Week 1 (Days 2-5)

| # | Task | All Hires |
|---|------|-----------|
| 1 | Team introduction meeting (async-friendly: recorded for timezone flexibility) | Yes |
| 2 | Dev environment setup: local dev, CI/CD access, code review norms | Yes |
| 3 | First starter ticket or pairing session assigned | Yes |
| 4 | Engineering norms walkthrough (PR conventions, Linear workflow, on-call expectations) | Yes |
| 5 | Complete OHSA + AODA training (Marcus only) | Marcus only |
| 6 | Complete CA sexual harassment prevention training (Priya only) | Priya only |

### 3F. 30 / 60 / 90-Day Milestones

| Period | Outcome (FTE) | Outcome (Contractor) | Check-in |
|--------|--------------|----------------------|----------|
| **Day 30** | Completed first meaningful PR; understands team norms and sprint cadence | Delivered first SOW milestone; CI/CD pipeline assessment complete | Manager 1:1 + pulse survey |
| **Day 60** | Owns a feature area or bug domain independently | On track for SOW deliverables; mid-engagement review | Peer feedback round |
| **Day 90** | Contributes to sprint planning; meets performance baseline | SOW deliverables on schedule; contract extension decision point | Formal review (FTE probation review / contractor SOW check) |

---

## 4. Contractor vs. FTE: Key Differences (Jordan Liu)

| Aspect | Priya & Marcus (FTE) | Jordan (Contractor) |
|--------|---------------------|---------------------|
| **Offer document** | Employment offer letter | Independent contractor agreement (SOW + mutual NDA) |
| **Tax forms** | W-4 + I-9 (Priya) / TD1 + SIN (Marcus) | W-9 only |
| **Benefits** | Full package (medical, dental, vision, 401k/RRSP) | None |
| **Equipment** | Company-provided laptop + monitor + $500 stipend | Self-provided |
| **PTO** | Unlimited (min 15 days encouraged) | Per SOW terms |
| **Onboarding depth** | Full 30/60/90 plan | SOW review, scoped access, security training |
| **Performance mgmt** | Quarterly reviews, pulse surveys | SOW milestone reviews |
| **Termination** | Per employment law (at-will CA / ESA ON) | Per contract terms (notice period in SOW) |
| **IP ownership** | IP assignment agreement | Work-for-hire + IP assignment in SOW |

### AB5 / Contractor Classification Warning

> **HIGH RISK.** California's AB5 law applies the **ABC test** to determine worker classification. A worker is an employee unless the hiring entity can show all three:
>
> **(A)** The worker is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity
> **(B)** The worker performs work outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business
> **(C)** The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade of the same nature
>
> **Jordan's engagement flags:** Jordan will work ~40 hrs/week on core infrastructure (arguably within doany.ai's usual course of business), use company-provided toolchain access, and report to Alex.
>
> **ACTION REQUIRED:** Have outside counsel review Jordan's SOW and working arrangement against the ABC test **before extending the agreement**. Document the analysis. If classification is uncertain, consider:
> - Engaging Jordan through a staffing agency / employer of record
> - Restructuring as a fixed-deliverable project with minimal control provisions
> - Converting to FTE

---

## 5. Privacy & Data Handling Guidelines

### Data Minimization Principles
- Collect **only** the personal data necessary for onboarding, payroll, and benefits
- **Never** store PII (SSN, SIN, banking info) in spreadsheets, Slack, email, or Notion
- All PII must be entered and stored in **Rippling only** (SOC 2 compliant)
- Limit PII access to People Ops (Jamie, Rina) and Finance

### Jurisdiction-Specific Privacy Requirements

| Requirement | California | Ontario |
|-------------|-----------|---------|
| **Governing law** | CCPA (employee provisions) | PIPEDA |
| **Notice required** | Yes — categories of data collected, purpose, third parties | Yes — purpose, consent, retention period |
| **Consent** | Notice-based (no opt-in required for employment data) | **Affirmative written consent** required |
| **Data subject rights** | Access, deletion (with exceptions) | Access, correction |
| **Cross-border transfer** | No specific restriction (but document) | Permitted if adequate protections (Rippling's SOC 2 satisfies) |
| **Retention** | Employment duration + 3 years (DFEH) | Employment duration + reasonable period (document) |
| **Breach notification** | Yes — California AG if 500+ residents | Yes — Privacy Commissioner + affected individuals |

### Privacy Checklist for This Cohort
- [ ] Include CCPA employee privacy notice in Priya's and Jordan's packets
- [ ] Obtain PIPEDA written consent from Marcus before collecting SIN or personal data
- [ ] Confirm Rippling access controls: only Jamie + Rina + Finance can view PII
- [ ] Verify background check vendors (Checkr, Sterling) have current DPAs on file
- [ ] Document data retention schedule in HRIS
- [ ] Do not share candidate personal info in Slack channels — use Rippling or encrypted email

