What to Cover When Evaluating an Employer of Record Partner
Choosing the right Employer of Record (EOR) vendor is a critical decision—one that can impact everything from your candidate experience to your compliance posture. When issuing an EOR Request for Proposal (RFP), it’s not just about gathering pricing or headcount capacity. It’s about ensuring alignment with your business model, values, and operational needs. Instead of handing you a long list of boilerplate questions, this guide offers topic areas to explore in your EOR RFP questions —with a few example questions in each—to help you uncover the details that matter most.
1. Compliance & Risk Management
A reliable EOR should reduce your exposure to risk, not add to it. You’ll want to understand their compliance practices—especially across jurisdictions and industries. This is especially true with ever changing laws around independent contractor compliance, like California’s AB5 Law.
Example questions:
- How does your platform manage compliance in highly regulated states or sectors?
- What is your process for staying ahead of changing employment laws (e.g., paid leave, pay transparency, classification)?
2. Employee Experience
Your EOR is the legal employer, so their platform and service quality directly shape the experience for your contractors or employees.
Example questions:
- What does the onboarding process look like from the employee’s perspective?
- How do you support employee questions or issues (e.g., benefits, payroll discrepancies)?
3. Technology & Integrations
The EOR should fit into your tech ecosystem and streamline—not complicate—your workflow.
Example questions:
- Do you offer APIs or integrations with our ATS or payroll system?
- Can we configure reporting dashboards or workflows to match our internal process?
4. Benefits & Total Rewards
Benefits are often the most visible sign of “being employed,” especially for contractors. A good EOR should offer competitive, compliant benefits packages.
Example questions:
- What benefits packages do you offer, and how do they compare across regions?
- Can clients customize benefits offerings for specific worker populations?
5. Onboarding & Offboarding
From offer letters to exit paperwork, smooth transitions reflect professionalism and protect your brand.
Example questions:
- How quickly can you onboard a worker in a new state?
- What’s your process for managing terminations and final paychecks?
6. Pricing Transparency
Understanding how the EOR structures their fees—and what’s included—is critical to comparing vendors fairly.
Example questions:
- Can you break down your pricing model and show what services are included vs. optional?
- How do you handle pass-through costs like workers’ compensation or local taxes?
7. Industry-Specific Experience
Not all EORs are created equal. Some are better suited for high-turnover, shift-based work; others shine in healthcare or education.
Example questions:
- What experience do you have with clients in [your industry]?
- Can you share specific compliance considerations or challenges you’ve handled in this space?
8. Support & Account Management
Even the best platforms need human support behind the scenes. Gauge what level of partnership you can expect.
Example questions:
- Will we have a dedicated account manager? What’s their typical response time?
- How do you escalate urgent employee issues?
Want the Full List of EOR RFP Questions?
An RFP isn’t just a formality—it’s your chance to look under the hood. By asking targeted questions in these areas, you’ll quickly learn which vendors are simply selling services and which are built to be strategic partners.
Download our Free RFP Toolkit!
When you’re choosing someone to legally employ your talent, good enough isn’t good enough. Dive deep, stay curious, and prioritize fit over flash.
