Fixed scope, fixed fee
Projects — the specific thing you need done
Not everything needs a retainer. Sometimes you need one piece of work finished properly, by a date, with no drama attached.
Every number here is an estimate, not a quote. The actual figure can land below these ranges or above them. What a handbook costs depends on how many states you're in, how many employees you have, and whether we're building from nothing or untangling five years of accumulated decisions.
A straightforward job for a small single-state employer often comes in under the range shown. Something messy across six states can run over it. I can't know which you are from a price list — but I usually can within about ten minutes of hearing the situation.
You'll get a firm, fixed number in writing before any work starts. No hourly surprises, and no invoice you didn't agree to.
Where most people start
The basics, done properly
The unglamorous foundations. Most problems I get called about later trace back to one of these being missing or improvised.
| Project | What you get | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding program | Start-to-day-90 workflow, offer letter and new-hire packet, checklists, manager guide, and the compliance pieces most onboarding quietly skips | $1,280–4,000 |
| Offboarding & separation process | Resignation and termination workflows, final pay by state, exit interview format, access and equipment recovery, documentation standards | $960–3,200 |
| I-9 audit & remediation | Full review of existing forms, correction of what can lawfully be corrected, proper storage and retention setup, and a process so it doesn't drift again | $960–5,760 |
| I-9 & new-hire verification process | A documented process your team can run — who completes what, by when, where it's stored, and what to do when something's wrong | $640–1,920 |
| Personnel file cleanup | File structure rebuilt, medical and I-9 records properly segregated, retention schedule, and a destruction policy | $1,120–5,120 |
| Employee handbook | Built from scratch or rebuilt, with state addenda for every state you employ in, and an acknowledgment process | $1,600–7,680 |
| Handbook annual refresh | Updated against the year's legal changes and against what your managers are actually doing | $580–2,560 |
| Policy library | 15–25 standalone policies, written to be read by humans rather than lawyers | $1,280–5,120 |
| Job descriptions | Ten roles, written to support exemption classification and comp benchmarking rather than just to fill a template | $1,280–3,840 |
| Poster & notice compliance | Every state you employ in, including electronic delivery for remote staff | $380–1,920 |
Compliance & classification
| Project | Range |
|---|---|
| HR compliance risk review — details here | $1,600–22,400 |
| Worker classification review (exempt status and 1099) | $1,600–9,600 |
| Leave administration program (FMLA and state leave) | $1,920–8,960 |
| Accommodation & interactive process build | $1,600–3,840 |
| Multi-state expansion — per state | $1,440–2,240 |
| State-by-state compliance matrix | $2,880–7,680 |
Compensation & performance
| Project | Range |
|---|---|
| Compensation benchmarking study | $2,560–11,520 |
| Salary band & structure design | $3,840–12,800 |
| Pay equity analysis | $3,200–19,200 |
| Performance management program | $2,560–9,600 |
| Career framework & leveling | $5,120–16,000 |
| Employee engagement survey & action plan | $3,200–9,600 |
| Org design & span-of-control review | $5,120–16,000 |
Added by request
Recruiting
Available as a project alongside everything else — useful when you're hiring for something that matters and don't want to hand it to an agency who'll never understand the role.
| Offering | What it covers | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Full-cycle recruiting | Intake, sourcing, screening, interview coordination, reference checks, offer support — through to accepted offer | $2,880–7,680 per hire |
| Contingency search | Paid only on a successful hire | 15–20% of first-year salary |
| Recruiting retainer | Ongoing capacity for 2–4 open roles at a time | $2,240–5,120/month |
| Hiring process design | Scorecards, structured interview guides, interviewer training, and a compliant posting process | $2,240–5,760 |
| ATS setup & workflow | Configured, with the workflow your team will actually follow | $1,280–4,800 |
Training & HR tech
| Project | Range |
|---|---|
| Manager training — half-day, live | $1,150–2,240 per session |
| Manager training series — six modules | $5,760–12,800 |
| Harassment prevention training | $770–1,920 |
| Custom workshop design | $1,600–5,120 |
| Leadership coaching — six sessions | $2,240–5,760 |
| HRIS or ATS selection & RFP | $2,240–7,680 |
| HRIS implementation & data migration | $3,200–16,000 |
Employee relations work — investigations, terminations, reductions in force, agency charges — is priced separately on the urgent help page, because it usually can't wait for a scoping conversation.
Bundles
| Package | What's in it | Range |
|---|---|---|
| HR Foundations Kit | Handbook, onboarding and offboarding workflows, offer letter templates, I-9 process, job descriptions for five roles, 90 days of advisory | $4,160–7,680 |
| Compliance Reset | Risk review, remediation plan, handbook refresh, manager training, six-month compliance calendar | $6,080–12,800 |
| Comp & Career Bundle | Job descriptions, benchmarking, salary bands, pay equity check | $10,240–22,400 |
Start with a risk review and the audit fee comes off your first invoice at 50% if you move forward on anything larger. I'd rather you spend the money fixing what I find than paying me twice to look at it.
One more time, because it matters: every figure on this page is an estimate. Your actual price may be lower or higher depending on your size, your states, and the condition of what you already have. Nothing is owed until you have a written scope and fee you've agreed to.
Not sure where you stand?
A free 30-minute risk review. You describe what's going on, I name the two or three things I'd fix first. No pitch deck, no obligation.
Book a free 30-minute risk reviewOr call 786-570-0972 · ask@askfirsthr.com