---

## 6. Legal & Compliance Escalation Guide

### When to Escalate to Outside Counsel

| Scenario | Urgency | Action |
|----------|---------|--------|
| Contractor classification uncertainty (Jordan/AB5) | **Before offer** | Do not extend SOW until counsel confirms |
| Ontario non-compete or restrictive covenant questions | Before offer | Counsel to review employment agreement |
| I-9 / work authorization issues | Within 3 business days of start | Counsel + immigration specialist |
| Employee requests accommodation (disability, religion) | Within 48 hours | Engage counsel; do not deny pending review |
| Data breach involving PII | Immediately | Counsel + Privacy Commissioner (ON) / CA AG |
| Workers' comp claim | Within 24 hours | Counsel + carrier |
| Harassment or discrimination complaint | Within 24 hours | Counsel; begin investigation per policy |

### Key Legal Contacts
- **Outside counsel:** {{FirmName}} — {{ContactName}} — {{Phone/Email}}
- **CA workers' comp carrier:** {{CarrierName}} — {{PolicyNumber}}
- **Immigration (if needed):** {{ImmigrationCounsel}}

---

## 7. Implementation Checklist — People Ops Action Items

**Owner: Jamie Torres unless otherwise noted**

### Today (2026-04-13) — Offer Package Prep

| # | Action | Owner | Status |
|---|--------|-------|--------|
| 1 | Finalize Priya's offer letter (include CA pay scale per SB 1162, at-will language, IP assignment) | Jamie + Rina | [ ] |
| 2 | Finalize Marcus's offer letter (include ESA-required terms: title, wage, pay period, hours) | Jamie + Rina | [ ] |
| 3 | **BLOCKER:** Send Jordan's SOW to outside counsel for AB5 review — do not send SOW to Jordan until cleared | Jamie | [ ] |
| 4 | Prepare CA compliance packet (DFEH notice, wage theft notice, workers' comp, CCPA privacy notice) | Jamie | [ ] |
| 5 | Prepare ON compliance packet (ESA poster, OHSA orientation, AODA info, PIPEDA consent form, workplace harassment policy) | Jamie | [ ] |
| 6 | Send manager communication to Alex (see Section 8) | Jamie | [ ] |
| 7 | Queue DocuSign for Priya and Marcus offer letters | Rina | [ ] |

### This Week (2026-04-13 to 2026-04-17)

| # | Action | Owner | Due |
|---|--------|-------|-----|
| 8 | Receive signed offer letters from Priya and Marcus | Rina | Apr 17 |
| 9 | Initiate background checks (Checkr for Priya; Sterling for Marcus) | Jamie | Upon offer acceptance |
| 10 | Receive AB5 clearance from counsel for Jordan | Jamie | Apr 17 |
| 11 | Send Jordan's SOW (if cleared) | Rina | Apr 17-18 |
| 12 | Submit IT access requests for all three hires | Jamie → IT | Apr 17 |

### Pre-Start (T-5 business days: week of 2026-04-27)

| # | Action | Owner | Due |
|---|--------|-------|-----|
| 13 | Ship laptops + monitors (Priya: domestic; Marcus: international — confirm customs/shipping) | IT | Apr 28 |
| 14 | Provision all accounts (Google Workspace, GitHub, Slack, Linear, Notion) | IT | Apr 30 |
| 15 | Confirm onboarding buddies with Alex | Jamie | Apr 30 |
| 16 | Schedule Week 1 calendar blocks for all three | Jamie | May 1 |
| 17 | Send pre-boarding welcome emails (see Section 8) | Jamie | May 1 |
| 18 | Add to Rippling: Priya + Marcus (FTE payroll); Jordan (contractor profile) | Jamie | May 1 |

### Start Dates

| Hire | Start | Key Day 1 Items |
|------|-------|----------------|
| Priya Ramanathan | 2026-05-05 | I-9 Section 1, CA notices, welcome call, IT verify, benefits enrollment |
| Marcus Webb | 2026-05-05 | PIPEDA consent, TD1 forms, ON notices, OHSA/AODA training (Week 1), welcome call |
| Jordan Liu | 2026-05-12 | SOW kickoff, W-9, scoped access verify, security training |

---

## 8. Communication Templates

### 8A. Manager Communication — Alex Chen

**Subject:** Onboarding prep: Priya, Marcus & Jordan starting May 2026

Hi Alex,

Three hires are confirmed for May. Here's what we need from you before and during their first week:

**Before start date (by May 1):**
- [ ] Review and approve the 30/60/90 plans for Priya and Marcus (attached)
- [ ] Identify onboarding buddies for Priya and Marcus
- [ ] Confirm Jordan's SOW milestones and project lead pairing
- [ ] Block 30 min on each hire's Day 1 for a welcome 1:1
- [ ] Ensure IT access requests are submitted (People Ops will coordinate)

**Week 1:**
- [ ] Walk each hire through team norms, sprint cadence, Linear workflow, and Slack channels
- [ ] Assign starter tickets or pairing sessions for Priya and Marcus
- [ ] Hold SOW kickoff meeting with Jordan to align on deliverables and cadence
- [ ] Introduce all three to key cross-functional partners (Product, Design)

**Ongoing:**
- [ ] Weekly 1:1s for the first 90 days (all three)
- [ ] Pulse check at Day 7; formal check-ins at Day 30, 60, 90
- [ ] For Jordan: monthly SOW milestone review

Please reply to confirm you've reviewed this. Reach out to me with any questions.

