Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#1

Post by soorajchandran » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 1:30 PM UTC

What tools/services do you use your remote team? What does the process look like? Do the employees invoice you first and you make the payment?

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#2

Post by scrollaway » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 2:38 PM UTC

Employees don't invoice you, you pay them a salary. Contractors invoice you. If your team is contractors (or you're paying them as contractors for tax/liability/whatever reason), they invoice you and, if you're in the US, you should also ask for a tax form (usually a W8 or W9) based on where their tax residency is.

There's many apps/services to handle your payroll out there. Gusto comes to mind but I've never used it so I don't know what they're like. Some accountants / CFO firms also may handle payroll for you for a fee.

But really, I don't know your situation so ask that question to an accountant. There may be critical details you're not immediately aware of; your accountant will be.

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#3

Post by charlesdm » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 2:46 PM UTC

Most remote workers are independent contractors, and they generally invoice you.

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#4

Post by mac01021 » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 3:01 PM UTC

Then startup I worked for used Gusto and then later Sequoia One for payroll.

I'd be interested to know what the big remote companies like Elastic do.

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#5

Post by soorajchandran » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 3:04 PM UTC

mac01021 wrote: post #4

Then startup I worked for used Gusto and then later Sequoia One for payroll. I'd be interested to know what the big remote companies like Elastic do.

But Gusto only works inside the US right? What if the company is located in US and contractors are outside the US?

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#6

Post by soorajchandran » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 3:06 PM UTC

scrollaway wrote: post #2

Employees don't invoice you, you pay them a salary. Contractors invoice you. If your team is contractors (or you're paying them as contractors for tax/liability/whatever reason), they invoice you and, if you're in the US, you should also ask for a tax form (usually a W8 or W9) based on where their tax residency is. There's many apps/services to handle your payroll out there. Gusto comes to mind but I've never used it…

Thanks! How do most companies hire? Employees or contractors? As far as I researched - most companies hire from outside the US as contractors. And they file invoices, and you pay the amount for it. Do you know of companies that hire people from outside the US as employees and keep them on the same payroll?

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#7

Post by soorajchandran » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 3:06 PM UTC

charlesdm wrote: post #3

Most remote workers are independent contractors, and they generally invoice you.

And what tools are used to pay the invoices?

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#8

Post by scottbruin » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 3:58 PM UTC

soorajchandran wrote: post #7

charlesdm wrote: post #3

Most remote workers are independent contractors, and they generally invoice you.

And what tools are used to pay the invoices?

Bill.com seems widely used and liked by AP departments.

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#9

Post by djbelieny » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 4:29 PM UTC

Check out Veem.com

Re: Ask HN: How do you pay your remote team?

#10

Post by celestialcheese » Mon, Apr 15, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

Gusto is great - they have handled all our payroll and contractor payments for our remote team extremely well.