Frequently Asked Questions

Good communication about the change to a human resources outsourcing (HRO) organization can greatly diminish any employee concerns. Employees want financial security, quality benefits, a safe work environment and opportunities for training and retirement savings. When you work with an HRO, the enhanced benefits and professional HR services, including training, employee manuals, safety services, HRIS, expanded benefits, etc. can have a truly positive impact on job satisfaction, productivity and consequently, turnover. Today’s employees are savvy. They realize that outsourced HR helps you control costs, while providing them with the services and benefits they want and need.

With human resources (HR) outsourcing, the work and the jobs stay in the United States. Offshoring means that you contract for work to be done, or services provided, by workers in another country. When you outsource HR services to Doherty Employer Services or a similar provider, you hand off specialized HR functions such as employee benefits, payroll, complex management issues, as well as workers’ compensation and risk management to Doherty’s experts who are based right here, in the US. The work and the jobs stay here! The only thing HR outsourcing and offshoring have in common is that organizations utilize both methods in order to control costs, gain access to additional skills and be more competitive.

It is possible. Your hard dollar cost savings will depend on your current human resources costs. If you are already outsourcing some functions of your business, (such as payroll, 401(k), HR services and/or training, workers' compensation, unemployment claims management, Section 125 administration, insurance plans, COBRA administration, etc.), through multiple vendors, you may benefit by consolidating services under a single source, Doherty Employer Services. You will also benefit from economies of scale and Doherty’s considerable purchasing power.

Another consideration is soft (or opportunity) costs. These are the areas where you and other key staff spend valuable time that could be freed up for more strategic work. As an example, Doherty can save you numerous hours on writing employment policies, producing employee handbooks, researching medical insurance plans, implementing a loss control program, providing HR and compliance training for managers and supervisors, processing payroll in-house, benefits administration, vacation and sick leave tracking, responding to unemployment claims, records administration, etc. Every hour you spend on non-core tasks can mean lost business revenue.

Accreditation by the industry’s leading human resources outsourcing (HRO) organization is the first thing to verify. Doherty Employer Services has been accredited by the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) since 1995. In order to maintain accreditation, an HRO must subscribe to a strict code of ethics and undergo quarterly audits by an independent CPA firm to verify net worth, timely payment of payroll taxes and benefit premiums, adequate reserves for insurance claims, etc. In fact, the accreditation criteria are so stringent that at this time, there are only a handful of accredited HROs in the United States. In addition to its quarterly audit criteria, ESAC accreditation provides clients of participating HROs with solid protection through the Client Assurance Program, with Surety Bonds guaranteeing financial performance. To learn more, please visit www.esacorp.org.

Organizations that may already have payroll processing, benefit packages or human resource (HR) departments can add to their capabilities and return on investment (ROI) with HR Navigator. Charting the correct course for your organization begins with an in-depth, structured analysis and needs assessment of your current HR practices. The results direct the development of a customized program of HR services that meet your specific needs and business objectives.

HR Navigator services may include ongoing HR support and guidance to ensure compliance and keep you abreast of regulations, HR consulting, benefits administration, management training, safety services, employee handbook and policy development, workers’ compensation, unemployment support and more. In every case, you get only the services you need. HR Navigator clients enjoy responsive personalized service from a dedicated team of professionals and the ability to dedicate more time and resources to their businesses.

The administrative service outsourcing or ASO model, offers the same flexible, customized services and benefits of a PEO. The main difference is that ASO clients do not enter into a co-employment agreement as they would with a PEO. You remain the employer of record. Doherty Employer Services handles your human resources, payroll, benefit plan administration and other services – but under your tax identification numbers. The ASO model works well for companies that may already have great benefits plan in place, but need additional HR support, risk management, payroll processing, HRIS, or other HR services. With an ASO, you still have the advantage of benefit program administration as desired, along with the time and cost-savings of a partnership with Doherty.

A PEO or professional employer organization model provides various human resource related services including payroll, benefits programs, workers’ compensation services and risk management and HRIS under a co-employment agreement with your organization. In essence, Doherty Employer Services acts as your off-site HR department and becomes the employer of record responsible for employment and insurance-related administrative functions. You retain complete control over your business, including hiring and firing, but with more available time and resources to devote to your core business. Your employees enjoy benefits packages that might not otherwise be available, due to the economies of scale and greater purchasing power of Doherty. Employee turnover may be reduced too, with a positive impact on your business' bottom line. Attractive benefits are essential in competing for and retaining the best and the brightest employees in today's competitive work environment. 

Human resources outsourcing is utilized by United States based organizations of all sizes and in all industries. For example, Doherty Employer Services' clients include public and private companies, non-profit organizations, and businesses from a variety of industries (including technology, professional service providers, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, fitness clubs, hair salons, restaurants and more).

The world of human resources (HR) is becoming increasingly complex with burgeoning Federal, State and local employment regulations and employee management issues, along with greater demand for comprehensive benefits. As businesses grow, most owners or existing staff don’t have the HR expertise or resources in areas such as training, payroll and accounting, regulatory compliance, risk management, insurance and employee benefit programs necessary to implement employee programs and benefits, be in compliance and protect the company from risk. Human resources outsourcing makes solid business sense.

By focusing your time and resources on your business and not on the growing body of HR knowledge and regulations, you will be able to have a greater impact on revenue growth. You will also have the opportunity to reduce fixed costs and other expenses by outsourcing non-core functions to a professional HR organization that is able to leverage its benefits purchasing power to your advantage. You will find that employees will appreciate the enhanced benefits package and the professionalism of their HR “department”. It is truly a winning solution for everyone and for your bottom line.

Through a human resources outsourcing (HRO) agreement with your organization, Doherty Employer Services acts as your outside, or a supplement to your existing, human resources department. Doherty provides human resource management services, employee benefits and/or administration, training and guidance on employment compliance, payroll services, risk management (workers' compensation and unemployment) and HRIS. By transferring the responsibility for these time-consuming, non-core business tasks to our HR experts, you will have more time and resources to dedicate to building your business. Human resources outsourcing provides you cost efficiencies and the level of HR expertise needed at every growth stage in order to attract and retain good employees and insulate your business from risk.

My Plan by Medica is a new health care solution, offered through Doherty Employer Services' PEO model. It provides employers a way to offer more choices to their employees and employees a way to personalize their health plan to more closely meet their individual needs. With My Plan, an employer sets a defined budget for each of its employees to spend on healthcare coverage. Employees purchase a plan that fits their specific needs, choosing from a range of 20 different plan options.