Thanks,
Jamie Torres
People Ops

---

### 8B. Pre-Boarding Welcome Email (FTE Template)

**Subject:** Welcome to doany.ai! Your first-week details

Hi {{NewHireName}},

We're excited to have you join doany.ai as {{RoleTitle}} on **{{StartDate}}**!

Here's what to expect before your first day:

**You'll receive:**
- A laptop and monitor shipped to your home address (please confirm your shipping address by replying to this email)
- Account invitations for Google Workspace, GitHub, Slack, Linear, and Notion
- A DocuSign packet with your remaining paperwork

**Day 1 ({{StartDate}}):**
- 10:00 am PT — Welcome call with People Ops (30 min)
- 10:30 am PT — Manager 1:1 with Alex Chen (30 min)
- 11:00 am PT — IT setup walkthrough
- 11:30 am PT — Meet your onboarding buddy!

**Please complete before Day 1:**
- Sign and return your offer letter and IP assignment agreement (via DocuSign)
- {{CA: Bring valid I-9 documents (List A, or List B + List C) — details here: [uscis.gov/i-9](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9)}}
- {{ON: Have your SIN ready for payroll setup}}

Your onboarding buddy is **{{BuddyName}}** — they'll be your go-to for questions during your first few weeks.

If you have any questions before your start date, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Welcome aboard!

Jamie Torres
People Ops Lead, doany.ai

---

### 8C. Pre-Boarding Welcome Email (Contractor Template)

**Subject:** Welcome to doany.ai — contractor onboarding details

Hi Jordan,

We're looking forward to working with you starting **2026-05-12**!

**Before your start date:**
- Please sign and return the SOW and mutual NDA (via DocuSign)
- Complete your W-9 form (attached)
- Confirm your preferred invoicing method and payment details

**Day 1 (May 12):**
- 10:00 am PT — SOW kickoff meeting with Alex Chen and People Ops (30 min)
- 10:30 am PT — IT access walkthrough (GitHub, Slack, scoped tool access)
- 11:00 am PT — Security training module (required — ~20 min)

**Note:** As a contractor, you'll provide your own equipment. You'll receive scoped access to our tools as outlined in your SOW. Please review the SOW deliverables and timeline before the kickoff meeting.

Reach out anytime with questions.

Best,
Jamie Torres
People Ops Lead, doany.ai

---

## 9. Onboarding Success Metrics

| Metric | Target | How to Measure | Owner |
|--------|--------|---------------|-------|
| Offer-to-acceptance time | ≤ 5 business days | Lever timestamps | Rina |
| Offer-to-start time | ≤ 15 business days | Rippling | Jamie |
| Day 1 readiness (IT + access) | 100% | Pre-start checklist completion | IT + Jamie |
| I-9 / SIN collection on time | 100% | Rippling audit | Jamie |
| Compliance training completed (Week 1) | 100% | Rippling LMS | Jamie |
| 30-day pulse survey score | ≥ 4.0 / 5.0 | Survey tool | Jamie |
| Time to first PR (engineering) | ≤ 10 business days | GitHub | Alex |
| Manager check-in completion (30/60/90) | 100% | Calendar + Rippling | Alex + Jamie |
| 90-day retention | 100% (3/3) | Rippling | Jamie |
| Contractor SOW milestone on track (Day 30) | Yes/No | SOW review | Alex |

---

## 10. Post-Package Notes

### Items Requiring Immediate Action (Today)
1. **Jordan's AB5 review** — send SOW to outside counsel NOW. This is a blocker for the contractor offer.
2. **Priya's and Marcus's offer letters** — finalize and queue in DocuSign this afternoon.
3. **Manager email to Alex** — send today so he can prep buddies and Week 1 calendar.

### Items for This Week
4. Confirm Marcus's laptop international shipping logistics (Toronto delivery by May 1).
5. Verify Sterling (Canada background check) turnaround time — may be longer than Checkr.
6. Update the employee handbook acknowledgment to include 2026 policy updates if any were made since January.

### Future Improvements (Post-Onboarding)
- Formalize this package as the permanent onboarding template in Notion, replacing the v1 draft.
- Add an offboarding counterpart (currently missing).
- Build a contractor onboarding runbook for future engagements.
- Set up automated onboarding workflows in Rippling (task triggers on hire date).

---

*This package was prepared on 2026-04-13 for the April/May 2026 engineering hiring cohort. It supersedes `current-templates/onboarding-checklist-v1.md`. Consult outside counsel before finalizing offers and agreements.*