Boundless and Employer of Record Services
What is Boundless and how does it work?
Boundless provides employment solutions for businesses with globally distributed teams. Our platform simplifies the process of employing people in different countries by serving as an Employer of Record (EOR).
This means Boundless handles legal and administrative requirements such as payroll, taxes, and compliance with local employment regulations on behalf of companies. This allows businesses with remote teams worldwide to operate smoothly and confidently.
We have corporate entities set up in some countries, can we still use Boundless?
Yes, even if you own entities in multiple countries, you can still use Boundless to employ your workers compliantly and run a smooth payroll without burdening your internal HR team. Many companies outsource these responsibilities to third parties to minimise the in-house headcount needed to support these functions and combine these fragmented systems, relationships, and workflows into a single experience. The added benefit of working with Boundless is that you can also add countries where you don't have a local presence and keep all employee data operations in one place.
Why use Boundless instead of employing our remote employees as independent contractors?
Employing full-time workers as independent contractors is not legal in most countries, and taking this approach will likely mean you are in breach of employment laws. This could result in severe legal and financial penalties for your company.
Another important factor to consider is that this approach might also impact your company culture and lead to long-term declines in productivity, as your misclassified employees might feel treated unfairly since they will not be receiving the same benefits, rights, and protections as full-time employees do.
What are the associated costs and billing process for using Boundless?
The costs associated with using Boundless vary based on your unique use case and business needs. Our pricing plans start at 8.4% of total payroll value, which includes the total gross salaries, statutory employer payments, benefits and pension contributions, and any other payments processed via payroll. That fee covers all essentials such as compliant employment, contracts, payroll, taxes and benefits and ongoing support.
Each pay period, after any necessary adjustments and processing are completed, Boundless issues an invoice for a single amount in your home currency. This invoice provides a full breakdown of the payroll costs, including the fee for using Boundless. As a customer, you pay this amount to Boundless, and we then process your team’s salaries in their own currency. Boundless also takes care of compliantly filing and paying the necessary taxes in the employees' home countries.
Find more information about our pricing plans here.
How does Boundless ensure legal compliance in different countries?
Boundless ensures legal compliance in each country we operate in by working closely with the best local employment attorneys and advisory bodies and building deep expert knowledge internally. When a potentially sensitive legal or HR issue arises, our internal team works directly with these advisers to resolve it per local laws and procedures. Our partners also help ensure all employment agreements are fully compliant with local regulations, including data protection and work-from-home regulations.
One of our core values is "compliance is black and white," meaning we are committed to 100% compliance and zero risk at all times, refusing to operate in grey areas. This adherence to strict legal standards ensures both employers and employees have confidence in the legal compliance of their operations.
What industries does Boundless specialise in and how can it cater to our specific needs?
Boundless is designed to assist businesses across different sectors and stages of their growth. Our current customer base expands across tech, finance, healthcare, education and other regulated industries, and includes both growing and scaling businesses.
Our goal is to offer solutions relevant to each of our customers’ needs, considering the size of the business, number of international employees, countries of operation, internal HR team, and other specifics. Our dedicated team of experts will then work with your team to ensure our service matches your vision.
What countries does Boundless support?
Boundless can help you employ your international team compliantly in 25+ countries. In each country we support, we fully own our legal entities and corporate infrastructure to ensure we provide compliant employee contracts, 100% accurate payroll processing & taxes, excellent employee benefits packages, and quick expert HR and payroll support.
Explore the available countries and associated country guides here.
Managing International Employment
How does Boundless facilitate the management of a global workforce?
At Boundless, we make it simple for businesses to employ and manage their global workforce. As an Employer of Record (EOR), we handle all the administrative, legal, and compliance aspects of employing staff across different countries. Our goal is to help your business grow and succeed internationally by removing the hassles and risks associated with global employment while making payroll and compliance a seamless experience.
Here is how we support your global workforce:
- Accurate and Transparent Payroll: We manage the complexities of running global payroll and handle all tax filings in each employee's respective country, ensuring your international team is paid correctly and on time every pay cycle.
- Compliance with Local Laws: We ensure strict adherence to the local laws of the countries where your employees are based.
- Dedicated Expertise: We have experts who provide support for every HR or payroll-related question or issue that may come up.
- Streamlined Payments: You pay us one invoice for all your employees in a currency that works for you, and in turn, we pay your employees in their local currency.
What are the steps to get started with Boundless?
The first step is booking a call with one of our experts and letting us know which countries you’re interested in. Our team will reach out to schedule a short consultation call, where we can answer any technical questions you have and share a detailed salary and tax breakdown for each country of interest, as well as outline any specific requirements relating to compliant employment there.
If you decide you want to partner with Boundless, our HR and Payroll teams will schedule country, payroll and tax consultations, as well as an employer obligation review with your team and help you get set up on the Boundless platform. The only thing that is left is adding your employees to the platform.
How does Boundless handle payroll and tax obligations in different countries?
Boundless currently supports biweekly and monthly payroll cycles depending on the country you are interested in. The employee is paid directly by Boundless, and you, as a customer, will receive a single payroll invoice every month. This invoice will include the total gross payroll cost, plus any employer-related taxes or contributions, plus our processing fee. Our payroll cut-off date for updates on your end is on the 10th of the month (or the next business day) and you always have time to review the final payroll before getting your invoice.
As the Employer of Record, we also manage employer and employee tax obligations. We file and pay all pertinent taxes as they relate to employing an individual, adhering to the specific regulations in their home country. This means we take care of both the tax deductions from the employee's salary and the employer’s contributions.
