HR Outsourcing Services & Pricing for Growing Companies
Every tier offered by CHRO's HR Outsourcing Solutions is priced transparently and predictably, based on your employee count — no hidden fees, no retainer ambiguity, and no surprises at renewal. This page covers what each service tier includes, how pricing works, and what factors affect your final cost. If you are still evaluating whether HR outsourcing is the right solution for your company, start with our overview page: What Is HR Outsourcing? →
What Is HR Outsourcing?
HR outsourcing is the strategic transfer of your company's HR functions — compliance administration, employee relations, and strategic leadership — to a senior-level outside expert who operates as part of your team. For a full explanation of how it works, how it differs from a PEO, and whether your company needs it, see: What Is HR Outsourcing? →
Why Growing Companies Choose HR Outsourcing Over Hiring In-House
A seasoned full-time CHRO costs $180,000–$260,000 in base salary before benefits and overhead. HR outsourcing delivers the same CHRO-level judgment, ADA/FMLA administration, and employee relations capacity at a predictable monthly cost — typically 70–80% less than a full-time internal hire. For the full cost comparison, see: What Is HR Outsourcing? →
Our HR Outsourcing Pricing Model
CHRO's HR Outsourcing Solutions prices its services on a subscription basis, structured around your employee count and workforce risk profile. There are no surprise fees, no per-incident charges, and no ambiguity about what is included at each tier. Before any engagement begins, we invest time in understanding your workforce structure, industry, compliance history, and current HR infrastructure. Pricing is then customized to reflect the actual scope of work — not a one-size-fits-all rate card. You pay for what you need, and you know exactly what that is before you sign anything.
What Affects Your HR Outsourcing Cost?
Your HR outsourcing cost may be lower if your company has:
Low turnover and stable management
Consistent, well-documented HR records
No history of EEOC charges or employment litigation
A straightforward regulatory environment
Experienced managers who follow established protocols
Your HR outsourcing cost may be higher if your company has:
High turnover or a history of employee claims
Multiple bargaining units or collective bargaining agreements
Complex multi-state or industry-specific compliance requirements
Inconsistent documentation or legacy HR problems
A workforce with significant ADA, FMLA, or leave-management complexity
HR Outsourcing Pricing Tiers — Choose the Right Level of Support
Our HR outsourcing services are structured in four tiers, each designed for a different level of workforce complexity and HR risk.
Tier A — Outsourced ADA & FMLA Administration
For employers who need centralized, defensible leave and accommodation compliance.
The ADA and FMLA are among the most technically demanding compliance obligations an employer faces — and among the most commonly mishandled. Tier A provides centralized, fully managed ADA and FMLA outsourcing covering the complete compliance lifecycle: initial notices, medical certifications, leave tracking, return-to-work coordination, interactive process guidance, alternative accommodation exploration, healthcare provider communication, file documentation, and direct employee communication at every stage. Every case is handled from opening to resolution by a senior HR professional with CHRO-level legal-risk awareness. Note that for employers with 50 or more employees, this firm does not offer ADA-only or FMLA-only administration — the statutes overlap in ways that make separate administration legally indefensible, and we will not structure an engagement that creates that risk.
Tier A Pricing — Outsourced ADA & FMLA Administration
$1,500/month minimum — companies under 100 employees
$9–$12.50 per employee per month — beyond 100 employees
No limit on use
Tier B — Outsourced Employee Relations + ADA/FMLA Administration
Your complete outsourced HR function — ER, discipline, performance management, and full leave compliance.
Employee relations is where the gap between an HR generalist and CHRO-level judgment becomes obvious. Most growing businesses reach a point where managers improvise discipline, complaints are handled inconsistently, and documentation won't survive a challenge. This tier replaces that chaos with a fully operational employee-relations function — the equivalent capacity of one to two seasoned HR generalists for a 400-employee company, backed by CHRO-level judgment and legal-risk awareness at every decision point.
Whether the issue is a performance problem that has been mismanaged for months, a harassment complaint that landed in a manager's inbox, or a termination that is one documentation error away from a lawsuit, this tier gives you the infrastructure to handle it correctly. Full ADA and FMLA administration is included in Tier B — not as an add-on, but as a core component of a complete employee-relations function.
What we do:
We serve as your complaint channel for unlawful conduct allegations
We conduct comprehensive, defensible investigations
We draft termination letters, disciplinary notices, and performance documentation
We train managers on escalation, retaliation timing errors, and high-risk responses
We answer the phone during HR emergencies
We teach leaders how to measure performance over presence
Tier B Pricing — Employee Relations + ADA/FMLA Administration
$3,500/month minimum — companies under 100 employees
$29–$32.50 per employee per month — beyond 100 employees
Optional ACA Compliance Add-On: $5 per full-time or variable-hour employee
Tier C — Outsourced CHRO Leadership With Full ER + ADA/FMLA Administration
Strategic HR leadership, system design, manager development, and full compliance — without building an internal department.
