Can you provide me all of the features of my current payroll service and benefits administration company?

If we can’t we shouldn’t be your vendor. Our experience has shown that sometimes we can tweak a feature to meet your specific needs and we are flexible enough with our system to be able to do that.  We have found that for many of our clients a slight adjustment in their internal system not only makes us a great fit but has also brought them into compliance.  We produce a features list you can use to compare what you have to what you could have with us. This list is constantly growing as we integrate more and more HR Accounting functions.

How does your system work?

The over simplified version is that each time a transaction is entered into our payroll system we analyze it for the impact on the benefits you offer.  If it is a trigger, our benefits administration system is updated.  On a pre-set schedule our benefits system verifies eligibility, adjust bills, reconciles vendor billing, and can at the clients request pay the vendor.  In the case of a termination, the COBRA administration portion kicks into gear.

How soon after you receive my payroll data with I receive my finished payroll?

We can ship your payroll to you the same day the data is received provided it is received by 3:00 p.m.  The timing of your receipt of the payroll will depend upon which shipping method you select.

What are my options for making tax payments?

We include TotalTax payment in all of our payroll packages.  With this service, you are free from the worry of timely payment and filing.  We take care of it for you.  If, however, you prefer to file your own taxes, we can accommodate that for you by providing the figures and/or the checks drawn on your account for the payments.  Since our fee schedule is based upon TotalTax payment, we are unable to provide a discount if you choose to file your own.

Can my employees designate more than one account for direct deposit?

Yes. An employee can designate up to four different accounts for direct deposit.

When will my employees have access to their direct deposits?

We send the ACH (Automated Clearing House) file so the information arrives at their bank on pay date.  Whether the funds are available at the beginning of the day or that night depends upon when their bank processes the file.

Will you handle my New Hire Employee Reporting?

Yes. We track it and send the report to the government in a timely manner.  The cost is included in the H R LedgerPak; there is an additional per employee charge if you enroll in any of our other packages.

Do you handle employee garnishments?

	Yes.  We do the set up, process the deduction each payroll period, assure compliance with the federal and state limits, and mail the check.
	Can I charge an employee for a garnishment? Yes.  The state of California allows a $1.00 charge to be passed along to the employee for each check created for a garnishment.  We can handle the collection of that for you through a payroll deduction.
	Will I receive verification of a garnishment payment being made? Yes. You will receive a special check register detailing the item.

What do I do if I have to void a check and reissue one for a different amount?

You simply include the details of the voided check and the one that was reissued and we will enter them with the next payroll.  This assures correct taxing on the wages.

What do I do if I need figures for a manual check (like a termination check)?

You simply call our customer service line and we will calculate the figures.

What if I need those figures outside of regular business hours (like nights and weekends)?

If it is at night or on the weekend, you can visit our website for the paycheck calculator, follow the easy-to-use instructions, and calculate the figures for yourself.

Can you take care of vacation and sick pay accruals?

	Yes as well as PTO (Personal Time Off) – you simply provide us with the rules of your plan.
	Can you print them on employee check stubs? Yes.

Can you affix a facsimile of my signature on my payroll checks?

Yes, and your company logo as well if you like.

How do I receive my payroll reports and checks from you?

It’s your choice of FedEx or United States Postal Service if you receive checks.  If your employees are on direct deposit and you, therefore, are not receiving checks, you can utilize our paperless payroll service where we e-mail the reports and direct deposit vouchers to you.

What if you make a mistake on my payroll?

If we make a mistake, we will apologize, take responsibility, and do whatever it takes to correct it without additional charges to you.

How do you insure my payroll taxes are paid properly?

Our system calculates the taxes and automatically calendars them to be paid on the proper date.

How secure is my data?

Payroll data is stored on secured computer, in a secure facility and backed up nightly.

Can access be limited to my payroll data?

Yes.  You provide us with the individual(s) in your company who are authorized to provide and receive payroll information.  You can also set a password for additional security.

How can we transmit our payroll data to you?

There are several of ways and you chose which is most convenient for you.  You can fax a report to us.  We can call you for your time and payroll data.  Or we will provide you with a simple spreadsheet for you to complete and submit to us.  We can also interface with most on-site time clock formats for seamless transfer.

Can you provide Workers’ Comp Reporting?

Yes.  We can provide a monthly report with premium calculation based upon the classifications and rates you provide us.

Can you report pay by division, department, job, etc.?

