PEO 101

PEO 101

Everything you need to understand Professional Employer Organizations — from the basic definition to pricing models, transition playbooks, and how to compare providers. Written in plain English by the team at ShortlistPEO.

All PEO 101 articles

Where to start

If you're new to PEOs and trying to figure out whether one makes sense for your business, read these in order:

  1. What is a PEO? — the foundational definition
  2. How PEOs work — co-employment mechanics, payroll, benefits, workers' comp
  3. PEO vs ASO vs EOR — which model fits your business
  4. PEO cost and pricing — what you'll actually pay
  5. PEO pros and cons — an honest look at trade-offs
  6. How to switch PEOs — a practical playbook

Reference resources

For specific terms, check our PEO Glossary (37 terms). For PEO recommendations by state, see our state guides. For PEO recommendations by industry, see our industry guides. For head-to-head provider comparisons, see our PEO comparison library.

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