A growing company eventually reaches a point where HR generalists can't keep up, managers improvise leadership, and the company runs on outdated policies and reactive decision-making. Every employment action carries more risk than leadership realizes, and there is no one in a position to course-correct it. Tier C—Outsourced CHRO—is the solution for that company.
This tier provides an experienced fractional CHRO plus the equivalent capacity of one to two seasoned HR generalists for a 400-employee company. It is the most comprehensive outsourced HR services engagement we offer: full Employee Relations support and full ADA and FMLA administration are both included, alongside strategic CHRO-level leadership across every dimension of your HR function. For companies that have outgrown their current HR infrastructure but are not ready — or not resourced — to build an internal department, this tier delivers the capability of a complete HR division without the fixed-cost overhead.
What we do:
We get up to speed on your industry's regulatory requirements
We design and implement your HR systems: policies, workflows, documentation standards, performance frameworks
We develop and upskill your internal HR staff
We train managers to recognize escalation triggers and high-risk situations
We build your performance-management architecture
We handle all ADA and FMLA administration
We serve as your escalation channel for emergencies
We draft policies, handbooks, workflows, and communication templates
We guide organizational structure, role clarity, and workforce planning
Tier C Pricing — Outsourced CHRO + Full ER + ADA/FMLA Administration
$6,000/month minimum — companies under 100 employees
$50–$55 per employee per month —beyond 100 employees
Tier D — HR Outsourcing for Companies Building Toward Scale (15–49 Employees)
The HR infrastructure, documentation standards, and compliance foundation your company needs — built to carry you through 100 employees and beyond.
Companies in the 15–49 employee range are at a critical inflection point. You are large enough to face real compliance exposure — ADA obligations, employee relations issues, and performance documentation requirements that an owner, office manager, or part-time HR coordinator can no longer handle reliably. But you are not yet at the headcount where a full internal HR department or a CHRO salary makes financial sense.
This is exactly where the gap between improvised HR and structured HR becomes expensive. Complaints handled inconsistently. Discipline that won't hold up if challenged. Documentation that disappears when someone leaves. These are not growing pains — they are liability gaps, and they compound as your headcount grows.
This HR outsourcing package gives growing companies the same CHRO-level judgment, defensible documentation standards, and compliance rigor that 300-employee companies rely on — sized for where you are right now and deliberately built for where you are going. Every policy, process, and documentation standard we establish here is designed to scale with you through 100 employees and beyond, so that when you get there, your HR infrastructure is already in place.
Included services:
Job description review and development
Performance-management structure built around outcomes, not presence
Employee Relations support: complaints, documentation, discipline, and investigations
Full ADA administration: notices, certifications, tracking, return-to-work coordination
Manager support on escalation, communication, and high-risk situations
Executive coaching for owners and leaders
Real-time support when HR issues become urgent
Tier D Pricing — Small Business HR Outsourcing Package
$1,000/month for up to 25 employees
$35 per employee beyond 25
HR Outsourcing vs. PEO — What's the Difference?
This is one of the most common questions employers ask when evaluating their options, and it deserves a direct answer. A PEO — Professional Employer Organization — and a boutique HR outsourcing firm like this one are fundamentally different in both structure and what they actually deliver.
A PEO operates on a co-employment model. When you engage a PEO, the PEO becomes a legal co-employer of your workforce. This affects how workers' compensation is structured, how payroll taxes are filed, and how benefits are pooled. For companies whose primary goal is accessing lower-cost group health benefits by joining a larger insurance pool, a PEO can make sense. However, co-employment introduces significant legal complexity — particularly for regulated industries, nonprofits, government contractors, and multi-state employers — and the PEO model does not preserve the straightforward employer-employee relationship that many companies require.
HR outsourcing, as practiced by this firm, preserves your employer-employee relationship entirely. You remain the sole employer of record. There is no co-employment, no benefits pooling, and no administrative relationship with a third-party entity layered between you and your workforce. This is legally cleaner, structurally simpler, and avoids the compliance complications that co-employment creates in complex operating environments.
Beyond the structural difference, PEOs typically do not provide CHRO-level strategic HR leadership, workplace investigation services, or individual ADA and FMLA case management the way a boutique outsourced HR services firm does. For employers dealing with active employee relations issues, open EEOC charges, or complex leave-management caseloads, boutique HR outsourcing is almost always the better fit — because those situations require human judgment, legal-risk awareness, and senior-level accountability, not a pooled benefits structure.
Is HR Outsourcing Worth It? What Employers Actually Get
The clearest way to evaluate the ROI of HR outsourcing is to put the cost of a monthly subscription next to the cost of a single employment dispute. The average cost of defending a wrongful termination claim — before it reaches a verdict — runs between $75,000 and $125,000 in legal fees alone. An EEOC investigation, even one that concludes in the employer's favor, can cost tens of thousands of dollars in management time, legal counsel, document production, and operational disruption. A single mishandled performance case, a retaliation claim born from an improperly timed termination, or an ADA interactive process that was never documented — any one of these outcomes costs more than a year of outsourced HR services.
