Seasonal hiring is part of running a landscaping business. When the weather warms up, crews grow quickly. New workers are brought in to handle mowing, planting, irrigation, and clean-ups.
Many landscaping companies rely on workers who have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) instead of a Social Security number. This is common in the industry—but it’s also where many employers run into confusion.
Some payroll companies say they can’t add ITIN workers to payroll. Others suggest paying them as 1099 contractors, even when they clearly function as employees.
Both approaches can create serious compliance problems.
The reality is simple: ITIN workers can absolutely be added to payroll as W-2 employees, and doing it correctly protects your business.
Landscaping is one of the most seasonal industries in the country. Crews expand quickly in the spring and summer and often shrink again once the busy season ends.
Because of this, many landscaping companies hire workers who:
This is very common in landscaping. The key issue isn’t hiring these workers—it’s how they are classified and paid.
One of the most common mistakes landscaping companies make is paying ITIN workers as independent contractors (1099).
This often happens because:
But in most landscaping businesses, workers are employees, not contractors.
If your company:
Then they typically must be paid as W-2 employees.
Misclassifying employees as contractors can trigger serious issues if investigated by the Department of Labor or state labor agencies.
Adding ITIN workers to payroll is actually straightforward when done correctly.
Just like any other employee, ITIN workers complete standard hiring paperwork.
This typically includes:
The ITIN is used for tax reporting instead of a Social Security number.
Once the employee is set up, they should be paid through payroll just like any other worker.
That means:
Unfortunately, some payroll companies place all zeros or all ones where the ITIN should appear on the W-2 to avoid the work involved in filing it correctly. This creates reporting issues with the IRS and can cause problems later.
Accurate reporting matters.
Landscaping work can be physically demanding, and injuries can happen.
When workers are on payroll as W-2 employees, they can be properly included in:
This protects both the employee and the employer.
During peak season, landscaping crews often work long days.
Employers still need to follow wage and hour laws, including:
Using a timekeeping system integrated with payroll helps maintain accurate records and ensures payroll calculations are correct.
Many landscaping companies worry that putting seasonal workers on payroll will lock them into paying payroll fees all year.
That’s not how our system works.
Our payroll platform is based on active employees on payroll.
This means:
For seasonal industries like landscaping, this approach keeps payroll costs aligned with the size of your crew.
Many national payroll providers simply refuse to handle ITIN employees.
Why?
Because doing it correctly requires:
Instead of handling it properly, some providers push employers toward contractor payments or incomplete reporting.
It may seem easier at first, but it can create major compliance risks later.
If you run a landscaping company and hire seasonal workers, the safest approach is straightforward:
Add your ITIN workers to payroll as W-2 employees and report their wages correctly.
This protects your business, ensures workers are paid properly, and reduces the risk of problems with labor agencies or tax reporting.
If you're curious what it would cost to set this up correctly, you can use our instant price calculator to see the price to work with Baron Payroll.
It takes less than a minute to get your price.
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