Global employment guides

What can an Employer of Record do for you

Published on:
April 15, 2023
Written by:
Lucas Botzen

Expanding your business globally can be an exciting and rewarding venture. However, navigating the complex landscape of international employment laws, regulations, and cultural nuances can be daunting. An Employer of Record (EOR) is an essential partner for businesses looking to hire employees in foreign countries and establish a local presence.

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Services Provided by an Employer of Record

Expanding your business globally can be an exciting opportunity, but the complexity of international employment laws, regulations, and cultural differences can be overwhelming. This is where an Employer of Record (EOR) comes in. An EOR is a vital partner for businesses looking to hire employees in foreign countries and establish a local presence.

An EOR offers a range of services to help businesses manage their international workforce and comply with local regulations. These services include legal compliance, payroll management, benefits administration, HR management, work permits and visas, and risk mitigation.

Legal Compliance: An EOR is well-versed in local employment laws and regulations in the countries where they operate. They ensure your business complies with these rules, minimizing the risk of legal issues and penalties.

Payroll Management: An EOR handles payroll processing for your international employees, including taxes and other deductions required by local laws. This ensures timely and accurate payment of salaries while complying with local tax regulations.

Benefits Administration: EORs manage employee benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, in accordance with local regulations and market standards. This helps attract and retain top talent while providing a consistent and compliant benefits package for your global workforce.

HR Management: EORs assist with various HR tasks, such as onboarding, offboarding, performance management, and employee relations. Outsourcing these functions to an EOR allows businesses to focus on their core operations and growth strategies.

Work Permits and Visas: EORs facilitate the process of obtaining work permits and visas for your international employees. This ensures that your employees can legally work in the host country and minimizes the risk of immigration-related issues.

Risk Mitigation: EORs help businesses mitigate the risks associated with international employment by assuming legal responsibility for employees, ensuring compliance with local labor laws, and managing employee disputes or grievances.

In summary, an EOR is an indispensable partner for businesses looking to expand globally. They provide the necessary expertise and support to help businesses navigate the complexities of international employment and establish a successful presence in foreign markets.

Benefits of Using an Employer of Record

Partnering with an EOR provides numerous advantages for businesses expanding their global operations. EORs offer a range of benefits including:

Fast and Easy Market Entry: Employer of record (EOR) allow businesses to quickly establish a local presence and hire employees in new countries without setting up a legal entity. This saves time and resources and lets businesses focus on growth strategies.

Cost Savings: By outsourcing administrative tasks like payroll and benefits administration to an EOR, businesses can reduce overhead and operational expenses. This frees up resources to invest in other areas of the business.

Expertise in Local Regulations: Employer of Records (EORs) possess in-depth knowledge of local employment laws and regulations, ensuring that businesses remain compliant and avoid potential legal issues or penalties.

Scalability: As businesses grow and expand internationally, EORs can easily adapt to changing needs. This flexibility allows for efficient and effective scaling of the global workforce.

Enhanced Employee Experience: An employer of record (EOR) ensures that employees receive comprehensive and compliant benefits packages, which attract and retain top talent in the competitive global market. Additionally, by handling administrative tasks, EORs enable employees to focus on their roles, increasing job satisfaction and productivity.

How PEO differs from EOR?

A Professional Employer Organization, or PEO, is a third-party organization that provides HR, payroll, and benefits administration services to a company. The PEO and the company share legal responsibility for the employees, with the PEO primarily handling administrative tasks while the company maintains control over day-to-day management.

Key Differences Between EOR and PEO Services

Legal Employer Status: With an EOR, the third-party organization serves as the legal employer of the company's international workers, while a PEO shares legal responsibility with the company.

International Scope: EOR services are specifically designed for companies managing employees in different countries, while PEO services are more focused on domestic employment.

Compliance Risks: Both EOR and PEO services help with compliance, but EOR services offer more protection as the EOR assumes full legal responsibility for employment-related matters.

Employee Benefits: EOR services provide a standardized benefits package tailored to the local market, while PEO services offer more flexibility in customizing benefits packages.

Independent Contractors: EOR services help companies engage independent contractors in different countries while PEO services typically do not extend to managing independent contractors.

Payroll Processing: EOR services manage international payroll, while PEO services are more focused on domestic payroll processing.

How can Rivermate's EOR service help with global expansion and hiring?

Hiring employees in different countries is a major challenge for many companies. Luckily, Rivermate's Employer of Record (EOR) service can help. By handling the legal and administrative aspects of global hiring, Rivermate's EOR service offers an effective and efficient solution for businesses looking to expand overseas. In this chapter, we'll explore how Rivermate's employer of record (EOR) service can help businesses overcome the challenges of hiring globally.

A Simple Solution for Global Hiring

With Rivermate acting as the legal employer, companies can quickly onboard employees without the need for a legal entity in every country. This eliminates the time-consuming and complex process of setting up a local subsidiary, registering a local address, and complying with local tax and legal requirements. By leveraging Rivermate's employer of record (EOR) service, businesses can scale up operations in new markets without getting bogged down by administrative tasks.

