(To clarify) 80k/yr total overhead for 18mo per employee, counting facilities, health care, direct and indirect costs, etc. You don't necessarily have to spend it, but I think it would be irresponsible to hire someone on a non-founder basis without having that kind of money available to back it up. If someone's willing to take a subsistence or below market salary, fine, but it should be explicit.

I'd also be reluctant to hire any permanent employee without having at least 12mo of salary in the bank to pay him; 6mo might be ok if you disclose this to someone and let him make his own choice. It would suck to have a choice between startup and facebook, take the startup, then get laid off in six months. That is the kind of risk a founder should take, but not regular employees. If you can't cover salary, then contractor status makes more sense I think.