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HireQuest, Inc. – ‘10-K’ for 12/31/20 – ‘EX-101.DEF’

On:  Thursday, 3/25/21, at 4:52pm ET   ·   For:  12/31/20   ·   Accession #:  1654954-21-3300   ·   File #:  1-38513

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  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 3/25/21  HireQuest, Inc.                   10-K       12/31/20   84:4.6M                                   Blueprint/FA

Annual Report   —   Form 10-K
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: 10-K        Annual Report                                       HTML    527K 
 2: EX-4.1      Instruments Defining the Rights of Security         HTML     31K 
                Holders, Including Indentures Instruments Defining               
                the Rights of Security Holders, Including                        
                Indentures                                                       
 3: EX-4.2      Instruments Defining the Rights of Security         HTML     37K 
                Holders, Including Indentures Instruments Defining               
                the Rights of Security Holders, Including                        
                Indentures                                                       
 4: EX-21.1     Subsidiaries of the Registrant                      HTML     24K 
 5: EX-23.1     Consents of Experts and Counsel                     HTML     23K 
 6: EX-31.1     Certification Pursuant to Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A)  HTML     27K 
                Certifications Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxly                  
                Act of 2002                                                      
 7: EX-31.2     Certification Pursuant to Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A)  HTML     27K 
                Certifications Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxly                  
                Act of 2002                                                      
 8: EX-32.1     Certificate Pursuant to Section 18 U.S.C. Pursuant  HTML     26K 
                to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002                 
15: R1          Document and Entity Information                     HTML     61K 
16: R2          Statement - Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets   HTML    119K 
                (Unaudited)                                                      
17: R3          Statement - Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets   HTML     40K 
                (Parenthetical)                                                  
18: R4          Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income         HTML    114K 
                (Operations) (Unaudited)                                         
19: R5          Consolidated Statements of Changes in               HTML     79K 
                Shareholders' Equity                                             
20: R6          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows     HTML    137K 
                (Unaudited)                                                      
21: R7          1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     65K 
                Policies                                                         
22: R8          2. Acquisitions                                     HTML     41K 
23: R9          3. Discontinued Operations                          HTML     35K 
24: R10         4. Related Party Transactions                       HTML     37K 
25: R11         5. Line of Credit                                   HTML     27K 
26: R12         6. Workers' Compensation Insurance and Reserves     HTML     31K 
27: R13         7. Analysis of Franchised and Company-Owned         HTML     26K 
                Offices                                                          
28: R14         8. Stockholders' Equity                             HTML     32K 
29: R15         9. Stock Based Compensation                         HTML     52K 
30: R16         10. Property and Equipment                          HTML     30K 
31: R17         11. Intangible Assets                               HTML     28K 
32: R18         12. Commitments and Contingencies                   HTML     29K 
33: R19         13. Income Tax                                      HTML     43K 
34: R20         14. Notes Receivable                                HTML     33K 
35: R21         15. Unaudited Quarterly Results of Operations       HTML     37K 
36: R22         16. Subsequent Events                               HTML     29K 
37: R23         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML    113K 
                Policies (Policies)                                              
38: R24         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     39K 
                Policies (Tables)                                                
39: R25         2. Acquisitions (Tables)                            HTML     41K 
40: R26         3. Discontinued Operations (Tables)                 HTML     37K 
41: R27         4. Related Party Transactions (Tables)              HTML     28K 
42: R28         6. Workers' Compensation Insurance and Reserves     HTML     27K 
                (Tables)                                                         
43: R29         7. Analysis of Franchise Locations (Tables)         HTML     26K 
44: R30         8. Stockholders' Equity (Tables)                    HTML     29K 
45: R31         9. Stock Based Compensation (Tables)                HTML     54K 
46: R32         10. Property and Equipment (Tables)                 HTML     29K 
47: R33         11. Intangible Assets (Tables)                      HTML     28K 
48: R34         13. Income Tax (Tables)                             HTML     45K 
49: R35         14. Notes Receivable (Tables)                       HTML     30K 
50: R36         15. Unaudited Quarterly Results of Operations       HTML     37K 
                (Tables)                                                         
51: R37         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     30K 
                Policies (Details)                                               
52: R38         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     31K 
                Policies (Details 1)                                             
53: R39         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     36K 
                Policies (Details 2)                                             
54: R40         1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting   HTML     39K 
                Policies (Details Narrative)                                     
55: R41         2. Acquisitions (Details)                           HTML     53K 
56: R42         2. Acquisitions (Details 1)                         HTML     36K 
57: R43         3. Discontinued Operations (Details)                HTML     42K 
58: R44         3. Discontinued Operations (Details 1)              HTML     46K 
59: R45         4. Related Party Transactions (Details)             HTML     29K 
60: R46         4. Related Party Transactions (Details Narrative)   HTML     37K 
61: R47         5. Line of Credit (Details Narrative)               HTML     24K 
62: R48         6. Workers' Compensation Insurance and Reserves     HTML     29K 
                (Details)                                                        
63: R49         7. Analysis of Franchise Locations (Details)        HTML     27K 
64: R50         8. Stockholders' Equity (Details)                   HTML     32K 
65: R51         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details)               HTML     43K 
66: R52         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details 1)             HTML     37K 
67: R53         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details 2)             HTML     53K 
68: R54         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details 3)             HTML     48K 
69: R55         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details 4)             HTML     43K 
70: R56         9. Stock Based Compensation (Details Narrative)     HTML     31K 
71: R57         10. Property and Equipment (Details)                HTML     36K 
72: R58         10. Property and Equipment (Details Narrative)      HTML     25K 
73: R59         11. Intangible Assets (Details)                     HTML     30K 
74: R60         11. Intangible Assets (Details Narrative)           HTML     25K 
75: R61         12. Commitments and Contingencies (Details          HTML     26K 
                Narrative)                                                       
76: R62         13. Income Tax (Details)                            HTML     42K 
77: R63         13. Income Tax (Details 1)                          HTML     39K 
78: R64         13. Income Tax (Details 2)                          HTML     56K 
79: R65         14. Notes Receivable (Details)                      HTML     32K 
80: R66         14. Notes Receivable (Details Narrative)            HTML     28K 
81: R67         15. Unaudited Quarterly Results of Operations       HTML    107K 
                (Details)                                                        
83: XML         IDEA XML File -- Filing Summary                      XML    150K 
82: EXCEL       IDEA Workbook of Financial Reports                  XLSX     95K 
 9: EX-101.INS  XBRL Instance -- hqi-20201231                        XML    950K 
11: EX-101.CAL  XBRL Calculations -- hqi-20201231_cal                XML    165K 
12: EX-101.DEF  XBRL Definitions -- hqi-20201231_def                 XML    364K 
13: EX-101.LAB  XBRL Labels -- hqi-20201231_lab                      XML    870K 
14: EX-101.PRE  XBRL Presentations -- hqi-20201231_pre               XML    700K 
10: EX-101.SCH  XBRL Schema -- hqi-20201231                          XSD    164K 
84: ZIP         XBRL Zipped Folder -- 0001654954-21-003300-xbrl      Zip    112K 


