Today, GMS celebrates a huge milestone with the signing of our 1,000th client.

When GMS was started, Bill Clinton was in office, a gallon of gas cost $1.22 and Michael Jordan had won his fourth NBA title. Twenty years later, in 2016, we have another Clinton running for office, gas prices have doubled and the Cavs are the reigning champs. A lot can change in 20 years, and a lot has changed at GMS.

In 1996, Mike Kahoe started GMS as a one-man show. Prior to that, he had worked for a temp agency for construction workers. Kahoe began to notice a trend in companies relying on a workforce made up of temps alone to avoid having to deal with workers’ comp, payroll and benefits. Not being familiar with the Professional Employer Organization industry, he floated the idea to start his own company to handle these functions of a small business.

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Update: Federal judge blocks overtime rules a week before they take effect. Learn more in our new post.

As a small business owner, it is crucial that you stay current on the latest government regulations affecting your business and employees. Effective Dec. 1, 2016, the salary threshold for overtime eligibility will increase from $23,660 to $47,476. This means that anyone earning a salary under the new threshold will now be eligible for overtime pay for any time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. 

The Department of Labor estimates there will be approximately 4.2 million workers affected who will now be eligible for overtime. Business owners must reevaluate their current workforce to meet the new requirements. The Department of Labor will automatically update the salary threshold every 3 years moving forward to match the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage Census Region. 

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Whether your company is growing or you are simply filling an open position, the hiring process can be painstaking for any business owner. Where do you start? Should you post a listing to online job sites? Should you place ads around the local university? Do you set up a booth at a job fair?

Hiring the right people is not an easy task. It can be a lengthy process that takes away from other priorities, like growing your business. It takes an average of 52 days to fill an open position, according to a recruitment study from Bersin by Deloitte.

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Summer days make for more than just fun in the sun. Summer weather leads to a spike in outdoor jobs, hotter conditions, and workplace injuries. While these issues are a year-long concern, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the rate of workplace injuries increases during the summer season. 

More injuries mean more workers’ compensation claims, and more claims mean that your company will have to pay a higher workers’ compensation rate. However, business owners can take steps to help lower workers’ compensation rates by employing loss prevention strategies that can help reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace. 

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Illnesses and injuries don’t have hours of operation, but your local doctors’ office usually does. However, a closed office doesn’t mean that you and your employees can’t get good medical advice. 

Group Management Services helps businesses receive quick, convenient access to medical professionals and information through Telemedicine services through Healthiest You. Here’s how Telemedicine can help your company.

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You always hear intern horror stories of Randy the errand runner, Carlin the coffee-getter, solitude Sally, bossy Becky, moody Mandy, lazy Larry, and sob story Serena. But not many have heard or met supportive and studious Sara, reliable and radiant Rafael, or ambitious and adaptable Alexis. 

We are the three interns here at GMS. As a PEO, GMS is not like most companies. A PEO… what is that? Not many have heard of a professional employer organization because it’s unique to the business world, special in a sense that it helps small to mid-size businesses save time and money.

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I’ve never worked in an office before. For so many summers, all I did was work the typical jobs you’d expect from a kid in high school. Swim clubs, gas stations; my summers were reminiscent of Dante’s life from the 1994 movie Clerks, complete with me saying more than just once or twice, “I’m not even supposed to be here today!”  

I grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, but was born in Cleveland. Upon graduation, I took a note from LeBron and decided to come home. I’m currently going into my senior year at Cleveland State, and this summer I decided to change things. I figured it was time to leave the lifeguard stands and gas pumps behind in Smallville and get myself an office internship. That’s how I found GMS.

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Group Management Services is a Professional Employer Organization founded by Mike Kahoe in 1996. This summer I was fortunate enough to be one of three interns at the GMS National Headquarters in Richfield, Ohio. 

I absolutely love my job, and if you were to step into our office you’d find 90-plus people that would say the exact same thing! Here are the top five reasons I’m having the best summer ever, and why you would too, at GMS:

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A little extra protection can go a long way toward making your employees happy. Traditional group health plans are a great start for many of your employees, but some members of your team or potential recruits may need additional coverage.

Supplemental insurance plans allow business owners to attract and retain talented employees through additional coverage. A Professional Employer Organization can provide you with extra insurance options to benefit both you and your employees. 

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When you’re a business owner, a 401(k) or profit sharing plan is a must to help attract and retain great employees.

While you may be the owner of a company, you’re likely not an expert on the legal responsibilities of offering these plans to your employees. Most business owners are too focused on running their company to provide an adequate amount of attention on benefits administration.

Your benefits don’t have to be a hassle. A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can step in and cut costs, save time, and offer customizable plans for your company.

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