StartEaseHow we protect your data
Payroll data is sensitive. This page describes the protections that exist in the platform today.
Access you controlFour roles, enforced by the database, not just the screens.
EncryptedIn transit, and sensitive fields before they are stored.
Locked recordsAn approved payroll cannot be edited by anyone.
Full trailApprovals, payments and user changes are logged.
Who can see what
| Information | Super admin | Payroll team | Employer | Employee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company details, tax IDs, state accounts | Yes | Assigned companies | Own company | No |
| EIN letter, formation certificate | Yes | Assigned companies | Own company | No |
| Pay amounts and payroll history | Yes | Assigned companies | Own company | Own pay only |
| Employee Social Security number | Yes | Assigned companies | Type once, last 4 shown | Own |
| Date of birth, home address, W-4, I-9, signed W-4 file | Yes | Assigned companies | No | Own |
| Contractor tax ID | Yes | Assigned companies | Type once, last 4 shown | No |
| Platform tax settings and the activity log | Yes | No | No | No |
Invitation, passwords and sign-in
- Invitation only. There is no public sign-up. Each person is invited by email and chooses a password of at least 12 characters.
- Database-enforced roles. Super admin, payroll team, employer and employee each see only their own menu and records. Row-level security in the database enforces this.
- Write-only identifiers. An employer can type a Social Security number or contractor tax ID once. It can never be read back; the app shows only the last four digits.
- Account alerts. You are emailed when your password changes or your account signs in from a new browser or device.
How data is stored
- Encrypted in transit. The website, the app and the database are reached over HTTPS.
- Sensitive fields are encrypted. Social Security numbers, dates of birth, private employee and contractor details, and company tax IDs and state account numbers are kept in separate private tables, encrypted before they are stored.
- Private files. W-4 files, EIN letters, formation certificates and filing receipts are kept in private storage. A file opens only through a link that expires after 60 seconds, and only for people allowed to see it.
- No bank account numbers and no EFTPS credentials. The platform does not store them and never asks for an EFTPS PIN or password.
- Location. Our database and file storage run in the United States.
How your data moves
1. CollectedEntered by you or your employer, over HTTPS.
2. StoredSensitive fields encrypted; files in private storage.
3. UsedOnly to run payroll, file, and remind.
4. SharedOnly with our providers and, to file, the agencies.
5. KeptFor the periods the law requires.
Integrity of payroll
- Approved payrolls are locked. Once an employer approves a payroll it cannot be edited, even by an administrator.
- Fourteen legal checks run before a payroll can be approved. A payroll that would break the law is blocked.
- Activity log. Approvals, payment marks and user changes are recorded with who and when.
Emails from StartEase never contain pay amounts, Social Security numbers or bank details, and we never ask for your password by email. You get an alert when your password changes or your account signs in from a new browser or device.
Our providers
| Provider | What it does for us |
|---|---|
| Supabase | Database, sign-in, file storage and background functions |
| Vercel | Hosts the website and the app |
| Sends email from hi@starteaseai.com |
Report a problem
If you think your account or data is at risk, or you found a weakness, write to hi@starteaseai.com. Please do not include passwords or Social Security numbers in the message.