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🧭 Employer Resource Navigator
Every hiring, training, and incentive resource for Hamilton County employers, organized by what you need.
Compliance & HR
FMLA, ACA, OSHA, employment law, food safety, and Indiana-specific compliance.
ACA Employer Mandate Guidance
Compliance guidance for businesses with 50+ full-time equivalent employees. The Affordable Care Act requires applicable large employers to offer minimum essential coverage or face penalties.
How to start: Consult with benefits broker or HR advisor. IRS resources at healthcare.gov/employers.
IRS Federal Official page →
FMLA Compliance Resources
Compliance guidance for employers with 50+ employees within 75 miles. The Family and Medical Leave Act requires 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons.
How to start: DOL compliance assistance: 1-866-487-9243. Free employer guides at dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla.
USDOL Federal Official page →
Indiana Department of Insurance — Producer & Agency Licensing
IDOI is the state regulator overseeing insurance producer and agency licensing in Indiana. Free agency-facing resources include the Licensing FAQ, license reporting requirements for producer/agent/agency/adjuster, license reinstatement and transfer guidance, the Find an Agent/Agency/Company database (useful for verifying competitor agencies and recruiting licensed staff), CE Advisory Council guidance for compliance with continuing-education requirements, and Veteran Test Fee Reimbursements for veterans entering the industry. All resources free to any Indiana-licensed insurance employer.
How to start: Visit in.gov/idoi/licensing for forms, FAQs, and license-status lookups. Call 1-800-457-8283 for licensing questions.
Indiana Department of Insurance State Official page →
AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) — Free Toolkits for Small Firms
The Private Companies Practice Section is AICPA's resource hub for small and mid-size CPA firms. Free downloads include the PCPS Burnout Prevention Toolkit, the AICPA Small Firm Generative AI Policy Template, Small Firms Solutions practice-management articles, the 'Transforming: Tales of Business Evolution' podcast, and access to PCPS Networking Groups (peer cohorts of similarly-sized firms). PCPS membership ($35/yr per CPA on top of AICPA membership) unlocks deeper member-only toolkits including HR policy templates, succession planning tools, and the firm-of-the-future content library.
How to start: Browse aicpa-cima.com/topic/firm-practice-management for free resources. Add PCPS through AICPA member portal for full toolkit access.
AICPA & CIMA Private Official page →
DOL FirstStep Employment Law Advisor
Free interactive online tool from the U.S. Department of Labor that walks small employers through which major federal employment laws apply to their business based on industry, employee count, and other factors. Three companion advisors: the main FirstStep (which laws apply), the FirstStep Recordkeeping/Reporting/Notices Advisor (what to document), and the FirstStep Poster Advisor (which workplace posters are required, with downloadable PDFs). No information entered is recorded. Ideal for HC small firms (<50 employees) without a dedicated HR/legal function.
How to start: Visit webapps.dol.gov/elaws/firststep/ and answer the guided questions. Print or save the customized compliance summary at the end. Use the
USDOL Federal Official page →
Center for Creative Leadership — Free Leading Effectively Library
CCL is one of the world's top-ranked leadership-development providers. The Leading Effectively article library is free and open: hundreds of research-backed articles, downloadable guides, white papers, the Lead with That podcast, and free webinar series. Designed for managers and emerging leaders at any size organization. CCL's paid programs (coaching, 360 assessments, leadership academies) start in the thousands of dollars per participant; the free library is an excellent low-budget alternative for HC small firms wanting research-grounded content for internal lunch-and-learns or 1:1 manager coaching.
How to start: Browse ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/ or subscribe at ccl.org/subscribe/ for ongoing research-based content. Register for fr
CCL Private Official page →
SHRM Toolkits & Ask an HR Advisor
SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world. SHRM members access an extensive library of free toolkits (sample policies, I-9 audit checklist, job analysis toolkit, performance review templates, employee handbook templates), the Ask an HR Advisor service (unlimited phone/email questions answered by a certified HR consultant), the Vendor Directory for HR tech selection, and the SHRM Foundation's free workforce-development research. Professional membership ~$264/yr; one membership covers an HR practitioner who can serve a small firm with no dedicated HR staff.
How to start: Join at shrm.org/membership for full access. Browse free SHRM Foundation research at shrm.org/foundation without membership.
SHRM Private Official page →
OSHA On-Site Consultation (Section 21(d)) — Indiana INSafe
Free, confidential workplace safety and health consultation for small and mid-size employers (under 250 workers, or under 500 corporate-wide). A consultant from Indiana INSafe (the state's OSHA 21(d) partner inside the Indiana Department of Labor) walks the workplace, identifies hazards, recommends fixes, and helps build a written safety program — all at no cost and separate from OSHA enforcement. Findings are not shared with OSHA inspectors. Particularly valuable for restaurants, hotels with kitchens, fitness studios, salons, and small construction firms with chemical/slip/equipment exposures.
How to start: Request a visit through osha.gov/consultation 'Book a No-Cost Consultation' or contact Indiana INSafe directly at 317-232-2688. Visit typica
USDOL/INSafe Federal Official page →
USDOL Wage & Hour Division — Compliance Assistance for Tipped Employers
Free FLSA compliance toolkit specifically built for restaurants and small employers with tipped staff. Includes plain-English fact sheets (Fact Sheet #2 Restaurants, Fact Sheet #15 Tipped Employees, Fact Sheet #15A Dual Jobs/80-20 rule), required-poster downloads, the elaws FLSA Advisor, free phone consultations through the Indianapolis WHD District Office, and on-request employer compliance seminars. Helps small employers calculate proper tip credit, overtime on the regular rate, recordkeeping, and posting requirements without paying for outside HR counsel.
How to start: Browse fact sheets and tools at dol.gov/agencies/whd/compliance-assistance. For free phone help, call the Indianapolis District Office at 31
USDOL Federal Official page →
Indiana DOR — New & Small Business Education Center
Free Indiana Department of Revenue resources for small employers managing sales tax, withholding, food & beverage tax (Hamilton County imposes 1% F&B on top of 7% sales tax), and county innkeeper's tax (5% in HC). Includes the New & Small Business Center education portal, the Business Owner's Guide PDF, free INTIME e-filing portal training, the Business Education Outreach Program (free webinars and in-person workshops), and a Business FAQ knowledge base. All Indiana businesses are required to file electronically and submit zero-dollar returns even with no activity — DOR resources help employers stay current and avoid the 20% late penalty.
How to start: Visit in.gov/dor for the Small Business Center, register for INTIME at intime.dor.in.gov, and sign up for free outreach workshops via the Bu
Indiana DOR State Official page →
84 programs, curated and reviewed quarterly by the Invest Hamilton County team. Spot something out of date? Tell us.