NAVIGATING THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Rewards and benefits are a core part of the HR and People functions at any organization. As the Senior Director of People Experience at Oyster HR, a global employment platform with employees in 70+ countries, my team and I are responsible for the experience of our employees from the day they sign their offer letter to their last day with the company. That includes managing performance, progression, and total rewards.

• HR & BENEFITS
• PAYROLL

THE POWER OF SOPs: THE KEY TO BUSINESS EFFICIENCY, CONTINUITY, AND GROWTH

Every business, and indeed every PEO, is a vibrant tapestry of moving parts. In my years of steering such intricate organizations, I've found the key to streamlined operation lies in an often underestimated powerhouse: standard operating procedures, or SOPs. Think of SOPs as the secret recipe to your organization's success, an atlas mapping out your strategy, and an insightful guide leading your team toward growth.

THE 5 Ws OF PEO GENERAL LEDGER RECONCILIATIONS

General ledger reconciliation is a key control to help maintain timely and accurate financial statements in any business. If you speak to accounting or finance professionals in the PEO industry, they will agree that general ledger balance sheet reconciliations are the most telling and critical tools in analyzing a PEO’s fiscal position. Failure to reconcile balance sheet accounts timely and accurately can lead to material losses to the PEO. Let’s explore the 5 W’s of PEO ledger reconciliations.  

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS IN 2023: CASH FLOW, VALUATION, DEAL TERMS

Among the many determining factors in PEO transactions, profitability is one of the most important. I like to call these factors “Pieces of the Puzzle” in this very complex 2023 world of M&A. Let’s go through some basic concepts first.  

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS

SIFTING THROUGH THE NOISE: SPOTTING KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

Performance metrics can provide valuable insights into different aspects of your business from financial health to client satisfaction. However, it can be challenging to determine which metrics are essential and which ones are merely background noise.  

• FINANCE & OPERATIONS
• PAYROLL

NAPEO GIVES BACK: THE POWER OF MANY

If you have attended a recent Annual Conference & Marketplace then you witnessed the power of many. Former NAPEO Board Chair Barron Guss launched the NAPEO Gives Back initiative in 2019 to encourage NAPEO members to harness the power of many to leave our conference host cities better off than when we arrived.

• PEO PROFILES

LIFELINE TURNED MIRAGE: THE ERTC STORY

There are only three authentic objections – every other objection is BS. No good deed goes unpunished. In the case of PEO clients this punishment is an extended one - with no end in sight. During the height of the pandemic, thousands of small and mid-sized businesses made an ethical and noble decision: keep their employees on payroll while weathering a once-in-a-generation economic catastrophe.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PROPOSED RULE ON RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

Restrictive covenants, also known as non-compete agreements or post-employment restrictions, are contractual clauses that limit an employee's ability to work for a competitor or start a competing business after leaving their current employer. These covenants have sparked considerable debate and controversy.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

THE FUTURE OF WORK: 5 GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS TO WATCH AND HOW TO STAY COMPLIANT

For companies and employees around the world, the last few years have created opportunities to go beyond traditional ideas of where and how work happens. But, with these new opportunities comes risk. Staying compliant in a world of work that is changing daily requires businesses to be vigilant and proactive.

• HR & BENEFITS

VICTORY IN NEW MEXICO

In recent years, NAPEO has seen growing threats to a PEO’s ability to offer large group health plans in Democratic-led states. For example, in New Mexico, this started in 2019 with PEOs receiving “a cease and desist” letter from the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) for operating an illegal multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA).

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE
• PEO PROFILES

THE KENTUCKY PEO BILL: A GRASSROOTS STORY

A core mission of our state government affairs efforts is passing the NAPEO Model Act in every state. In states with the model act on the books, PEOs enjoy the benefit of operating in a fair regulatory environment that does not disadvantage PEOs and our small business clients simply because of the unique nature of the PEO business model. Kentucky is the latest state where NAPEO successfully worked to pass a Model Act thanks to the efforts of many members.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE
• PEO PROFILES

PAY TRANSPARENCY LAWS SWEEP THE NATION:

An increasing number of states and localities across the country have enacted laws expanding pay transparency requirements to even the employment playing field for women and persons of color. Up from several years ago, over 25 states and localities have enacted some form of pay transparency law that: (i) prohibits  an employer from requesting or relying on salary history; (ii) requires employers to report salaries across different job descriptions; or (iii) requires an employer to disclose a salary range for any given position in a job advertisement or at various points in the application process or upon a reasonable request by the applicant. 

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

MY CLIENT MOVES TO A NEW STATE: WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS?

