A PEO for a landscaping company with 25 employees

What pricing looks like at 25 employees

At 25 employees, small differences in a per-employee fee compound into a material annual amount, and benefit participation can support more meaningful plan comparisons. Normalize percentage pricing to PEPM using actual payroll and compare the plan designs as well as premiums.

Workers compensation exposure includes mower and equipment injuries, heat illness, driving with trailers, and chemical application. Class 0042 rates vary by state, and carriers price tree work or hardscape installation differently, so accurate operation descriptions matter.

Your leverage

A complete census, loss information, and a documented request for proposal can create useful competition. Ask each finalist to model state unemployment and workers compensation explicitly and to state how benefits renewal notice works.

When a PEO is the wrong answer at this size

If an experienced internal operator already manages HR, benefits, payroll, and compliance, a PEO may duplicate part of that role. Compare the PEO with an ASO or payroll platform while keeping the existing insurance and internal expertise.

Worth pricing when seasonal onboarding, multi-crew payroll, workers compensation, or H-2B recordkeeping creates a measurable administration problem. A small seasonal operator should compare the annual PEO cost, including off-season minimums, with landscape payroll and direct insurance alternatives.

What a landscaping company should ask every PEO

• Headcount can triple between February and June, and every seasonal rehire needs onboarding, I-9 verification, and comp coverage from the first day of the season.
• H-2B visa crews come with wage rate requirements, recruitment documentation, and timing rules that a payroll clerk cannot improvise.
• Heat illness prevention rules in several states (California, Oregon, Washington among them) require written plans, training, and shade and water documentation.
• Crews that start from the yard, load equipment, and drive to multiple sites need a clear rule for compensable travel and portal-to-portal time.

Use the actual seasonal census to model eligibility, participation, employer contribution, and waivers. Ask for plan documents for every option and a fee schedule that shows what is charged for seasonal and part-time employees, including those who do not enroll.

Common questions

How do PEO fees work for a seasonal workforce?

Ask what is charged for an employee who works April through October and what account-level charges continue in the off-season. Providers may bill only for active employees or may apply monthly minimums or annual fees. Model the invoice month by month across the operating season.

Can a PEO administer H-2B payroll requirements?

The visa program itself (petitions, recruitment, prevailing wage determinations) belongs to you and your immigration counsel. What the PEO must do is pay the certified wage rate correctly, track hours against the program rules, and produce the payroll records an audit will request. Confirm the PEO has current H-2B clients in landscaping before assuming any of that.

Different team size?