Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Sarasota, FL

Overview

Absolute Payroll also operates under the name Absolute Pay Trust. It is a Florida-based provider of payroll processing and business insurance, headquartered in Sarasota. Floridians own and run the firm, and it presents itself as a hands-on alternative to large national payroll processors. Clients work with familiar staff who know them personally rather than as an account number.

Besides its Sarasota / Bradenton base, the company lists offices in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Pensacola and Charleston, South Carolina. It serves employers anywhere between the Florida Keys and the Panhandle.

Payroll services

The core offering is full-service payroll for small and mid-sized businesses. Employers and their staff can log into a secure web portal at any hour to review payroll records, and workers can view pay stubs and earnings history online.

Owners have several ways to report time: they can enter hours through the portal or send them in by phone, fax or email. Wages can be delivered as paper checks, by direct deposit at no charge, or loaded onto a payroll debit card.

• Calculation, deposit and filing of federal and Florida payroll taxes
• Accrual tracking for vacation and sick time
• Processing of child support and other court-ordered garnishments without added fees
• An optional employee savings club for holidays, vacations or emergencies
• A GPS-enabled mobile timekeeping app with job costing
• Human capital management tools for managing and developing staff

Insurance and contractor programs

Absolute Payroll is also an insurance provider, so it can bundle optional coverage with payroll. Available coverage includes workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto and health plans, and certificates of insurance can be pulled online around the clock. Because the company handles both payroll and insurance, it can prepare the reports needed for insurance audits. The firm notes that some underwriters conduct these audits at its office rather than at the client's location.

A dedicated program targets small Florida construction contractors with roughly one to ten employees. It pairs payroll with workers' compensation premiums that are billed as each payroll runs. There is no minimum headcount or weekly payroll threshold, and the program also offers flexible payment arrangements and liability coverage. The company also compares its approach with employee leasing, presenting its model as a way to get similar billing convenience at lower cost.

HR support and compliance tools

Clients can use an HR Support Center that includes a telephone help line answered by certified HR professionals, along with online resources and demo videos. The site also points to background checks, E-Verify, digital onboarding and safety resources.

Sarasota County's Green Business Partners has recognized Absolute Payroll for environmental responsibility, and the company promotes paperless payroll as part of that commitment. For buyers weighing a regional provider against a national one, its main draw is the combination of payroll, insurance and HR support from a single provider with a consistent local team.