The first 90 days of employment determine whether a new hire stays or starts looking elsewhere. For small and medium businesses in Ontario, onboarding also has mandatory legal compliance components, tax forms, safety orientation, and payroll registration, that can't be skipped. This checklist covers everything from the week before day one through the 90-day probation review, in order.
Before day one, administrative and access preparation
The goal here is ensuring the new hire can actually do their job on day one and that you've met your legal obligations before their first pay period.
- Collect SIN (Social Insurance Number). You are legally required to obtain the employee's SIN for payroll purposes. Under the Income Tax Act, this is mandatory. Store it securely, SINs are sensitive personal information under PIPEDA.
- Collect TD1 (Federal) and TD1-ON (Provincial) forms. The Ontario Employment Standards Act and CRA requirements mean both must be collected and processed before the first paycheque is issued. The TD1 determines federal and provincial tax withholding. Provide blank forms; employees complete them themselves.
- Register them in payroll. Add the employee to your payroll system (QuickBooks, Humi, Wagepoint, or whichever you use) before their start date. Confirm their pay period, rate, and any statutory deductions.
- Set up email and system access. Create their work email, grant access to the tools they'll need from day one, and confirm login credentials work before their start date. Having a new hire sit idle for two hours on their first morning while IT sets things up is a poor first impression.
- Prepare their workspace. A clean desk, functioning equipment, and any required safety gear (PPE if applicable) should be ready. For remote hires, ship equipment to arrive 2–3 days before the start date.
- Send a pre-boarding welcome email. Confirm start time, arrival instructions, dress code, parking or transit options, and who they should ask for on arrival. This reduces first-day anxiety and signals organizational competence.
Day one, orientation fundamentals
Day one should be structured but not overwhelming. Prioritize human connection and basic orientation over information overload.
- Tour and introductions. Walk them through the physical space (or virtual tools for remote) and introduce key colleagues. If the team is large, introduce the people they'll work with directly first.
- Review the employment letter and any documents requiring signature. Confirm their role, pay, start date, and any conditions (e.g., probationary period, confidentiality agreement). This is also the moment to collect the signed TD1 forms if they weren't returned in advance.
- Safety orientation, mandatory under Ontario law. Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires employers to provide health and safety information before new employees begin work. This includes emergency procedures, location of first aid kits and exits, the right to refuse unsafe work, and how to report a hazard.
- WHMIS training (if applicable). Any workplace that uses or stores controlled products (cleaning chemicals, solvents, industrial gases) must provide WHMIS 2015 (GHS-aligned) training before the employee handles or works near those substances. This is a legal requirement, not optional.
- Review core policies. Provide the employee handbook (or policy summary) and briefly walk through the most important policies: code of conduct, time-off request process, and how to report concerns. Don't read it aloud in full, give them time to read it themselves and ask questions.
Week one, role training and connection
The first week should give the new hire a clear picture of what they're responsible for, what success looks like, and who they can ask for help.
- Deliver a role training plan. A written document (even one page) covering what they'll learn in weeks 1, 2–4, and months 2–3 sets clear expectations and prevents the common “I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing” feeling. Be specific about deliverables and learning milestones.
- Assign a buddy or point person. One colleague who's not their direct manager and who the new hire can ask basic questions of without feeling judged reduces the cognitive burden of the first few weeks significantly. It's a low-cost high-return investment in early retention.
- Confirm system access is working. Walk through each tool they'll use and confirm access is functioning. Blocked accounts or missing permissions discovered a week in are avoidable and frustrating.
- Schedule a week-one check-in. A brief end-of-week conversation (20–30 minutes) with their direct manager to ask: “What's made sense so far? What's still unclear? Anything you need that you don't have?” establishes a feedback loop and signals that their experience matters.
First 90 days, structured check-ins and the probation review
The 30/60/90-day check-in structure is the most reliable way to surface issues before they compound and to give the new hire the feedback they need to succeed.
- 30-day check-in. Assess role clarity, relationship building, and any early performance signals. Ask: “Are you getting what you need to do your job?” Offer specific feedback on what's going well and one area to develop. Document it.
- 60-day check-in. Assess whether they're meeting the expectations set in the training plan. Are they asking the right questions? Solving problems independently? Note any patterns to address before the 90-day review.
- 90-day probationary review. A formal documented assessment of performance against the expectations set on day one. Under Ontario common law, the first three months are the window in which an employer can terminate without ESA notice obligations, but probation must be clearly defined in the employment contract for this to apply. (See the separate guide on probationary periods.) The 90-day review should result in either: confirmation in role with clear performance expectations going forward, an extension of the probation period with documented reason, or termination if the fit is clearly not working.
For context on why structured onboarding pays for itself in reduced turnover, see our guide on employee turnover costs for Canadian SMBs.
Frequently asked questions
When must TD1 and TD1-ON forms be collected from a new employee in Ontario?
Both the federal TD1 and provincial TD1-ON must be completed and collected before the first paycheque is issued. They determine how much income tax to withhold. If an employee fails to provide them, you are required to withhold tax at the highest marginal rate applicable to their income level. The CRA provides fillable PDF versions of both forms on their website. Employees do not return forms to the CRA, you keep them on file.
Is WHMIS training required for all new employees in Ontario?
WHMIS training is required for any worker who works with or in proximity to hazardous products (chemicals, solvents, gases, biological agents). It is not required for all employees, an office worker with no exposure to controlled products does not need formal WHMIS training, though general workplace safety orientation is still mandatory under OHSA. When in doubt, err toward providing training. Ontario's Ministry of Labour has free WHMIS resources available online.
Do I have to provide a written employment contract in Ontario?
Ontario's Employment Standards Act does not require a written employment contract, but failing to have one creates significant legal risk. Without a written contract, the common law implies generous implied terms, including generous notice obligations on termination. A written contract with a properly worded termination clause limits your liability to the ESA minimums. Always use a lawyer-reviewed template, poorly worded termination clauses are regularly struck down by Ontario courts.
How long should new employee onboarding take?
The administrative and compliance component (TD1 forms, safety orientation, policy acknowledgment) should be completed on day one. Full role proficiency typically takes 30–90 days depending on role complexity. Research consistently shows that employees who experience structured onboarding reach full productivity 34% faster than those left to self-direct. For a customer-facing or technical role, allocate at least 4–6 weeks of structured training before expecting independent performance.
What happens if I skip the health and safety orientation?
Under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act, failing to provide health and safety information and instruction to new workers is an offense. The Ministry of Labour can issue orders, and in cases where a workplace injury occurs and a new worker was not oriented, the employer faces significantly higher liability. Fines for OHSA violations can reach $100,000 for individuals and $1.5 million for corporations. Document that safety orientation was provided, a signed acknowledgment form is best practice.