Employee Leasing Quotes : PEO Blog

One typical conversation I have with employers is about the confusing question of who is considered an employee and who is considered an independent contractor. While some situations can have gray areas, let’s take a look at the basics of who is who.

If a person is on your payroll and receives a regular paycheck, then that person is an employee, not an independent contractor- who likely receives payment in a different manner. Other factors that would identify someone as an independent contractor are:

· If the worker supplies his/her own equipment, materials and tools

· If the worker controls his/her own hours of employment

· Whether the worker can choose not to come to work without fear of losing his job

· Whether the work is temporary or permanent

Typically, the type of the work will help distinguish between the two. When the worker’s job is considered vital to the business, it is more likely that he/she is an employee. On the other hand, if the worker’s job is temporary and unnecessary, he/she may be an independent contractor.

So what does this mean to an employer from a tax standpoint? If the worker is an employee, you must pay state and federal unemployment tax, social security tax and workers compensation/disability premiums to a State Insurance Fund. If he/she is an independent contractor, then you are not required to make any of these payments.

Employee Leasing Quotes was created to help business owners choose an employee leasing company that fits their unique needs. Please call if you’re interested in seeing what advantages an employee leasing company could do for your business. We can be reached by calling 1-888-582-8388 between the hours of 8:30-5:30 EST.

One of the questions many business owners face when they start a new business is whether they are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance on the employees they hire. While most states vary in their rules and regulations regarding workers’ compensation, let’s take a look at Florida’s workers’ compensation guidelines.

For starters, if you’re in the construction industry and have one or more employees, Florida laws require you to carry workers’ compensation coverage. The only exception to this rule is if you are an exempted corporate officer or member of a limited liability company.

If your business is in any other industry other than construction and has four or more

employees, full-time or part-time, you will be required to carry a Florida workers’ compensation policy. Again, an exempted corporate officer does not qualify as an employee.

Farmers that have five regular employees and/or twelve or more other workers for seasonal agricultural labor lasting thirty days or more are also required to carry a Florida workers’ compensation policy.

While this is a brief overview of the laws regarding Florida’s workers’ compensation policies, it’s not always cut and dry and there can certainly be gray areas within. For example, landscaping businesses fall under the construction guidelines, where lawn mowing employers do not.

You may also feel it’s in your best interest to carry a Florida workers’ compensation policy even if you’re not required to do so. It’s important to ask specific questions about workers’ compensation and the benefits it can provide your employees, as well as your business.

Employee Leasing Quotes was created to help business owners choose an employee leasing company that fits their unique needs. Please call if you’re interested in seeing what advantages an employee leasing company could do for your business. We can be reached by calling 1-888-582-8388 between the hours of 8:30-5:30 EST.

If you have decided that an employee leasing/PEO service is a smart choice for your business, the next step is determine what specific goals you want to achieve. With so many companies to choose from that specialize in specific industries, markets and states- which one will be the best choice for you?

For example, a contractor that needs to keep workers’ compensation costs to minimum has a totally different objective than a physician’s office in the need of a strong benefits package. This is where the search can be difficult. Many employee leasing companies these days don’t even offer benefits. Their niche may be strictly in the construction and trades industry with an offering of competitive workers’ compensation rates and payroll.

You’ll also find what I would call “hybrid” employee leasing companies that target blue and gray collared employers with limited benefit packages so they can say they offer all the “bells and whistles” too. The final category would be PEOs that really target the white and grays with strong benefit and human resource services. These employee leasing companies will also provide more “extras” like pay cards, special reports and employee assistance programs.

Within those basic tiers of employee leasing companies there are still many factors that separate each. Many in each category, for example, have workers’ compensation policies that only cover the employees in the state they operate from. Some may cover the state of their home office and a few surrounding states, with others offering nationwide coverage.

Health insurance and benefits need to be carefully selected, as well. Great Blue Cross and Blue Shield rates aren’t worth much if you happen to be in an area where the doctor and hospital coverage is limited. A cut-rate plan that requires your employees to drive an hour to see the doctor ends up being more of a nuisance than a benefit.

As you can imagine the overall costs and fees will vary per group. The goal is to really drill down to your business needs and work from there. If you need help or just have questions, call us. Our information is free and helpful!

Employee Leasing Quotes was created to help businesses choose an employee leasing company that fits their unique needs. Please call if you’re interested in seeing what advantages an Employee Leasing company could do for your business. We can be reached by calling 1-888-582-8388 between the hours of 8:30-5:30 EST.

I participate in a variety of networking events on a regular basis- Chamber of Commerce and Builder’s Association meet and greets, etc. I always find it interesting when I meet someone who provides services similar to the ones our company provides.

