ENGAGE PEO, LLC
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

We are Engage PEO – the Professional Employer Organization that wants you to Expect More. We deliver more, right from the start: Engage is a Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO) (first effective date of January 1, 2017). This designation is part of the federal regulatory environment for PEOs created by the Small Business Efficiency Act (SBEA) in 2014. To become and remain , CPEOs must meet tax compliance, background, experience, business location, financial reporting, bonding, and other requirements. Engage is one of an elite group of PEOs to earn this certification and among the first group of PEOs certified by the IRS. Engage PEO Among First in U.S. to Receive ‘Certified Professional Employer Organization’ Status Engage PEO Among First in U.S. to Receive ‘Certified Professional Employer Organization’ Status from Internal Revenue Service New Designation Ensures Greater Benefits and Protections for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Engage PEO , a leading professional employer organization providing HR outsourcing solutions to small and mid-sized businesses across the U.S., was awarded the designation of Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO) by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This designation was part of the federal regulatory environment for PEOs created by the Small Business Efficiency Act. “Engage is proud to be among the first PEOs to receive this designation, a true recognition of the caliber of the organization,” said Jay Starkman, CEO of Engage PEO. “It was a rigorous process, as it should be, but the processes and practices of Engage are at the highest levels in the industry, and this recognition, granted at this stage to a very small number of PEOs, validates this. Now there is yet another reason for clients to have confidence in us.” The certification also provides more protection for business owners. Starkman noted the following advantages: A CPEO maintains a bond of up to $1 million in favor of clients. Previously, the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) offered the only mechanism to protect clients. Engage, a longtime member of ESAC, provides clients with an additional $16 million bond through ESAC. “Engage is a company that lives by the philosophy that clients should Expect More,” added Starkman. “Being one of an elite group of PEOs to earn this certification is an incredible accomplishment recognizing that Engage is at the forefront of the industry in delivering excellence to its clients and broker partners each and every day.” About Engage PEO Engage PEO delivers comprehensive HR solutions to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide, sharpening their competitive advantage. Comprised of the industry’s most respected veteran professional employer organization executives, certified HR professionals and attorneys, Engage PEO provides hands-on, expert HR services and counsel to help clients minimize cost and maximize efficiency for stronger business performance. The company’s superior service offering includes a full range of health and workers’ compensation insurance products, payroll technology and tax administration, risk management services and advanced technology as part of an extensive suite of HR services. In 2016, Engage PEO was named 127th on Inc. magazine’s list of the 5000 fastest growing companies. For more information on Engage PEO visit Engage PEO HR Solutions for small and mid-sized businesses Strengthen your business with our suite of human resource solutions. We deliver payroll and benefits services with unparalleled expertise, offered through our network of broker partners. : Allow small companies to come together (form associations) and purchase the type of coverage available to larger businesses. It is unclear whether the AHPs would be governed by federal employment law or state insurance regulations. There is a material open question as to whether insurance companies will be willing to cover this type of association formed primarily for the purpose of obtaining health insurance. The biggest potential impact to employers is the proposed expansion of the association health plans, which proponents say would allow small businesses (and maybe even sole proprietors) in various areas of the country to join together for the purpose of purchasing health insurance. This would theoretically provide more flexibility to set premiums based upon the health of the overall group. Also, if associations are considered large-group plans, they would be exempt from the ACA rule for individual or small-group plans that require that they provide certain essential health benefits. The opponents point to the long-term viability of these associations, especially because the overall demographics that establish insurance costs would benefit the older member groups and potentially raise the rates of younger groups. For individuals, if you work for a company and get your health insurance from your employer, the guidance in the order could make it easier for your company to give you pretax dollars to buy your own insurance. For people who don’t get their insurance at work, the impacts are less clear. However, greater access to short-term insurance plans may make it easier for individuals to purchase cheaper, less-comprehensive coverage outside of the ACA marketplace. It’s also unclear whether individuals who choose to buy a short-term plan would be subject to the individual mandate (minimal coverage rule) under the ACA. The executive order does not address what is considered minimal coverage. While Congress continues to debate the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), questions loom for many Americans. Individuals and businesses alike are concerned and want to know what to do right now, and how to plan ahead. Until the ACA's employer coverage and reporting obligations are changed through legislative actions or reforms, businesses with 50 or more full-time employees or equivalents (Applicable Large Employers, or ALEs) must provide ACA-compliant health coverage to employees who work at least 30 hours per week, or 130 or more hours monthly. They must also track and report all employee hours to the IRS and follow other administrative requirements.