What Kind Of Companies Use A PEO?

A Professional Employer Organization or Employee Leasing Company can work with:

Virtual Assistants
Freelance Writers
Construction firms
Law firms
Automobile shops
Bakeries
Sales organizations
Web designers
Dry cleaning establishments
Spas
Real estate agents
Private investigators
Restaurants
Medical practitioners
Multi-media companies

This list is, of course, only a small portion of the types of companies that work with PEOs. If you would like to join this list visit http://www.peo-quote.com

What Is A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)?

Wikipedia defines a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) as a type of managed care organization (MCO) that provides a form of health insurance coverage in the United States that is fulfilled through hospitals, doctors, and other providers with which the HMO has a contract. Unlike traditional indemnity insurance, care provided in an HMO generally follows a set of care guidelines provided through the HMO's network of providers. Under this model, providers contract with an HMO to receive more patients and in return usually agree to provide services at a discount. This arrangement allows the HMO to charge a lower monthly premium, which is an advantage over indemnity insurance, provided that its members are willing to abide by the additional restrictions.

Many employers and employee leasing companies offer an HMO as a health insurance option for employees. Websites such as http://www.Peo-Quote.com help employers navigate the maze of health benefits offered by various employee leasing companies.

PEO Services

What kind of services does a typical Professional Employer Organization (PEO) offer?:

PEO Payroll Administration

* Prepare payroll and distribute checks
* Direct deposit
* W2’s
* W3’s
* Payroll Data
* Withholdings and Tax Deposits
* Payroll record keeping, audits
* I-9 inquiries
* Reports and job costing
* Time clock management
* Vacation
* Payroll software

PEO Workers Compensation

* Claims administration
* OSHA Compliance
* Policy cost
* Dividend plan reviews and audits
* Report and document accidents
* Safety plan creation, administration and training
* Work Comp billing reconciliation
* Safety audits
* NCCI rate reviews

PEO Employee Benefits

* Short term disability
* Long term disability
* Benefits handbook
* Dental insurance
* Health insurance
* Eligibility tracking
* COBRA compliance and administration
* Plan discrimination testing
* Carrier payments and account audits
* Annual plan cost reviews
* 401K administration
* Annual enrollments
* Flexible spending accounts administration
* Section 125 (pretax) premium audits
* Life Insurance plan administration
* Employee assistance plans (EAP) administration

PEO Human Resources

* Legal assistance establishment and retainers
* Employment policies
* Valid employee handbooks
* Manage insurance for Employment Practices Liability (EPLI)
* Unemployment claims administration
* Background checks
* Audit compliance with Wage and Hour (FLSA)
* Audit compliance with ADA – Disability Act
* Audit compliance with EEOC
* Audit compliance with OSHA
* Attendance audits
* Employment applications
* Applicant interviewer training practices
* I9 compliance

The exact set of services bundled for a PEO client are customized to the needs of the employer and his employees. The employer saves money, time and aggravation by partnering with a PEO.

The Only Way A Small Business Can Compete

A small business owner may feel that he or she cannot compete with a larger organization when it comes to hiring employees. Larger organizations often have extensive benefit plans that are very attractive to prospective employees and it is not unusual for a recruiter to be asked about benefits before salary when speaking to a potential employee.

Small companies can exploit this interest in benefit plans by turning to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). A PEO can provide a small business with health, life and dental insurance and offers the all important workmen's comp coverage.

A business owner may waste hours on the internet researching potential PEO's based on geography, services offered and pricing when they could more easily turn to a PEO broker such as PEO-Quote.com. PEO brokers do all the research and work for business owners in order to help them choose the perfect PEO company for their group.

Think carefully before choosing a PEO and consider using a broker to help you wade through the myriad of Professional Employer Organizations.

What Is An Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

An EAP is a program that offers counseling and assistance with personal and professional issues impacting employees. In the 1940s some employers offered alcohol rehabilitation programs to employees and this has expanded over time to include assessment and assistance with workplace difficulties, marriage and family issues, financial and legal matters and health issues. These programs are typically focus on relieving employee stress and encouraging counseling as an option for many of life's difficulties. Effective EAPs reduce employee absences and increase employee productivity.

Most Professional Employer Organizations include an EAP plan that will work for businesses and non-profits of any size.

Risk Management One Benefit Of Working With A PEO

The obvious benefit of partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is the ability to offer top-notch benefits to employees. A less well known benefit of working with a PEO is that the PEO takes over risk management. The PEO becomes responsible for local, state and federal compliance with various laws and regulations. The ever complicated process of compliance can be handled entirely by the PEO allowing business owners to focus on income producing strategies.

Twenty Years Later Professional Employers Organizations More Popular Than Ever

Employee leasing became an industry as a result of TEFRA tax legislation in the 1970's. The tax-advantage of working with an employee leasing company became ever more attractive when businesses realized they can outsource all of their Human Resources functions while offering employees a myriad of benefits previously thought to be too expensive.

The industry association, the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), celebrated the anniversary during their annual conference held September 20-22, 2007. NAPEO encourages members to offer a truly collaborative partnership with clients that goes far beyond simply offering benefits to employees.

Outsourcing has become a popular trend among businesses who look to consolidate business functions while saving money. This growing acceptance of outsourcing has helped the PEO industry to grow at a rapid pace. An important change during the past twenty years is that many states are regulating and licensing PEOs with some states even requiring that PEOs be bonded. These changes have made the industry more stable and more attractive to employers of all sizes.

To discover how you can partner with a PEO visit http://www.peo-quote.com