Caregiver hiring pipeline checklist
By Scott McKenzie, founder of Home Care Agency Blueprint · Updated
Work through twenty-four steps, from writing the job description to the first shift. Each item names its federal source or is marked as your own planning. It is a self-check for your hiring process, not legal advice, and it does not replace your state’s caregiver requirements.
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Mark each item Done, In progress, Not yet or Does not apply. Blank items stay Not checked.
Before you post the job
1. I have checked with my state licensing agency what it requires of caregivers before client contact, such as background checks, a registry listing or training.
Your own planning
2. I have confirmed that my caregivers will be employees or contractors using the IRS guidance on who is an employee and my state’s rules, before I write the job post.
Source: IRS, Independent contractor or employee
3. I have a written job description that lists the essential functions of the job.
Source: EEOC, Job applicants and the ADA
4. I have set pay and overtime practices after checking current federal and state wage rules.
Source: DOL WHD, Field Assistance Bulletin 2025-4; eCFR, 29 CFR 552.109; Sixth Circuit, DOL v. Americare Healthcare Services (2026)
5. My budget covers payroll for the caregivers I plan to hire before client payments arrive.
Your own planning
Find candidates
6. My job ad describes the work and its requirements and does not show a preference for or against anyone because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.
Source: EEOC, Prohibited employment policies/practices
7. I recruit through more than one channel (job boards, my own careers page, workforce centers, community groups and referrals), so hiring does not depend on one network.
Source: EEOC, Prohibited employment policies/practices
8. Applicants have one clear way to apply and know what happens next.
Your own planning
9. I keep one list of every applicant and the stage each one is at.
Your own planning
Screen and interview
10. I use the same short phone-screen questions for everyone, limited to what the job requires.
Source: EEOC, Prohibited employment policies/practices
11. I ask every candidate for the same job the same structured interview questions.
Your own planning
12. I do not ask medical or disability-related questions before making a conditional job offer.
Source: EEOC, Job applicants and the ADA
13. I check references with the same questions for each candidate.
Your own planning
Background checks
14. If I use a background check company, I give a stand-alone written notice and get written permission before ordering a report.
Source: FTC, Using consumer reports (FCRA)
15. I apply the same background standards to everyone, and my criminal record criteria are tied to the job.
Source: EEOC and FTC, Background checks: what employers need to know
16. Before I reject someone because of a report, I send a notice with a copy of the report and the FCRA summary of rights, and after the decision I send an adverse action notice.
Source: FTC, Using consumer reports (FCRA)
17. I check new hires against the HHS-OIG exclusion list (LEIE), as OIG advises health care entities to do.
Source: HHS-OIG exclusions list (LEIE)
18. I complete any background check or registry step my state requires for caregivers, in the order it requires.
Your own planning
Offer and paperwork
19. I make the offer in writing, conditional on any checks that are still pending.
Your own planning
20. Each new hire and I complete Form I-9, and I examine their identity and work authorization documents.
Source: USCIS, Form I-9
21. Each new employee completes Form W-4 for federal income tax withholding.
Source: IRS, About Form W-4
22. I report each new hire to the new hire reporting program in the state where they work.
Source: ACF, New hire reporting
23. I keep applications and hiring records, including for people I did not hire, for at least one year, and I dispose of background reports securely.
Source: EEOC, Recordkeeping requirements
24. Before a first shift, the caregiver has finished any orientation, training or registry step my state and my own policies require.
Your own planning
How to use the checklist
Mark an item Done only when it is true for every hire, not just the last one. Use Not yet for gaps you know about and In progress for work underway. Items you leave blank are shown as Not checked, never as Done.
- Mark each item Done, In progress, Not yet or Does not apply.
- Use the source under each item to check what the rule says.
- Confirm anything state-specific with your state licensing agency or labor agency.
- Work on the items marked Not yet first.
- Print the checklist or download a CSV to keep with your hiring records.
What the checklist does not do
It does not tell you whether your hiring process is legally complete, and it does not list your state’s caregiver requirements. Those depend on your state, your license type and your payers. It helps you find the questions to ask.
Where your entries are stored
Your entries are saved only in this browser on this device so you can come back to them. They are never sent to us. Printing and CSV download happen on your device, CSV cells are protected against spreadsheet formulas, and Reset erases only this checklist’s saved entries.
Your state sets the details. Federal rules set a floor for recruiting, background checks and hiring paperwork. States and cities can add their own rules, such as caregiver background checks, registry listings, training before client contact, limits on how criminal history is used, and wage rules. Check with your state licensing agency and state labor agency. For licensing items, homecarelicenseguide.com, also published by Home Care Agency Blueprint, collects each state’s sources.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the checklist not give me a score?
A score would suggest your process is legally complete, and we cannot judge that. The checklist shows counts and lists the items marked Not yet instead.
Does every item apply to my agency?
Not always. Some depend on your state, your payers or whether you use a background check company. Mark those Does not apply, and confirm the rest with your state licensing agency and the federal agencies cited.
Want to talk through your options?
A free 15-minute clarity call with Home Care Agency Blueprint. It helps people start home care agencies, so expect that perspective. You do not need a hiring plan first.
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