Wisconsin small-business PEO, wholly owned by M3 Insurance since 2023
The Employer Group is a PEO that quotes companies of Small businesses, roughly 5 to 100 employees (sweet spot: 10 to 50), most often Wisconsin and Madison-area small businesses. Established Wisconsin PEO with a regional insurance brokerage parent and the flexibility to sell payroll, HR, or full co-employment separately. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, and the footprint is concentrated in Wisconsin.
Our take
The Employer Group is a genuinely local option for Wisconsin small businesses that want HR and payroll handled by people they can reach directly. The 2023 acquisition by a regional insurance brokerage gives them more benefits and risk bench than their headcount would suggest, and the ability to buy services a la carte is useful for employers not ready for full co-employment. The credential gap is the honest caveat: they appear on neither the IRS CPEO list nor the ESAC accredited directory, so buyers whose CFO or auditor asks for those should look at a certified peer. We recommend them inside Wisconsin and move to a national PEO once an employer spreads across several states.
Read our full The Employer Group review: our score, how it prices, where it is strong, what to check before signing, and who should choose it.
• Wisconsin and Madison-area small businesses
• Employers with no in-house HR function
• Buyers who want to pick individual services rather than a full bundle
• Companies already working with a regional insurance brokerage
• Buyers who require IRS CPEO certification
• Buyers who require ESAC accreditation
• Multi-state or national employers needing broad state coverage
Compare The Employer Group against other PEOs
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Get a free comparison →📅 Schedule a callRead: The Employer Group alternatives comparedAnswers come from The Employer Group’s profile in our directory, verified September 2026.
The Employer Group fits: Wisconsin and Madison-area small businesses, Employers with no in-house HR function, Buyers who want to pick individual services rather than a full bundle and Companies already working with a regional insurance brokerage. Its published company-size range is Small businesses, roughly 5 to 100 employees (sweet spot: 10 to 50), and it writes Professional Services, Nonprofits, Restaurants and Hospitality, Legal and Local Services. Established Wisconsin PEO with a regional insurance brokerage parent and the flexibility to sell payroll, HR, or full co-employment separately.
The Employer Group is not the right fit for: Buyers who require IRS CPEO certification, Buyers who require ESAC accreditation and Multi-state or national employers needing broad state coverage. Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, and the footprint is concentrated in Wisconsin.
The Employer Group does not publish rates. Pricing model: Quote-only; pricing not published, quoted per client from your census, state mix and workers comp class codes. Contract terms: Annual agreements typical; confirm notice and exit terms in the CSA.
No. The Employer Group is not on the IRS certified PEO (CPEO) list and is not ESAC accredited. Without CPEO status, joining mid-year can restart FICA and FUTA wage bases unless the PEO qualifies as a successor employer, so ask how they handle it.
The providers most often compared with The Employer Group are Group Management Services (GMS), Nextep and FrankCrum. The right alternative depends on why you are looking. The usual reason: Neither IRS CPEO certified nor ESAC accredited, and the footprint is concentrated in Wisconsin. A free side-by-side puts The Employer Group next to the PEOs that fit your headcount, states and industry.