FAQ .
What is a PEO?
A professional employer organization (PEO) provides comprehensive HR solutions for small and mid-size businesses. Payroll, benefits, HR, tax administration, and regulatory compliance assistance are some of the many services PEOs provide to growing businesses across the country. Small businesses that work with a PEO grow 7 to 9 percent faster, have employee turnover that is 10 to 14 percent lower, and are 50 percent less likely to go out of business.
Why use a PEO?
By providing payroll, benefits, and HR services and assisting with compliance issues under state and federal law, PEOs allow small businesses to improve productivity and profitability, to focus on their core mission, and to grow.
According to a recent study by noted economists Laurie Bassi and Dan McMurrer, small businesses that use PEOs grow 7 to 9 percent faster, have 10 to 14 percent lower employee turnover, and are 50 percent less likely to go out of business.
Through a PEO, the employees of small businesses gain access to big-business employee benefits such as: 401(k) plans; health, dental, life, and other insurance; dependent care; and other benefits they might not typically receive as employees of a small company.
According to a recent study by noted economists Laurie Bassi and Dan McMurrer, small businesses that use PEOs grow 7 to 9 percent faster, have 10 to 14 percent lower employee turnover, and are 50 percent less likely to go out of business.
Through a PEO, the employees of small businesses gain access to big-business employee benefits such as: 401(k) plans; health, dental, life, and other insurance; dependent care; and other benefits they might not typically receive as employees of a small company.
Guidelines for choosing a PEO
- Assess your workplace to determine your human resource and risk management needs.
- Make sure the PEO is capable of meeting your goals. Meet the people who will be serving you.
- Ask for client and professional references.
- Does the PEO have a demonstrated history of adherence to the industry’s professional performance practices, including responsible financial management of its business? Check to determine if the PEO’s financial statements are independently audited by a CPA, whether their risk management practices have been independently certified by the Certification Institute or if their operational, financial, and ethical practices have been independently accredited by ESAC.
- Check to see if the company is a member of NAPEO, the national trade association of the PEO industry. Use our Find a PEO search tool to find a NAPEO member doing business in your state.
- Investigate the company’s administrative and management expertise and competence. What experience and depth does their internal staff have? Does the PEO corporate staffing allocation follow the priorities of the PEO’s marketed services? Does their senior staff have professional training or designations?
- Understand how the employee benefits are funded. Is the PEO fully insured or partially self-funded? Who is the third-party administrator (TPA) or carrier? Is their TPA or carrier authorized to do business in your state?
- Understand how the employee benefits are tailored. Determine if they fit the needs of your employees.
- Review the service agreement carefully. Are the respective parties’ responsibilities and liabilities clearly laid out? What guarantees are provided? What provisions permit you or the PEO to cancel the terms of the contract?
- Make sure that the company you are considering meets all state requirements.
Are PEOs recognized as employers at the state and federal levels?
Yes. PEOs operate in all 50 states. Many states provide some form of specific licensing, registration, or regulation for PEOs. These states statutorily recognize PEOs as the employer or co-employer of worksite employees for many purposes, including workers’ compensation and state unemployment insurance taxes. The IRS has recognized the right of a PEO to withhold and remit federal income and unemployment taxes for worksite employees per section 3511 of the IRS Code. The IRS has promulgated specific guidance confirming the authority of PEOs to provide retirement benefits to workers.
Why would a business use a PEO?
Business owners want to focus their time and energy on the “business of their business” and not on the “business of employment.” As businesses grow, most owners do not have the necessary human resource training, payroll and accounting skills, the knowledge of regulatory compliance, or the backgrounds in risk management, insurance and employee benefit programs to meet the demands of being an employer. PEOs give small-group markets access to many benefits and employment amenities they would not have otherwise.
Do the business owners lose control of their business when they work with a PEO?
No. The PEO client/business owner retains ownership of the company and control over its operations. As co-employers, the PEO and client will contractually share or allocate employer responsibilities and liabilities per a client service agreement (CSA). The PEO will generally only assume responsibilities associated with a “general” employer for purposes of administration of benefits and remittance of payroll and payroll taxes. The client will continue to have responsibility for worksite safety and compliance. The PEO will be responsible for remittance of payroll and employment taxes, may maintain employee records and may retain a limited or general right to hire and fire, as delineated in the CSA. Because the PEO also may be responsible for providing access to workers’ compensation coverage, many PEOs also focus on and provide assistance with safety and compliance. In general terms, the PEO will focus on employment-related issues, and the client will be responsible for the actual business operations.
