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Case Study

How a Skyscraper Window Installer Cut ~$115K/Year in Workers' Comp + Admin Cost

Company Profile: A New York-based contractor specializing in installing windows on skyscrapers across NYC. Working with the largest national Taft Hartley plan in the U.S. for payroll and HR. A 401(k) was the only employee benefit in place beyond what payroll required.

Prior Challenges

  • High workers' compensation costs across multiple high-risk class codes, eating into cash flow and limiting flexibility
  • Unqualified safety checks with limited safety infrastructure support
  • Slow, generic HR + compliance support — multi-day turnarounds on routine questions
  • Stalled benefit conversations — every discussion about expanding employee benefits to stay competitive died at the execution stage
  • For a high-risk trade, the real issue wasn't just cost — it was operational drag and unnecessary financial friction baked into the existing setup

Capabilities Needed

  • Lower workers' comp costs across all class codes
  • Qualified, responsive HR support with direct access to a real service team
  • Real safety infrastructure backed by a national partner
  • A path to expand employee benefits to improve recruiting and retention
  • Better value from retirement plan costs for both the employer and employees

Solutions Explored

1. Status Quo — Largest National PEO (Payroll + HR)

The existing setup was familiar but expensive and operationally frustrating: high WC rates across class codes, slow generic support, and limited practical benefit expansion options.

✗ Status quo unsustainable

2. National Taft Hartley Partner — 91.8% client retention rate

A national national partner specializing in blue-collar trades was evaluated as a stronger total solution:

  • Responsive HR + compliance support including direct lines and an unofficial same-day / next-morning standard
  • Safety checks and infrastructure supported by a national provider
  • Material improvements to workers' comp rates and total cost
  • Suite of nearly 30 employee benefits without requiring employer contributions or employee participation

Critical advantage: Removed the pain of managing multiple vendors while improving cost structure and execution quality at the same time.

✓ Selected

Outcome

After modeling the numbers across the existing setup vs. the new partner, the company reduced its annual workers' comp + admin cost burden by approximately:

Annual Savings: ~$114,994/year

The business also gained a clear path to benefits competitiveness without paying for the benefits — making it materially easier to scale, retain employees, and recruit top talent in a tight blue-collar labor market.

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