The rise in remote work has brought new challenges. Sometimes, a client notifies its PEO that they are hiring an employee in a new state where the PEO might still need to be licensed. So, what should you do? Below are some key points to consider when a PEO does business in a new state.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE
• RISK

TO TEST OR NOT TO TEST: WORKPLACE DRUG TESTING RULES VARY BY STATE

Over the past few years, state and local governments have materially expanded the legalization of medical and recreational use of marijuana. While it remains illegal under federal law, most states have legalized marijuana use in a number of circumstances, presenting several practical problems for PEOs and staffing agencies— especially those that conduct workplace drug testing. Employers should become familiar with these laws to avoid legal claims from employees in 2023 and beyond.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

SUPREME IMPACT: SCOTUS DECISIONS TO AFFECT PEOS THIS YEAR

The U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) current term is already well underway, and there are several cases on the docket that will have important implications for PEOs. SCOTUS has already decided one workplace law case this term, and there are several remaining cases that will surely shape labor and employment law in 2023 and beyond. What do PEOs need to know about these recent and pending decisions and their impact on your clients?

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

STAY INFORMED: RECENT LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS MAY IMPACT EMPLOYERS’ USE OF ARBITRATION IN EMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

Use of arbitration and class-action waiver agreements allows for the private resolution of employment claims on an individual basis. While arbitration is not a low-cost alternative, it can be a very strong hedge against runaway jury awards and swollen class-action damages.  

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE

THE PEO PERISCOPE: A LOOK UNDER THE INSURANCE MARKET

By utilizing the most current and credible information available, Insurance Trends provides quarterly feedback and insights on the insurance industry and its impact on the PEO community. It provides current analysis and futuristic expectations on the terms and conditions that should be anticipated for property and casualty lines of business insurance that impact a PEO and its client companies.

• RISK

5 Ways PEOs Can Minimize Workplace Safety Liability in California

The COVID-19 pandemic caused workplace safety to be viewed through a lens of magnified importance, but as the world regains a sense of normalcy three years later, many employers have placed it on the back burner. However, now is not the time for complacency in California, particularly considering Cal/OSHA’s vacillating view of PEOs.

• LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE
• RISK

A SAFE PREDICTION: USING A PREDICTIVE MODEL WILL ACCELERATE GROUP HEALTH SALES, IMPROVE PRICING, AND BOOST RETENTION

When it comes to signing up new employer groups in your PEO’s health insurance pool, collecting questionnaires has always been a sticking point. Today’s clients are like any other consumers; they demand seamless and nearly instant purchase experiences.

• CYBERSECURITY & TECHNOLOGY
• HR & BENEFITS

DELIVERING VALUE THROUGH RISK MANAGEMENT

Small to medium size companies rely on PEOs to effectively manage critical back-office functions of their businesses such as payroll, employment taxes, employee benefits, human resource functions, and workers compensation insurance.  As a co-employer, PEOs specialize in the most efficient and effective means of supporting their clients by leveraging not only economies of scale, but a firm understanding of the ins and outs of workers compensation and risk management. Just like their PEO partners, carriers also have a positive incentive to improve the viability and efficiency of insureds workers’ compensation programs.   

• RISK

WHY IT’S GOOD BUSINESS FOR YOUR CLIENTS TO HAVE A BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

It's no secret that small business owners have an overflowing list of responsibilities on their plates. Whether they are in the early stages of starting a business or have been operating for years, the stressors impacting small business owners often make it challenging for them to see beyond day-to-day tasks and short-term goals. 

• RISK

THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE PEO RISK MANAGER

To protect their organizations, PEO risk managers need to expand their thinking and competencies to identify and address emerging risk exposures that threaten the reputation and operational ability of their PEOs. The PEO business and threat environment will continue to change.  PEO risk managers will be challenged to continue to effectively identify and mitigate risks while adding organizational value. 

• RISK

NOT SO RISKY BUSINESS: TACTICS TO FRAME YOUR RISK REDUCTION STRATEGY

PEOs are in a unique situation of being the major—and sometimes only—source of HR services and expertise for many businesses that have varying levels of interest and time to put towards these issues. It’s a bit like being an online lecturer at a major university for undeclared freshman. Several may stay after to graciously thank you for the revelations, though you may hear some snoring. Communicating with clients in ways they understand the seriousness of some issues is hard. 

• RISK

AVOIDING ROADBLOCKS: CREATING IDEAL RISK MANAGEMENT DASHBOARDS

Key performance indicator dashboards instantly produce either awe or fear when brought up in conversation, and for good reason. They can be seen as straightforward, objective models that can do no wrong. Or, they can be seen as confusing, subjective, instruments rife with errors. While you have likely seen examples of many different types of dashboards (the good, the bad, and the ugly) it begs the question: what should a dashboard be in its most ideal form? More specifically, what is the most ideal dashboard for a PEO risk management professional?  

• RISK