05 Mar What It’s Like to Hire in the U.S. Today: Opportunities, Hurdles, and How to Navigate Them

Hiring in the U.S. in 2025 reflects a labor market in transition. While unemployment remains low, job postings have cooled, and competition for roles is intensifying. For companies expanding into the U.S. or looking to build global teams, understanding the landscape — and leveraging the right hiring model — has never been more critical. 

Here’s a closer look at today’s hiring climate in the U.S., and how EORs (Employers of Record) and PEOs (Professional Employer Organizations) can help employers stay compliant and competitive.

Remote work and cross-border hiring are here to stay

Technology has erased borders for many knowledge-based roles. According to the World Economic Forum, remote global jobs are expected to grow to 92 million by 2030. For companies, this represents an opportunity to tap into global talent — but also introduces legal and logistical hurdles.

Traditionally, hiring internationally meant setting up local entities, hiring lawyers, and navigating foreign tax and labor systems. Today, EORs and PEOs simplify this process, allowing companies to onboard talent in new jurisdictions quickly and compliantly.

What EORs and PEOs do — and how they differ

EORs and PEOs offer similar services — handling HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance — but operate under different employment models.

An EOR becomes the legal employer of your international hire. The EOR handles everything from employment contracts to local tax filings. The talent works for your company in practice, but the EOR is their employer on paper.

A PEO, on the other hand, enters a co-employment relationship with your company. This model is primarily used in the U.S., where the PEO shares employer responsibilities with you. Your company oversees the day-to-day work, while the PEO manages payroll, benefits, and compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

Example: Edge Electronics ensures compliance across 10 U.S. states with TriNet. Chili Piper hires in 43 countries through Oyster’s EOR model.

Hiring in the U.S. means navigating a legal maze

The U.S. employment system is uniquely complex. Employment is “at-will,” meaning either party can end the relationship without cause. This concept is foreign to many global companies, and missteps can lead to lawsuits.

More critically, the U.S. has three layers of employment law — federal, state, and local. Each layer adds rules that may differ widely depending on geography. Minimum wage, paid leave, and termination rules are just a few areas where legal obligations diverge across jurisdictions.

A PEO like TriNet helps companies remain compliant across all 50 states. They also assist in correctly classifying employees, managing tax withholdings, and staying on top of legal changes.

The labor market in 2025: cooling, but still resilient

According to Indeed’s 2025 U.S. Jobs & Hiring Trends Report, job postings declined by 10% in 2024 but remain above pre-pandemic levels. Hiring and quitting rates are near decade lows, suggesting reduced confidence among job seekers.

Still, unemployment is low (around 4.2%), and layoffs remain subdued. Wage growth has stabilized at 3.2% — a healthy pace that outpaces inflation — and pay transparency is rising. Nearly 58% of job postings now include salary information, helping close wage gaps and speed up hiring.

Benefits and remote work are evolving, not disappearing

The percentage of job postings advertising benefits has stabilized around 60%, after peaking during the hiring frenzy of 2021–2022. Employers are still offering perks, but they’re no longer as central to the pitch.

Meanwhile, remote work postings have declined since 2022 but remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic norms. Sectors like tech are still offering remote options, though the frequency has dipped. Companies are trending toward hybrid models, balancing flexibility with in-office collaboration.

Why global companies need a PEO in the U.S.

Hiring in the U.S. can be especially risky now without expert help. A PEO like TriNet provides:

• Turnkey compliance across federal, state, and local laws
  Streamlined onboarding, payroll, and tax management
• Support with benefits, insurance, and HR policies
• Expertise in interpreting evolving legal precedents

Whether you’re hiring in Texas, New York, or California, each state presents unique challenges — and a PEO partner ensures you don’t go it alone.

EORs make global expansion simpler

Outside the U.S., labor laws vary even more. Many countries require a 13th-month salary, set notice periods, or mandatory bonuses. Data privacy laws also vary. In short: what’s compliant in one country may be illegal in another.

An EOR like Oyster gives companies the infrastructure to hire in 180+ countries. From onboarding to offboarding, an EOR partner manages employment risk, so you can focus on growth — not red tape.

Expand with confidence in 2025

Hiring in the U.S. today is stable, if slightly softened. Last month, the US economy added 151,000 jobs. With job growth slowing, benefits and remote work moderating, and compliance requirements remaining complex, success depends on partnering smartly.

• Use a PEO for compliant U.S. hiring across multiple states
• Use an EOR to scale internationally without legal entities
• Stay ahead of wage trends, pay transparency, and shifting regulations
• Focus on skills-based hiring and flexibility to remain competitive

Whether you’re eyeing New York or San Franciscoi, today’s best hiring strategy is one that’s compliant, agile, and borderless.