FAQS

What is a An Employee Management Broker?
HARKO is a business entity that represents several employee leasing companies (PEO) that provide Human Resources Services, Employee Benefits, Payroll Administration and Risk Management Services to its client companies on an outsourced basis through the use of a co-employment relationship.

What is a Professional Employer Organization?
A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) helps client companies cost-effectively outsource the management of payroll, workers' compensation, human resources and employee benefits. PEOs help clients focus on their core competencies to maintain and grow their bottom line.

Businesses today need help managing increasingly complex employee related matters such as health benefits, workers' compensation claims, payroll, payroll tax compliance, and unemployment insurance claims. Engaging a PEO enables companies to share these responsibilities and provide expertise in human resources management. This allows PEO clients to focus on the operational and revenue-producing side of their business.

PEO companies provide an integrated service to effectively manage human resource responsibilities and employer risks for their clients. A PEO delivers these services by establishing and maintaining an employer relationship with the employees at the client's worksite and by contractually assuming certain employer rights, responsibilities and risk.

Professional Employer Organizations have thrived because they have helped their client companies succeed by providing:

• Improved employment practices, compliance and risk management to reduce liabilities.
• Relief from the burden of employment administration.
• A wide range of personnel management solutions through a team of professionals.
• Access to a comprehensive employee benefits package, allowing clients to be competitive in the labor market.

Definition provided courtesy of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations - NAPEO.

What is Co-Employment?
In a co-employment relationship, the PEO acts as the administrative employer and the client acts as the worksite employer. The employer maintains control of the business and is in charge of all business decision-making including employee supervision and staffing decisions. The PEO handles the time-consuming administrative tasks associated with the employment relationship.

What Types of Companies Use PEOs?
Companies in virtually every industry use the services provided by a PEO. Any company interested in trying to improve its performance in an increasingly competitive marketplace should consider this type of partnership.

How Will My Business Benefit from a Partnership with HARKO Employment Management?
When you partner with HARKO, we handle all the time-consuming research to find the BEST PEO for your unique business that leave you in a better positioned to:

• Focus on Your Core Business.
• Remove non-revenue producing tasks and spend more time on what counts: developing and retaining customers.
• Lower Expenses and Increase Profits .
• Outsource your human resources, benefits and payroll administrative tasks to a provider who has economies of scale and broad expertise.
• Become an Employer of Choice . Provide world-class Employee Benefits programs that enable you to attract and retain great employees.
• Maintain Peace of Mind . Protect your business and ensure legal compliance with improved risk management, safety support, training and claims processing services.

Does The PEO Have to Process the Payroll?
Yes. Paying wages is an essential component of the co-employment relationship. Without this component, a PEO would not be able to provide workers’ compensation, health benefits and various other services that rely upon the co-employment relationship’s existence. Employers provide the salary and hours for each worksite employee and the PEO processes the payroll with your imprinted company name on each check and files all payroll-related taxes and reports.

Will We Lose Our Company Relationship with Our Employees When We Partner with a PEO?
No. The management relationship that you have with your employees will continue, but the partnership enables you to offer improved HR-related products and services.

Do I Have to Buy All of the Products and Services HARKO Offers? Can I Only Use and Pay for Those Services I Need?
Services are offered on an a la carte basis. This allows us to create a customized plan specific to your needs. You can choose as many of these additional services as you need and only pay for the ones that you use.

Who is Responsible for Employment Taxes?
While the client is responsible for providing the funds to cover payroll and payroll taxes, a PEO administers payment of wages to employees and payment of taxes to the appropriate agencies.

Who is Responsible for Compliance with Employment Laws and Regulations?
One of the responsibilities of a PEO is to provide clients with guidance and education regarding employment laws and regulations. Ultimately, the responsibility for complying with most of these laws lies with the client.

How Can HARKO And A PEO Help Me Recruit the Best Employees and Reduce Turnover?
By finding the perfect comprehensive benefits plan, HARKO gives employers the opportunity to attract better employees, retain existing employees, compete with larger employers and become an employer of choice.