Time and Resource Savings

Using Rivermate's EOR service, companies can save valuable time and resources that would have been spent on establishing legal entities in every country. This allows them to focus on other aspects of their business, such as developing new products and services, marketing, and sales efforts. The time and resources saved can then be reinvested to drive growth and expansion in new markets, leading to increased profitability and long-term success.

Compliance with Local Labor Laws and Regulations

Different countries have different labor laws and regulations, which can be challenging for businesses operating in multiple countries. Rivermate's expertise in local labor laws and regulations ensures that companies remain compliant in every country they operate in. By partnering with Rivermate, businesses can minimize the risk of fines, penalties, and legal disputes, which can be costly and damaging to their reputation.

Managing Payroll and Benefits

In addition to legal and administrative support, Rivermate's employer of record (EOR) service includes managing payroll and benefits for employees in different countries. They handle currency conversions, tax withholdings, and ensure that employees are paid in compliance with local labor laws. By doing so, businesses can avoid costly mistakes and maintain positive relationships with their international employees.

Providing Local HR Support

Managing a global workforce also requires providing localized human resources support. Rivermate offers on-the-ground HR expertise to ensure employees have access to the appropriate resources and support they need. This includes addressing local employment issues, such as workplace disputes, and providing guidance on local customs and cultural norms. By offering local HR support, Rivermate helps businesses create a positive work environment for their international employees, increasing employee satisfaction and retention.

Assistance with Recruitment

As part of their EOR service, Rivermate can also assist businesses in finding and recruiting talented employees in different countries. With their extensive network of local talent and knowledge of the local job market, they can source qualified candidates, saving businesses time and effort in their recruitment process.

Rivermate as a company

Rivermate is a global Employer of Record (EOR) service provider that helps businesses expand and hire employees in different countries. They offer comprehensive solutions that simplify global employment, enabling businesses to access new markets without needing to establish a legal presence in each country. This significantly reduces the time, cost, and complexity associated with international expansion.

In this chapter, we'll take an in-depth look at Rivermate as a company. We'll explore its history, values, and the services it offers to clients.

History of Rivermate

A team of experienced professionals with a strong background in human resources, payroll, and global mobility established Rivermate to address the challenges faced by businesses seeking to expand and hire internationally. Since then, the company has rapidly grown and built a reputation for delivering reliable, efficient, and compliant EOR solutions to clients across various industries.

Company Values

Rivermate operates with a set of core values that guide its approach to business and commitment to delivering exceptional service to clients. These values include:

  • Integrity: Rivermate is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, honesty, and transparency in all its business dealings. Clients can trust them to act in their best interests.
  • Innovation: Rivermate continually invests in developing new and innovative solutions to help businesses navigate the complex world of global employment. This ensures that they stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing business landscape.
  • Excellence: Rivermate is dedicated to delivering the highest level of service and expertise to its clients. This ensures that they receive the support and guidance they need to successfully expand and hire internationally.
  • Collaboration: Rivermate believes in the power of teamwork and partnership, working closely with its clients to understand their unique needs and develop tailored solutions that help them achieve their goals.

Rivermate's (EOR) employer of record Service

Rivermate offers a comprehensive EOR service that simplifies the process of hiring and managing employees in different countries. Key features of this service include:

  • Legal Employer Status: Rivermate serves as the legal employer for a company's international workers, handling all aspects of employment compliance and reducing the need for businesses to establish a legal entity in each country.
  • Payroll Processing: Rivermate manages payroll for international employees, ensuring that payments are made in accordance with local labor laws and tax regulations, including currency conversions and tax withholdings.
  • Benefits Administration: Rivermate provides a standardized benefits package tailored to the local market, ensuring that employees receive the appropriate benefits in compliance with local regulations.
  • Compliance Management: Rivermate's expertise in local employment laws and regulations ensures that businesses remain compliant in each country, minimizing the risk of fines, penalties, and legal disputes.
  • Local HR Support: Rivermate offers on-the-ground HR support to address local employment issues and provide guidance on local customs and cultural norms, helping businesses create a positive work environment for their international employees.

Additional Services Offered by Rivermate

In addition to its core (EOR) employer of record service, Rivermate also offers a range of supplementary services designed to support businesses as they expand and hire internationally:

  • Global Mobility Services: Rivermate provides support for employee relocation, including visa and immigration assistance, destination services, and cultural training, ensuring that employees have a smooth transition to their new country.
  • Independent Contractor Management: Rivermate helps businesses engage independent contractors in different countries, ensuring that the relationship between the company and the contractor is compliant with local laws and regulations.
  • Recruitment Services: Rivermate can assist businesses in sourcing and recruiting qualified candidates in different countries, leveraging its extensive network of local talent and knowledge of the local job market.


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