How do we make changes to employment details, review payroll, or manage our active countries?
At Boundless, we recognise the importance of managing your employees' information and active countries efficiently and safely. That’s why we offer an intuitive platform that provides all the tools you need to manage your employees' employment details, such as personal information, employment status, salary adjustments, or benefit changes. These changes are then factored into the next payroll cycle.
Our platform also provides visibility into your payroll costs before paying employees each month, where you can review and approve final payroll costs. Your employees have access to our platform too and can make changes such as marital status, address, or banking details, as well as access their payslips each month.
How does Boundless support employee benefits, social security, pension and health insurance contributions?
Employees employed through Boundless are granted all local statutory benefits, such as paid vacation, maternity/paternity leave, and job protection. These benefits are fully aligned with each country's employment regulations, and our team tracks changes in these laws to ensure ongoing compliance.
Pension, health insurance, and social security contributions are crucial elements in our payroll process in countries where those are mandatory benefits. We calculate, deduct, and deposit the contributions into the respective schemes as per local regulations. When these are not mandatory benefits in a certain country, we can discuss alternative options to provide them to your employees.
How does Boundless handle employee issues, such as disputes or terminations?
In most countries, there are strict regulations to prevent unlawful terminations and Boundless has a deep knowledge of all the procedures for compliantly terminating employment agreements in each country. We always insist that you notify us before terminating anyone so we can help you do it in a compliant and respectful way.
Our team will offer you tailored advice on everything you need to consider and provide the support you need to ensure the situation is handled correctly.
In cases of employee disputes, our team will be readily available to provide guidance and help you navigate the situation. In sensitive situations, we consult with our legal teams in the local jurisdiction on your behalf to ensure you get the best possible advice and minimise potential repercussions or damages to your employer brand.
Do we need to take care of filing monthly/annual reports to the tax authorities?
No, as an Employer of Record, Boundless takes care of all tax reporting and filing responsibilities for your employees. We manage the filing of monthly and annual reports to the relevant tax authorities based on each country's specific rules and regulations. This includes handling all tax and social security contributions on behalf of your employees.
How do invoicing and billing work?
Each pay period, Boundless issues an invoice that reflects the total payroll cost, including the salary of each employee, associated taxes, contributions, and our fee. To make things easy, this will be a single invoice in your own currency, accompanied by a breakdown of each employee’s salary, tax and contributions.
Upon signing up, you'll receive the first invoice, which includes a pre-payment amount for the estimated first month's total payroll. For each subsequent period, the invoice will consist of the current month's total payroll cost, our fees, and, if applicable, any amount required to match the estimated payroll cost for the subsequent month. Employees will then be paid in their local currency.
Advantages and Support for Your Business
What are the key benefits of using Boundless for my internationally remote team?
There are several key benefits of using Boundless to manage your internationally remote team.
- Being compliant. Be assured that you are legally employing your team in a way that benefits them, without the monthly administrative burden.
- Accessing local knowledge. We have the local expertise to help you quickly employ your internationally remote team in a way that's compliant with their local jurisdiction.
- Avoiding penalties. Governments are getting stricter in enforcing employment laws that carry penalties for misclassification of employees for contractors.
- Scaling your team faster. You can take full advantage of hiring from a global talent pool without new hires needing to wait for you to become compliant on your own.
How does Boundless assist with scaling and flexibility for workforce management?
At Boundless, we understand the need for businesses to scale and adapt their workforce in a swiftly changing world. Our solutions are designed to support rapid scaling of remote teams across multiple countries. We help you avoid the significant time, cost, and compliance overhead associated with setting up and operating a legal entity in each new country.
As an Employer of Record, we can onboard new employees quickly and compliantly in their home country under our legal entities. Our flexibility allows you to adjust your workforce size, structure, and location distribution as your business needs evolve. This way, we empower your business to grow seamlessly and confidently in any global market.
What is the level of support provided by Boundless in case of HR-related issues?
The primary responsibility for day-to-day HR management that doesn’t necessarily relate to employment will fall within the company. We make it our business to not interfere in the relationship that a company has with their employees. But when it comes to employment, HR and payroll matters for your distributed employees, we are always here to help.
In the case of delicate or critical matters, such as employee disputes or terminations, we guide you through the process in compliance with local employment laws, sometimes consulting local legal experts to provide the best guidance. This ensures you handle the situation in a way that aligns with regulations and maintains a positive working environment for your team. We also help with regular check-ins for changes in tax or legislative laws that may affect your employee contracts, so you can focus on growing your business while we take care of the complexities of global payroll and employee management.
How does Boundless mitigate risks associated with international employment?
We have carefully chosen the countries in which we operate, so we have expert knowledge of them. We achieve this by carefully choosing the employment lawyers and advisories we partner with and continuously building on our internal expertise.
We take great care and responsibility in serving as your Employer of Record and do not take lightly our responsibility to you for your people. We ensure compliance with local taxation, benefits, and employment laws on your behalf, protecting you from any potential legal issues. Additionally, we handle HR-related matters, such as contractual disputes or terminations, ensuring these are dealt with in accordance with local laws.
What are the channels for customer support and employee queries?
Depending on your pricing plan, we provide dedicated channels for customer support and employee queries, ensuring everyone involved gets the help they need promptly and efficiently. Customers can reach us via email, phone, and chat, depending on the nature of their query.
Our average response time is under an hour, and the average resolution time is under a day. We also offer a direct line to expert support as part of our Enhanced and Elite packages, ensuring all queries are catered to with high priority.
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