Free tools and official data for small-business owners and managers
Run your team and your numbers with the rule and the data in hand.
InterObservers is a set of Desks, one for each job you do without an HR or finance department: the Employer Desk, the Hiring Desk, the Money Desk, the Conversation Desk, the Performance Desk and the Pay Desk. Every rule is cited to its official source and every figure to its government source.
- Every rule cited to its official source
- Figures from BLS, IRS, Census, O*NET, EEOC and DOL
- Verified date on each rule
- Nothing you type leaves your browser
The Employer DeskUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Handle any people situation correctly, in your state
Step-by-step guidance for write-ups, firing and resignations, with your state's rule, the law cited and the document ready to download.
- SituationWrite up an employeeSteps, meeting script, 3 warning formsState employment laws
- SituationFire an employeeChecklist, script, final pay deadlineState employment laws
- TemplateEmployee handbook templatePolicies with your state's rulesState employment laws
- CalculatorFinal paycheck deadline calculatorThe exact date in your stateState wage payment statutes
rules verified against official sources, each with its citation and the date checked.
Official state and federal sources, checked between Jul 12 and Sep 27, 2026Popular guides
Examples of respect in the workplaceThe Hiring DeskUpdated Sep 29, 2026
Hire the right person at a fair wage, and stay within the law
Write the job posting, check an offer against government wage data for the same job, and see what your state lets you ask in an interview.
- TemplateJob description templateDuties from O*NET, pay range for your areaO*NET + BLS wages
- ToolSalary comparison toolWhere your offer sits against local wagesBLS OEWS
- Law tableIllegal interview questions by stateWhat not to ask, with the law behind itEEOC + state statutes
- SituationHire your first employeeRegistration, paperwork, first paydayState agencies
U.S. median annual wage for all occupations.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025Popular guides
In what capacity do you know the candidate?The Money DeskUpdated Sep 28, 2026
Know your numbers against businesses like yours
Profit margins by industry from IRS tax data, your break-even point, and how many employers in your industry are in your county.
- CalculatorBreak-even calculatorUnits and sales that cover your fixed costsIRS cost shares
- DataProfit margin by industryWhat small businesses keep, by sectorIRS Statistics of Income
- DataYour industry in your countyEmployers and jobs near youCensus County Business Patterns
- GuideProfit and loss statement examplesRead and build a P&LIRS Schedule C (Form 1040)
of business receipts kept as net income by sole proprietorships.
IRS Statistics of Income, tax year 2023Popular guides
Petty cash: how it worksThe Conversation DeskUpdated Oct 2, 2026
Prepare a hard conversation with an employee, point by point
Plan what to say before a hard talk with an employee, check the federal protections first, and download the script as a Word or PDF file.
- SituationWhat counts as insubordinationWhat counts and how to document itState employment laws
- TemplateDifficult conversation scriptWhat to say, with the federal protections to checkEEOC + NLRB + federal statutes
- SituationWrite up an employeeSteps, meeting script, 3 warning formsState employment laws
- SituationFire an employeeChecklist, script, final pay deadlineState employment laws
of the charges filed with the EEOC alleged retaliation.
EEOC charge statistics, federal fiscal year 2025The Performance DeskUpdated Oct 3, 2026
Write a performance review for any job, item by item
Build a performance review for any job from the O*NET tasks, skills and work activities of that occupation, rated on a five-level scale with ready phrases.
- TemplatePerformance review templateTasks and skills for any job, five rating levelsO*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA)
- SituationPut an employee on a PIPSteps, what to say and the rules in your stateState law (verified)
- TemplateJob description templateJob duties from O*NET data, pay range for your areaO*NET + BLS wages
- TemplatePerformance improvement plan template30, 60 or 90 days with goals and check-insEEOC + SBA guidance
occupations with O*NET-rated core tasks you can review against.
O*NET Database, USDOL/ETA, O*NET 31.0Popular guides
Performance review summary examplesThe Pay DeskUpdated Sep 29, 2026
See what a paycheck pays the employee and costs the employer
Paycheck calculators for each state that show take-home pay and the full employer cost, from the official IRS and state withholding rules, plus an hourly to salary converter.
- CalculatorHourly to salary calculatorYearly, monthly and weekly pay from an hourly rateState minimum wage rules
- CalculatorTexas paycheck calculatorTake-home pay and employer cost, no state income taxInternal Revenue Service withholding tables and Texas Comptroller
- CalculatorCalifornia paycheck calculatorState withholding and SDI, plus the employer costInternal Revenue Service withholding tables and California EDD
- CalculatorFlorida paycheck calculatorFederal withholding, FICA and the employer costInternal Revenue Service withholding tables and Florida Constitution
of pay per worker is the most taxed for Social Security this year, for the employee and the employer alike.
Social Security Administration and IRS, tax year 2026Popular guides
How to decline a job offer due to salaryGuides for managers
Plain-language guides on leading and running a team. Each links to the Desk that handles the job.
Why you can rely on it
How we verify →- jurisdictions: 50 states and DC
- 51
- rules verified against official sources, each with its citation
- 487
- maximum age of a rule before it is re-verified or removed
- 180 days
- to review any error you report
- 48 h
General information, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Laws change; check the official source linked on each rule. Figures from BLS, IRS, Census, O*NET, EEOC and DOL, as cited on each page.