How do employees benefit from a PEO arrangement?
Through a PEO, the employees of small businesses gain access to big-business employee benefits such as: 401(k) plans; health, dental, life, and other insurance; dependent care; and other benefits they might not typically receive as employees of a small company. And, when a company works with a PEO, job security is improved as the PEO implements efficiencies to lower employment costs. Job satisfaction and productivity increase when employees are provided with professional human resource services, enhanced benefits, training, employee manuals, safety services and improved communications.
What is the difference between a PEO and an employee leasing company?
PEOs do not supply labor to worksites. PEOs supply services and benefits to a business client and its existing workforce. PEOs enter into a co-employment arrangement typically involving all of the client’s existing worksite employees and sponsor benefit plans for the workers and provide human resources services to the client. In most cases, the PEO provides access to health insurance, retirement savings plans, and other critical employee benefits for the worksite employees of the business client. If a PEO relationship is terminated, the worksite employees’ co-employment arrangement with the PEO ceases, but they will continue as employees of the client.
By comparison, a leasing or staffing service supplies new workers, usually on a temporary or project-specific basis. These leased employees return to the staffing service for reassignment after completion of their work with the client company. Some define employee leasing as a temporary employment arrangement where one or more workers selected by the leasing or staffing entity is assigned to a customer frequently for a fixed period of time or for a specific project. Upon termination of the staffing or leasing company arrangement, the worker has no continuing employment relationship with the client.
Historically, leasing terminology was used to describe what has evolved into PEO relationships. Some older state statutes governing PEOs still use the leasing terminology, contributing to the confusion about PEOs.
By comparison, a leasing or staffing service supplies new workers, usually on a temporary or project-specific basis. These leased employees return to the staffing service for reassignment after completion of their work with the client company. Some define employee leasing as a temporary employment arrangement where one or more workers selected by the leasing or staffing entity is assigned to a customer frequently for a fixed period of time or for a specific project. Upon termination of the staffing or leasing company arrangement, the worker has no continuing employment relationship with the client.
Historically, leasing terminology was used to describe what has evolved into PEO relationships. Some older state statutes governing PEOs still use the leasing terminology, contributing to the confusion about PEOs.
What is the difference between temporary staffing services and a PEO?
Like a leasing situation, a temporary staffing service recruits and hires employees and assigns them to clients to support or supplement the client’s workforce in special work situations, such as employee absences, temporary skill shortages or seasonal workloads. These workers are traditionally only a small portion of the client’s workforce.
PEOs do not supply labor to worksites. They co-employ existing permanent workforces and provide services and benefits to both the worksite employer and the employees.
PEOs do not supply labor to worksites. They co-employ existing permanent workforces and provide services and benefits to both the worksite employer and the employees.
How many businesses use a PEO?
PEOs provide services to 175,000 small and mid-size businesses, employing 3.7 million people.
How do PEOs help their clients control costs and grow their bottom line?
A PEO’s economy of scale enables each client company to lower employment costs and increase the business’s bottom line. The client can maintain a simple in-house HR infrastructure or none at all by relying on the PEO. The client also can reduce hiring overhead. The professionals at the PEO can provide critical assistance with employer compliance, which helps protect the client against liability. In many cases, the client can pay a small up-front cost for a significant technology and service infrastructure or platform provided by the PEO. In addition, the PEO provides time savings by handling routine and redundant tasks for its clients. This enables the business owner to focus on the company’s core competency and grow its bottom line.
Does a PEO arrangement impact a collective bargaining agreement?
Frequently, a PEO arrangement is the only opportunity for a worker in a small business to receive Fortune 500-quality employee benefits like health insurance, dental and vision care, life insurance, retirement saving plans, job counseling, adoption assistance, and educational benefits. Absent the PEO, a small business can neither afford nor manage these benefits.
Gain control of your escalating health care and workers’ compensation costs in 60 days or less.
©2024. BRGADVISORYGROUP.COM. All Rights Reserved.