Independent Grocer Simplifies ACA Compliance
Leprekon Harvest Foods, a family-owned and operated grocer, needed more than a “do-it-yourself” solution to meet its Affordable Care Act obligations.
They wisely selected an approach that simplified ACA compliance and met 3 important objectives:
- Achieve peace of mind that we are complying with ever-changing ACA regulations
- Maintain focus on our customers and business vs ACA reporting and administration
- Obtain an affordable solution
About Leprekon Harvest Foods
Joe Montemayor started as a courtesy clerk for Leprekon Harvest Foods back in the ‘80s. It was 1 of 2 jobs he held at the time. In 2003, his son, Michael and Timo, his wife, fully purchased the business, which they have owned and operated for more than 20 years.
Leprekon Food’s Workforce
“We have about 165 employees who are committed to providing an exceptional shopping experience for our customers. It’s a very diverse group who for the most part have grown up and live in the communities we serve. Tracking the changing status of part-time workers is important to staying on top of our obligations for ACA.”
Leprekon Foods on MyHRConcierge
“They know what they’re talking about, are really good at ACA compliance for the grocery business and truly have great customer service like no other. Our Personal ACA Concierge makes you feel like you’re his only client. He always returns calls immediately even though we’re in different time zones.”
The Challenge
Everything about the Affordable Care Act “seemed scary.” Leprekon Harvest Foods was concerned about inadvertently missing a step that would make the business non-compliant and put them at risk for significant penalties. They also realized how confusing, difficult and time-consuming it would be for their small team to stay on top of the rapidly changing ACA rules.
“We know how to sell groceries. We’re not experts in the Affordable Care Act,” notes Michael Montemayor, Vice President, Leprekon Harvest Foods. “And, as a small family business, we have to focus on actions that impact our customers and bottom line. We needed an ACA solution that would give us the peace of mind knowing we are meeting our obligations while relieving us from the time-consuming compliance administration burden.”
Michael reached out to FMS Solutions, Leprekon Harvest Foods’ accounting and payroll partner, about their objectives for an ACA solution. FMS Solutions suggested he speak with MyHRConcierge.
The Solution
“We were looking for a partner who could take care of it all. We wanted to be assured that if we did our part, the rest would be covered. And that’s exactly what MyHRConcierge has provided for us.”
Leprekon Harvest Foods evaluated the costs of a “do it yourself” program vs the solution from MyHRConcierge. “It was a no-brainer to choose MyHRConcierge,” explains Michael.
Leprekon Harvest Food’s MyHRConcierge ACA Compliance solution includes:
- Decision Support Expert
- Insight for Better Decision Making
- Pay or Play Analysis
- Transition Relief Guidance
- Setup of IRS Required Period Calculations
- SimplyCompli Online Tool
- Helpline Staffed by ACA Experts
- Protection of Sensitive Data
- Flexible Approach & Responsive Reporting
- Additional Administrative Support
The Results
Peace of Mind
“MyHRConcierge biggest contribution to our business is peace of mind. We rest easier because our Personal ACA Concierge helps us understand the changes in ACA that impact us and what we need to do about them,” notes Michael. “That reduces our risk of unintentionally missing a step and facing a big penalty.”
Classifying employees correctly for the purposes of offering them health insurance was one of Leprekon Harvest Foods’ biggest headaches. Determining part-time or full-time employee status is moving target because it changes with the number of hours employees work.
“The SimplyCompli online tool is a great addition to MyHRConcierge personal service. It proactively alerts us when an employee’s status changes,” notes Michael. “It also enables us to forecast benefit costs with a snapshot of where we stand with full-time & part-time employees at any given time.”
Savings & More
“There are very few small businesses that could justify hiring an expert, creating processes and buying software to handle ACA compliance administration. MyHRConcierge made it possible for us to handle this challenge for a fee that works with our budget.”
Michael also points to savings from the SimplyCompli software tool MyHRConcierge provides as part of their ACA Compliance service. “It automatically tracks employee hours and related changes in part-time Vs full-time status. That means we don’t have to pay anyone to do this for us. Plus, we enter information just one time to create the needed ACA forms. There’s no duplicate data entry.”
“We also appreciate that MyHRConcierge keeps us well-informed about HR solutions that can help our grocery business. When we need to expand our HR resources, they will be our first choice,” notes Michael.
Frees Us to Focus on Business
“We’re a small company. Without MyHRConcierge, it would be me and my Mom taking care of ACA compliance,” notes Michael. “Now we’re free to focus on our customers and growing our business instead of keeping up with ACA regs.”
Let Your Business Soar
MyHRConcierge has helped Leprekon Harvest Foods and others tackle ACA and HR compliance challenges – freeing their executives to grow the business. To learn more, contact us for a free consultation.