Time Away from Work (TAFW) is a catchall term that refers to a broad swath of employee benefits spanning routine paid time off (PTO), short- and long-term disability, paid and unpaid leaves of absence, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits, and worker’s compensation. It should come as no surprise that employers engage the services of numerous third-party services to deliver TAFW benefits. These external vendors often include both providers of software (such as HRIS systems and payroll or leave-of-absence tracking software) and benefits administrators who handle participants’ day-to-day questions, requests and paperwork.
The niche nature of TAFW work makes it challenging for employers to find a vendor that strikes the right balance between cost, accuracy, and customer service — which is why so many companies turn to SBA for assistance with their RFPs. As with all our specialty vendor searches, SBA’s approach to finding and evaluating TAFW administrators and software providers is informed by decades of experience on both sides of the employer-vendor relationship and a nuanced understanding of today’s vendor marketplace.
By collaborating closely with clients to pinpoint the specific services they need, SBA is able to select vendors who are ideally suited for the task at hand and compare proposals on a like-for-like basis. Our meticulous selection process includes assistance navigating fees, service-level agreements (SLAs), and contracts, with vendor implementation support available as an add-on service.