Great milestone — and the setup matters more than most owners realize until something goes wrong. Before Day 1, you need to register as an employer with both the IRS (Federal EIN, if not already done) and the Maryland Department of Labor for unemployment insurance, confirm you have a Maryland workers' compensation policy in place (it's legally required for most employers with even one employee), and set up your payroll withholding for Maryland state income tax through the Comptroller's Office. From a legal insight standpoint, you also want your offer letters, job descriptions, and any IP assignment or confidentiality agreements reviewed before anyone signs — Maryland's evolving noncompete law means boilerplate agreements from the internet can create real problems. We walk clients through this entire checklist at CBC so nothing falls through the cracks between excitement and execution.