Whether it’s insurance agents, payroll salespeople, or people who sell employee benefits- I almost always get the “deer in the headlights” look when I mention Employee Leasing and the services we provide. I think the first question running through their head is if they should be communicating with “the competition”. I find I almost always end up with a great business contact and sometimes good friend once the conversation gets going, though. The truth is, these are really great opportunities to exchange referrals and grow both of our businesses.

Look, there’s plenty of business out there for everyone, and all these other types of services have their place too. Otherwise they wouldn’t exist. When I talk with an employer and find out what their specific business needs are, trying to shove a square peg into a round hole never works. I believe it was Zig Ziglar who said “You can have everything you want in life, if you will just help other people get what they want”.

What do you think?

Employee Leasing Quotes was created to help businesses choose an Employee Leasing company that fits their unique needs. Please call if you’re interested in seeing what advantages an Employee Leasing company could do for your business. We can be reached by calling 1-888-582-8388 between the hours of 8:30-5:30 EST.

With all of the things business owners have to worry about, dealing with workers’ compensation claims can really be a burden. Here are a few ways you can relieve the problems and lighten your load.

• Hire Right.Contact former employers to find out if an applicant was in fact working for them during the time frames given (and not off work for the past year due to a serious work comp injury or incarceration, for example). Perform background or criminal records checks on questionable applicants. Lastly, be sure the person you are taking on is physically ready for work, and is trained properly on the functions of their job.
• Safety First.Make safety a priority by creating a written safety program, and hold your employees accountable for adhering to it. Make sure your supervisors are committed to having a safe workplace by reporting hazardous conditions and actions. Even do periodic checks to make sure there are no problems.
• When It Happens.Train your employees to report serious incidents promptly to help uncover the cause. Fill out an accident report and talk to any witnesses that can provide information.
• Learn From It.Every accident and near-accident- if properly reported and examined- is a chance to avoid recurrence with change. Make sure all of your injuries are entered into one central database so you can track this information easily. Having a system will give you a good overall view of your workers’ compensation losses and reveal the weak spots in your safety program.

Remember, today’s bruised knuckles may become tomorrow’s fractured hand without pinpointing and correcting the cause of the injury!

Please call if you have questions regarding employee benefit options for your business. We can be reached at 888-582-8388 from 8:30am- 5:30pm EST. Or log onto Employee Leasing Quotes and get your free, specialized quote for your business.

I was watching the Presidential debates the other night, and health insurance is still at the top of the “things to do” list. What a mess!

I earned my health insurance license years ago, and began the process of getting appointed with certain life and health insurance carriers. I saw the Aflac commercial and after figuring out what that duck does, decided to include it in my offerings.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Aflac or supplemental insurance policies, here’s the main benefit. Health insurance makes sure the doctors and the hospitals get paid for the services they provide. But when you’re missing work for treatment on things like sickness, accidents, or even cancer- how do you recoup income lost? The answer is supplemental insurance. These policies pay you cash for unexpected health events like a broken arm, emergency room visits, cancer, even gas and lodging benefits if treatment is out of the area.

An accident policy, for example, pays you a specified cash amount for things like stitches, broken bones, chipped teeth, burns, etc. In fact, about any kind of accident you can imagine going to the hospital, walk-in clinic, or doctor for- they will pay you a specified cash amount.

Yes, it is not health insurance and it usually won’t be enough to pay for that doctor’s visit. But unlike health insurance which costs hundreds of dollars a month, this type of policy will range from just $20-$30 dollars a month. The cash benefits are very good, and once you send in your bill for the service you received, you can expect a check back in matter of days.

I have found over the years these supplemental insurance policies are especially great for small employers who can’t afford the high costs of group health insurance. It’s also a good option for blue-collared employers who deal with employee turnover- which leads to participation issues.

The benefits for employers are significant, as well. First, as the employer you’re not required to contribute to a plan. Second, you don’t have the participation factors - you typically only need as little as three employees who purchase a policy to have a group plan. Third, by offering these supplemental insurance policies, you more likely to experience a drop in workers’ compensation claims.

Why? Statistics show the majority of workers’ compensation claims are filed by noon on Monday. That’s because many claims arise from an accident that happened over the weekend- like an employee jet skiing or playing softball. Without health insurance, a percentage of people wait until they get to the workplace to report the accident as being work-related. With supplemental policies, the insured has an incentive to treat the accident immediately.

The benefits of supplemental insurance are well worth looking into. In addition to costs, participation factors, and ease of use- your employees will be grateful to you for the presentation alone. What experiences have you had with supplemental insurance?

Please call if you have questions regarding employee benefit options for your business. We can be reached at 888-582-8388 from 8:30am- 5:30pm EST. Or log onto Employee Leasing Quotes and get your free, specialized quote for your business.