Who we serve / Growing or adding a location
Make benefits part of the growth plan.
A new location or a steady run of hires can change provider access, administration, and employer obligations. Review those pieces before the next group of employees starts.
Start with these three decisions.
Share your hiring forecast, ownership structure, new locations, and renewal date.
Employer size
Use the prior-year ACA calculation and review related businesses.
New locations
Check exact networks where employees will live and work.
Repeatable onboarding
Assign the entry, carrier-change, and confirmation tasks.
Separate two different size questions
ACA ALE status generally uses the previous year’s monthly average of full-time employees plus equivalents. For non-full-time employees, cap monthly hours at 120 per person and divide their total by 120. Washington’s small-group insurance market uses its own counting rules; reaching a headcount on one day does not settle both questions.
Add the location to the administration process
Confirm carrier service areas, payroll contacts, eligibility rules, and education access before enrollment. WIB provides Employee Navigator to group clients who want it, customized at no extra cost, and trains company administrators. Carrier changes remain WIB’s responsibility; verify specific integrations rather than assuming automatic transmission.
A practical example · illustrative
Opening a second site
List expected hires by month, gather related-entity information for payroll review, check the new area’s providers, and schedule education before the first election deadline.
Coverage to compare
Availability, eligibility, and benefits depend on the proposed plan and its current terms.
- Medical network review
- Check home ZIP codes and care access for the new location.
- Contribution and plan choices
- Show the employer budget and employee paycheck impact under each option.
- Funding and support
- Review current market eligibility and any alternative-funding contract alongside administrative needs.
From comparison to enrollment
We help connect the benefits decision with the people using and managing the plan.
- 01 / PLAN
Map the needs
Share your hiring forecast, ownership structure, new locations, and renewal date.
- 02 / COMPARE
Review the tradeoffs
Compare actual plan costs, access, contributions, and the questions payroll or specialist advisers need to resolve.
- 03 / SUPPORT
Help the team enroll
We provide group, individual, and live virtual education, including shifts, multiple visits, new hires, and support after enrollment at no extra fee for client teams.
Before you get started
Does hiring employee number 50 automatically make us an ALE today?
Not by itself. The general test uses the prior calendar year’s monthly average, with special rules for new employers, related entities, and seasonal workers.
What administration is included?
Employee Navigator is available and customized at no extra cost for group clients who want it. WIB trains company administrators to enter new hires and terminations; WIB handles carrier changes. We coordinate third-party COBRA administrators that send and track notices. Vendor fees may apply, with waivers for some groups based on size and benefits package.
Sources checked September 19, 2026. General information; your plan and circumstances matter.
IRS · ALEIRS · fulltimeOIC · groupLet’s start with your plans for growth.
Share your hiring forecast, ownership structure, new locations, and renewal date. No existing plan is required.