‘EX-101.DEF’   —   XBRL Definitions — hqi-20201231_def


This Exhibit is an XBRL XML File.


                                                                                                                                                                                
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</link:linkbase>


4 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 3/21/24  HireQuest, Inc.                   10-K       12/31/23   89:9.1M                                   RDG Filings/FA
 3/21/23  HireQuest, Inc.                   10-K       12/31/22   91:10M                                    RDG Filings/FA
 5/25/22  HireQuest, Inc.                   S-3                    4:389K                                   RDG Filings/FA
 3/15/22  HireQuest, Inc.                   10-K       12/31/21   85:8M                                     RDG Filings/FA


9 Previous Filings that this Filing References

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 6/15/20  HireQuest, Inc.                   S-8         6/15/20    4:160K                                   Blueprint/FA
 4/29/20  HireQuest, Inc.                   DEF 14A     4/15/20    1:784K                                   Blueprint/FA
11/13/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   10-Q        9/29/19   57:2.9M                                   Blueprint/FA
 9/26/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   8-K:5,7,9   9/23/19    6:4.7M                                   E-Data Systems, Inc./FA
 9/09/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   8-K:1,3,5,8 9/09/19    8:656K                                   E-Data Systems, Inc./FA
 9/04/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   8-K:5,9     8/06/19    2:91K                                    E-Data Systems, Inc./FA
 7/17/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   8-K:1,2,3,5 7/11/19    4:614K                                   E-Data Systems, Inc./FA
 6/10/19  HireQuest, Inc.                   8-K:5,9     6/05/19    2:105K                                   Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
10/11/16  HireQuest, Inc.                   DEF 14A    11/17/16    1:939K                                   Blueprint/FA
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