Beyond risk mitigation, the operational value of a functioning HR infrastructure is measurable in reduced turnover, faster resolution of employee issues, more consistent management behavior, and the organizational confidence that comes from knowing HR decisions are defensible. HR outsourcing pays for itself when the first investigation is handled correctly, when the first termination doesn't become a lawsuit, and when managers stop improvising decisions that expose the company to liability.
If you are ready to understand which tier is right for your company, the FAQ section below addresses the questions employers ask most often — and every engagement begins with a direct conversation, not a generic quote form.
Every CHRO engagement begins with a confidential consultation — a direct conversation with a senior HR professional who will take the time to understand your workforce, your risk profile, and the level of HR outsourcing support that actually fits your company. There is no pressure, no generic quote form, and no sales script. Just an honest assessment of where you are and what you need. Complete our Workforce Diagnostic Questionnaire to Book a Confidential Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions About HR Outsourcing & Pricing
1. How much does HR outsourcing cost for a small business?
HR outsourcing costs for small businesses range from $1,000/month (Tier D Small Business Package, up to 25 employees) to $6,000/month minimum (Tier C Outsourced CHRO) depending on the scope of services. For companies above 100 employees, pricing shifts to a per-employee-per-month model ranging from $9 to $55 per employee, depending on the tier selected. The final cost reflects workforce size, industry, and the complexity of your existing HR risk profile.
2. What does HR outsourcing actually include?
At this firm, HR outsourcing spans a range of services depending on the tier you select. Tier A covers ADA and FMLA administration only. Tiers B and C layer in full employee relations — investigations, disciplinary documentation, performance management, manager training, and emergency support. Tier C additionally provides outsourced CHRO leadership: system design, policy development, workforce planning, and strategic HR infrastructure. Every tier involves active, hands-on HR work — not advisory reports or templates.
3. Is HR outsourcing the same as a PEO?
No. A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) operates on a co-employment model in which the PEO becomes a legal co-employer of your workforce — primarily to pool benefits and aggregate payroll tax filings. HR outsourcing, as offered by this firm, preserves your employer-employee relationship entirely. You remain the sole employer. There is no co-employment, no benefits pooling, and no structural complexity added to your workforce. The two models serve different needs and carry different legal implications.
4. Can a small business with fewer than 50 employees use HR outsourcing?
Yes. The Tier D Small Business HR Outsourcing Package was built specifically for employers with 15 to 49 employees. It includes job description development, performance management structure, employee relations support, full ADA administration, manager coaching, executive coaching for owners, and real-time support during HR emergencies. Pricing starts at $1,000/month for up to 25 employees, with $35 per employee beyond that threshold.
5. How quickly can HR outsourcing services begin?
Onboarding typically begins within one to two weeks of engagement. Before assuming any active HR functions, the firm conducts a structured intake process to get up to speed on your workforce, open employee issues, pending compliance obligations, and existing HR documentation. This ensures that when we step in, we are fully informed — not learning on the job at your company's expense. Urgent situations can be addressed on an expedited basis during onboarding when necessary.
6. Does HR outsourcing include ADA and FMLA administration?
Yes. ADA and FMLA administration is included in every tier. Tier A is dedicated exclusively to ADA and FMLA compliance — covering notices, certifications, tracking, interactive process guidance, return-to-work coordination, and full documentation. Tiers B, C, and D all include full ADA and FMLA administration as a core component, not an optional add-on. For employers with 50 or more employees, the firm administers both statutes together, as their compliance obligations are intertwined.
7. What is an outsourced CHRO and how is it different from an HR generalist?
An outsourced CHRO brings C-suite strategic judgment, legal-risk awareness, and senior executive experience to your HR function. A fractional CHRO engagement means that leadership-level HR thinking — systems design, organizational structure, legal exposure analysis, and strategic workforce decisions — is available to your company without the cost of a full-time executive. An HR generalist, by contrast, handles administrative tasks and day-to-day HR transactions. The gap between the two becomes critical when a company faces an EEOC charge, a complex investigation, a sensitive termination, or a workforce challenge that requires legal and strategic judgment simultaneously.
8. Can I use HR outsourcing for a nonprofit organization?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations are a core client base for this firm. Nonprofits face a distinctive set of employment law considerations — board governance dynamics, funding-source compliance requirements and limitations, mission-driven workforce cultures, and compensation equity challenges — that generic HR providers are not equipped to navigate. This firm understands nonprofit governance structures, the employment implications of grant-funded positions, and the unique legal landscape facing mission-driven employers. Every tier of service is available to nonprofit organizations, and pricing reflects the same transparent, employee-count-based structure as all other engagements.
Every engagement begins with a confidential consultation — a direct conversation with a senior HR professional who will take the time to understand your workforce, your risk profile, and the level of HR outsourcing support that actually fits your company. There is no pressure, no generic quote form, and no sales script. Just an honest assessment of where you are and what you need.