Payroll in United States runs in USD (United States dollar). Payroll is typically run bi-weekly or semi-monthly, with federal, state and sometimes local income tax withholding plus FICA payroll taxes. No statutory 13th-month bonus is mandated; bonuses are entirely discretionary or contractual. Statutory employer contributions apply. Gracemark operates it end-to-end, humans, not tickets.
Payroll is typically run bi-weekly or semi-monthly, with federal, state and sometimes local income tax withholding plus FICA payroll taxes.
Working week
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets a standard, and non-exempt employees must receive overtime at 1.5x their regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 per week.
Minimum wage
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective since 2009, though most states and many cities set higher minimum wages that supersede the federal floor.
13th-month
No statutory 13th-month bonus is mandated; bonuses are entirely discretionary or contractual.
Employer cost
Employers pay FICA payroll tax of 6.2% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base) and 1.45% for Medicare, plus federal and state unemployment insurance (FUTA/SUTA).
Probation
At-will employment is the default in nearly all states, meaning formal probation periods are optional employer policy rather than a statutory requirement, subject to state-specific exceptions.
Notice period
Most US employment is at-will, allowing termination without notice or cause in the absence of a contract or discriminatory/retaliatory motive; some states and localities impose additional notice, mass-layoff (WARN Act) or final-pay timing requirements.
Two ways to run payroll in United States
Own-entity payroll
For long-term presence in United States. Gracemark manages statutory filings, pay runs, and year-end reporting under your entity, with a named operator on North America time.
EOR-run payroll
No entity in United States? Employ and pay talent under Gracemark's local infrastructure via EOR, onboard in 1–2 weeks (eor), no local incorporation.
Compliance essentials in United States
At-will employment, but wrongful-termination and state law exposure is real
Benefits (health, 401k) are the competitive lever, not statutory minimums
Worker classification (W-2 vs 1099) is heavily enforced, misclassification is costly
Pay transparency & equal-pay laws now mandatory in many states
State-by-state variation in wage, leave, and non-compete rules
Get a payroll quote for United States
Send your headcount and salary band. We reply with employer burden, net-to-gross, and setup timeline, no sales scripts.
Get your United States hiring plan
Send the role, a selected worker or an existing-team requirement in United States. Get a written recommendation covering the model, cost categories, responsibilities and next steps. One hire is welcome; no meeting required.
100+ countries supported Compliance-first, vetted A real person replies within one business day