diff --git a/backend/app/models/hr.py b/backend/app/models/hr.py
index 4f8adc19..54d0193b 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/hr.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/hr.py
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ class HeadcountRequest(SQLModel, table=True):
     justification: str | None = None
     status: str = Field(default="submitted")
 
+    # fulfillment linkage (optional)
+    fulfilled_employee_id: int | None = Field(default=None, foreign_key="employees.id")
+    fulfilled_onboarding_id: int | None = Field(default=None, foreign_key="agent_onboardings.id")
+    fulfilled_at: datetime | None = None
+
     created_at: datetime = Field(default_factory=datetime.utcnow)
 
 
@@ -32,6 +37,9 @@ class EmploymentAction(SQLModel, table=True):
     action_type: str  # praise|warning|pip|termination
     notes: str | None = None
 
+    # Optional idempotency key to prevent duplicates on retries
+    idempotency_key: str | None = Field(default=None, index=True, unique=True)
+
     created_at: datetime = Field(default_factory=datetime.utcnow)
 
 
@@ -46,6 +54,9 @@ class AgentOnboarding(SQLModel, table=True):
     tools_json: str | None = None
     owner_hr_id: int | None = Field(default=None, foreign_key="employees.id")
 
+    # Link to the employee record once created
+    employee_id: int | None = Field(default=None, foreign_key="employees.id")
+
     status: str = Field(default="planned")  # planned|spawning|spawned|verified|blocked
     spawned_agent_id: str | None = None
     session_key: str | None = None
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas/hr.py b/backend/app/schemas/hr.py
index 691e44f0..6b92288e 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas/hr.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas/hr.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ class HeadcountRequestCreate(SQLModel):
 class HeadcountRequestUpdate(SQLModel):
     status: str | None = None
     justification: str | None = None
+    fulfilled_employee_id: int | None = None
+    fulfilled_onboarding_id: int | None = None
 
 
 class EmploymentActionCreate(SQLModel):
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ class EmploymentActionCreate(SQLModel):
     issued_by_employee_id: int
     action_type: str
     notes: str | None = None
+    idempotency_key: str | None = None
 
 
 class AgentOnboardingCreate(SQLModel):
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ class AgentOnboardingCreate(SQLModel):
     cron_interval_ms: int | None = None
     tools_json: str | None = None
     owner_hr_id: int | None = None
+    employee_id: int | None = None
     status: str = "planned"
     spawned_agent_id: str | None = None
     session_key: str | None = None
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ class AgentOnboardingUpdate(SQLModel):
     cron_interval_ms: int | None = None
     tools_json: str | None = None
     owner_hr_id: int | None = None
+    employee_id: int | None = None
     status: str | None = None
     spawned_agent_id: str | None = None
     session_key: str | None = None