Yes. We have a variety of different ways to report pay depending upon your need.

What kind of reports can I get?

With every payroll, you receive a payroll liability report with deposit requirements and due dates, a detailed employee payroll register, department registers, and payroll worksheets.  On a monthly basis, you can elect to receive a detailed employee earnings report covering the entire month, a sick/vacation register, a tip register, and a workers’ compensation register.  There are additional reports you can request such as a 401(k) report per payroll.

Can you provide time card labels?

Yes, and time cards too!

Can I get reports on any format such as excel?

We do have the capability to export your reports to excel; however, it would require customized programming and the associated costs.

Do you limit the types of pay increments to hourly or salary?

No.  We can accommodate either pay type.  We can also itemize different types of pay such as commission, vacation, sick, PTO, holiday, tips, etc.

How should I handle an unscheduled (like bonus) payroll?

Simply call customer service to schedule.  We are happy to accommodate your special payroll needs.

Do you administer POP, 125, Cafeteria Plans?

We do not administer these plans.  Generally speaking, these programs require a plan document, third party administration, and specific expertise.  We can port the data and send funds to an administrator so as to make the interface seamless to you.  This allows you to have the best of both worlds, experts in HR Accounting providing deductions directly to your plan administrator.

Is your system robust enough to handle a lot of business?

We have combined an Enterprise Level Payroll Software package with our proprietary Benefits Administrations system.  We use completely scaleable Heath Insurance Portability And Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) Compliant platform design to meet the needs of both service based as well as self-serve clients.  The payroll component is a 50 state qualified system which handles all aspects of payroll accounting from interfacing with on-site time clocks to online total tax payment.  The operations platform is loaded on multiple redundant RAID 5 servers.

I understand your benefit system is proprietary, but what credential do you have for developing an adequate system to meet my expectations?

Our management team has more than 95 years of cumulative hands–on experience in Insurance, Benefits, Benefits Administration, Payroll and Human Resource Administration.  We designed the system based on our experience with our client's needs.  Then we hired one of the top development teams in the field.  Our developers came from the Human Resource Administration and Benefits Administration Automation field.  They have experience with cutting edge technology, large scaleable flexible platforms, and include the NASDAQ in their resume of clients.

Can you handle my COBRA requirements?

H R Ledger is a full service COBRA Administrator.  We have an advantage over a traditional COBRA Administrator because most of our COBRA actions and transactions are triggered off your payroll events.  This means you don’t have the additional burden of notifying a separate COBRA Administrator of changes.

Why do you not handle groups larger than 300 employees?

We have never put a limit on group size.  Our equipment, our software and our staff are quite capable of handling groups over a 1000 employees.  Our marketing research shows, in larger groups, an increased desire for internal control and a stronger belief in the misconception that as a group grows larger it becomes cost effective to bring payroll and benefits accounting in house.   However, the cumulative advantage of managing thousands of employees' payroll and benefits administration still proves more cost effective than in-house systems.  We designed and built our service on the needs of smaller employers so our marketing message has always been to groups under 300.

How do you handle late enrollees?

Hopefully you will have seen the end of late enrollees.  With each new hire we track their application, their introductory period, their waiting period and verify their enrollment.  This ensures timely enrollment, accurate billing and predictable cash flow.  Of course, we also handle the mandated New Hire Reporting at the same time.

Can you pay my benefit vendors for me?

Yes we can!  We will be reconciling your bill to provide the most accurate billing and reducing your undiscovered over-billings.  We can help you pay your bills four ways.  If your vendor accepts electronic funds transfer, we can sweep your account and its done.  Or we can sweep your account and write a check to the vendor.  Or we write a check on your account in the correct amount.  If your prefer we can provide you with the audited bill and you can write the check and deliver it to the vendor.

When do I need to have funds in my bank account to cover my payroll and tax liabilities?

Sufficient funds in collectible form need to be in your bank account one banking (bank holidays and weekends do not count as banking days) day prior to pay date.

How will I know when you have debited my bank account for the funds?

The debit will show in the history of your bank account.

How will I know the amount I need to deposit to my account?

The liability page of your standard payroll reports itemizes the amount needed.

How quickly can you get me my payroll totals each pay period?

If you submit your payroll by phone, we can provide the totals at the end of the call.  If you provide payroll information via fax or e-mail (and need the figures prior to receiving your processed payroll which contains the liability page with the figures) we can either fax or e-mail the totals to you.