Are you still dealing with all of your company´s Human Resource, Workers´ Compensation, Employee Benefits and Payroll needs? Are those business necessities your core competency? Are you compliant with local, state and federal regulations governing those important areas of your company? What if you could outsource those functions, provide better benefits to your staff, operate in compliance to protect you and your company, and save money in the process? You can!

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is designed to help small to mid-sized companies by providing them the resources to better manage and administer these non-revenue generating but essential business functions. You stay focused on your core business, what you know, and what you got into business to do. The PEO manages much of the rest, benefiting both you and your staff. Here is a quick list of 5 things to look for in a PEO:

1. Combination of Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch Delivery.
   Let´s face it…in today´s business world, many deliverables are made available online and much business is done via phone and email, etc. However, as a "service" business dealing with the complexities of human resources, training, safety, employee benefits, enrollment and orientation, it´s important to deal with a company that will be there when you need them. Likewise, your PEO should be able to deliver hi-tech solutions to help you manage your business in a more efficient and timely manner.
2. Multiple Employee Benefit Options.
   Often times, small and mid-sized businesses struggle to afford and offer attractive and competitive benefit choices to their staff. Benefits that will help you attract and retain the best staff. Many PEO´s will simply work with you to broker a plan for your organization but not offer a competitive group policy option. Look for a PEO that will meet or exceed your employee benefit needs. Large group policies, often with multiple plan options (HMO, PPO, HSA, etc.) or even multiple carriers, can be more attractive to your staff as they can choose the coverage that meets their personal needs. Composite premiums versus age-banded pricing can also have its advantages.
3. Safety Services – Not Just Workers´ Compensation.
   As the employer of record, PEO´s will typically provide all required workers´ compensation insurance for your staff. But insurance without attention to prevention is not enough. Your PEO should be as concerned about preventing claims as they are about managing them should they occur. Training, ergonomics, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, Personal Protective Equipment, work site audits and inspections, pre-employment drug screening and background checking and hiring best practices are just some of the things to expect.
4. Real Human Resource Services.
   Like the previous tip, human resource services shouldn´t be defined solely by the reaction to events. Make sure your PEO is providing a comprehensive and proactive review of your current business practices, policies and procedures related to employment. Again, expect training, professional employee handbooks, job description review and development, hiring, firing, counseling and disciplinary best practices, among other HR deliverables.
5. Payroll – Options, Ease and Accuracy.
   Let´s face it…payroll doesn´t have to be complicated but it has to be right. Make sure your PEO has available options to track, manage and submit payroll information. Web-based time clocks, swipe clocks, biometrics, and company specific online payroll portals are just some of the ways companies report and manage time and attendance these days. What works for you? Will your PEO work with your current reporting methods? Is it time for a change?

These are just 5 tips for selecting a Professional Employer Organization to meet your needs. Certainly, checking customer references and personally meeting with the PEO to assess their staff expertise, professionalism and responsiveness will go a long ways too. Following these few tips can help tremendously as you explore the many benefits of outsourcing these non-core business functions. Want more information? Click here.

Labels: Benefits, Human Resource, Payroll, Workers Comp.

Labels: Benefits, Employees, Employers, Human Resource, Payroll

Are you still dealing with all of your company´s Human Resource, Workers´ Compensation, Employee Benefits and Payroll needs? Are those business necessities your core competency? Are you compliant with local, state and federal regulations governing those important areas of your company? What if you could outsource those functions, provide better benefits to your staff, operate in compliance to protect you and your company, and save money in the process? You can!

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is designed to help small to mid-sized companies by providing them the resources to better manage and administer these non-revenue generating but essential business functions. You stay focused on your core business, what you know, and what you got into business to do. The PEO manages much of the rest, benefiting both you and your staff. Here is a quick list of 5 things to look for in a PEO:

Combination of Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch Delivery.

Let´s face it…in today´s business world, many deliverables are made available online and much business is done via phone and email, etc. However, as a "service" business dealing with the complexities of human resources, training, safety, employee benefits, enrollment and orientation, it´s important to deal with a company that will be there when you need them. Likewise, your PEO should be able to deliver hi-tech solutions to help you manage your business in a more efficient and timely manner.

Multiple Employee Benefit Options.

Often times, small and mid-sized businesses struggle to afford and offer attractive and competitive benefit choices to their staff. Benefits that will help you attract and retain the best staff. Many PEO´s will simply work with you to broker a plan for your organization but not offer a competitive group policy option. Look for a PEO that will meet or exceed your employee benefit needs. Large group policies, often with multiple plan options (HMO, PPO, HSA, etc.) or even multiple carriers, can be more attractive to your staff as they can choose the coverage that meets their personal needs. Composite premiums versus age-banded pricing can also have its advantages.

Safety Services – Not Just Workers´ Compensation.

As the employer of record, PEO´s will typically provide all required workers´ compensation insurance for your staff. But insurance without attention to prevention is not enough. Your PEO should be as concerned about preventing claims as they are about managing them should they occur. Training, ergonomics, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, Personal Protective Equipment, work site audits and inspections, pre-employment drug screening and background checking and hiring best practices are just some of the things to expect.

Real Human Resource Services.

Like the previous tip, human resource services shouldn´t be defined solely by the reaction to events. Make sure your PEO is providing a comprehensive and proactive review of your current business practices, policies and procedures related to employment. Again, expect training, professional employee handbooks, job description review and development, hiring, firing, counseling and disciplinary best practices, among other HR deliverables.

Payroll – Options, Ease and Accuracy.

Let´s face it…payroll doesn´t have to be complicated but it has to be right. Make sure your PEO has available options to track, manage and submit payroll information. Web-based time clocks, swipe clocks, biometrics, and company specific online payroll portals are just some of the ways companies report and manage time and attendance these days. What works for you? Will your PEO work with your current reporting methods? Is it time for a change?

These are just 5 tips for selecting a Professional Employer Organization to meet your needs. Certainly, checking customer references and personally meeting with the PEO to assess their staff expertise, professionalism and responsiveness will go a long ways too. Following these few tips can help tremendously as you explore the many benefits of outsourcing these non-core business functions.

Written By Rick Godard
VP ESG republic

Labels: Benefits, California, Employees, Employers, Payroll, Safety

Anyone who deals with payroll has probably gotten a headache or two trying to understand out how bonuses figure into overtime calculations.

Under both state and federal law, non-discretionary bonuses must be included in an employee's "regular rate of pay" in order to calculate overtime pay. Unfortunately, differences between federal regulations and California law have long made determining the regular rate a confusing process. A recent California appeals court decision provides some guidance for employers—well, sort of.

In Marin v. Costco Wholesale Corp, employees brought a class action lawsuit alleging that Costco's method for including bonuses in overtime calculations violated California law. Costco rewarded its long-term employees with semi-annual bonuses, provided that the employee remained in Costco's employment at bonus time and had worked at least 1,000 hours in the six months preceding the bonus cutoff date. Because the bonuses were paid semi-annually, the overtime calculation pay-rate had to be done retroactively when the bonuses were paid, as required by state and federal law, rather than for each employee's weekly paycheck.

Continue reading story here.

Labels: California, law, Payroll