This year, NAPEO’s annual PEO Insider® discussion features 2018-2019 NAPEO Chair Barron Guss and five of NAPEO’s new Board of Directors members. This time, PEO Insider didn’t ask the questions. Barron—long-time and active NAPEO member, industry innovator, and raconteur extraordinaire—led this free-form discussion.
And free-form it was. With an industry insider prompting the discussion, the conversation flowed from one topic to another, all linked by the insight of passionate and active PEO industry leaders.
Beginning with each person’s story of getting into the PEO industry and what each hopes to bring to the NAPEO Board of Directors, the dialog went on to cover the subjects that are top-of-mind for most everyone in the PEO world:
So, meet the parties to the discussion on the next page, and then read through their visions and perceptions of the PEO industry.
For many years, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has upheld an employer’s right to arbitrate employment disputes with employees. At the same time, the position of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been that class/collective action waivers violate employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to engage in protected, concerted activity—to litigate collectively in challenging an alleged unlawful employment practice. These two positions have created conflict when employers have sought to bind employees to arbitration while waiving any right to class/collective actions.
Starting up a PEO is a significant undertaking, and so applying for IRS certification may be the last thing on your mind—but should it be? Certification carries with it a number of benefits for both the certified PEO (CPEO) and the clients who enter into a certified relationship with the CPEO. In particular, the comfort that IRS certification provides clients may be especially valuable for a new PEO to offer as it seeks to establish itself and build a client base.
If you are reading this column, no doubt you are familiar with the PEO industry and its value proposition. In paraphrased form: “We do what we do, so you can do what you do.” If it were just that easy! As you are aware, the basics of our offering is payroll and related accounting—including the withholding, depositing, and reporting of taxes, the provision of regionally mandated insurances such as workers’ compensation and disability, and, last but not least, health insurance. Of course, there is the HR services offering, but keep in mind that although most PEOs proclaim an expertise in this area, there are some who proudly offer “PEO lite” without the added bloat: “Why pay for what you don’t use?”
As I write this, I have just returned from Lincoln, Nebraska. I received a gracious invitation from Tom Henning, chair and CEO of Assurity Group, to speak to their board of directors about the PEO industry, my favorite topic. Assurity is heavily invested in our industry via Resourcing Edge, headed by Ted Crawford. It’s always great to be out there in America spending time with members. In this case, it was especially heartening because Assurity is so bullish on our industry. And why shouldn’t they be? Our most recent white paper shows the industry growing 14 times faster than the U.S. workforce overall. Awareness is growing, as is our share of the marketplace. All arrows are pointing up. It’s great to have Assurity in our corner. We look forward to great things from them.
To build on the momentum and good data generated by our groundbreaking 2018 market research project, NAPEO has big plans on the marketing and communications front for 2019. While we will continue our bread-and-butter efforts to raise industry visibility through our prolific online ads, our social media channels, and the Find a PEO website (among other things), we also have some new tricks up our sleeve for next year.
The Texas Department of Banking recently reached out to some PEOs doing business in Texas, alleging that they are performing unlicensed money transmitter services in violation of the state’s Monetary Services Act. Because of speculation, NAPEO held a conference call in October for PEOs doing business in Texas
Q. Has OSHA discussed its stance lately on drug testing? More than a year ago, OSHA published a rule that caused us to think maybe we should change our approach to drug testing. A. Yes, it has. In a recent memorandum to regional OSHA administrators, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) clarified that...
The PEO Index trended up in all regions and sectors this past quarter as the industry continued to track the strengthening economy. During NAPEO’s Annual Conference & Marketplace, held in September in Phoenix, Arizona, I presented an economic update breakout session
Founded in 1987 by Lou Basso and Barry Shorten, Alcott HR is a longtime member of the PEO industry that is entering a new chapter in its history. Recently, Basso promoted then-Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Steven Politis to the role of president and COO. Basso will continue to serve as chair and CEO, but Politis’ new role signifies a milestone in the company’s growth. The Farmingdale, New York-based PEO is known for placing a heavy emphasis on the “human” side of human resources and developing strong partnerships with clients.
Cybersecurity threats from hacktivists, criminals, and hostile nation states are enough to keep government officials, businesses, and consumers up at night. These attacks are growing in sophistication and frequency and pose serious threats to our national and economic security.