Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Metairie, LA

Canal HR is a professional employer organization (PEO) based in Metairie, Louisiana, that takes over payroll and a wide range of personnel administration for employers. The firm reports working in the greater New Orleans market since 1992. It now supports hundreds of client companies throughout Louisiana and the broader Southeast, which together account for more than 4,000 worksite employees.

Clients range from very small operations to organizations with as many as 1,000 staff. Many are growing businesses that lack an internal HR or payroll team.

Payroll and tax administration

Under the PEO arrangement, Canal HR effectively becomes the client's human resources function. Its staff run each payroll cycle on a weekly, biweekly or monthly schedule. They calculate wages and withholdings, remit employment taxes and complete quarterly and annual filings.

Employees can be paid by direct deposit, by checks delivered in person to the business, or through Visa-branded pay cards for workers without a bank account. The company also confirms that onboarding documents are completed properly and supplies detailed payroll reporting. Forms it handles include:

• Federal Form 941 returns and Form 940 unemployment filings
• State unemployment reports
• W-2 and W-3 statements
• 1099 and 1096 forms

Beyond processing, the firm advises clients on classifying workers as salaried, hourly or contract so that wage and overtime rules are met. It also tracks changes in federal and Louisiana employment law, and an attorney on staff is available for HR questions. Through an online portal, employees can view and reprint pay stubs, payroll history and W-2s, which is useful for loan or lease paperwork.

Workers' compensation and risk management

Workers' compensation is a central part of the offering. Because Canal HR pools a large employee base, it negotiates group pricing and says clients commonly see meaningful premium reductions. The program also removes the need for a separate down payment on coverage.

A safety team that includes a company nurse supports clients, and a risk manager can visit job sites to identify hazards and suggest fixes. The firm also handles injury reports, premium audits and claim handling, with a focus on returning hurt employees to work promptly.

Benefits and additional services

An in-house insurance agency places group and individual coverage. This includes medical plans with HMO, PPO, traditional and self-funded options, as well as life, dental, disability and cancer policies. These are offered through a Section 125 cafeteria plan so premiums can be paid pre-tax. Clients can provide a 401(k) with Roth options and online account access for a single setup fee rather than recurring plan costs. Other services include:

• Drug screening and physicals before hiring, after accidents or at random
• Background screening at local and national levels, plus driving records
• Form I-9 support and E-Verify eligibility checks
• An assistance program for employees facing personal challenges
• A payroll-deducted holiday savings club that pays interest
• A free discount prescription card

Canal HR highlights experience with auto repair shops, medical and veterinary practices, and janitorial and building operations firms. It serves employers in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and the Northshore. For buyers comparing payroll providers, its distinguishing feature is the bundling of payroll with workers' compensation, benefits and compliance support under one locally based PEO relationship.

Tandem Consulting Group is a Louisiana bookkeeping and payroll firm that supports small businesses throughout the Greater New Orleans region. The company keeps offices on both sides of Lake Pontchartrain, which lets it work with owners in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes as well as communities across the Northshore. For buyers comparing payroll providers, it represents a hands-on, owner-led alternative to large national processors, pairing payroll administration with ongoing bookkeeping and advisory help.

Payroll Services

Payroll is one of the firm's core offerings. Tandem can launch payroll for a company running it for the first time or take over from a previous provider, handling the setup work such as loading employee records and configuring direct deposit. Once payroll is running, the team manages tax filings and keeps processing in line with compliance obligations. Its payroll work includes:

• Initial payroll setup and takeovers from other providers
• Employee data entry and direct deposit configuration
• Payroll tax handling and compliance
• New hire onboarding paperwork, including I-9 forms and state new hire reporting
• Year-end W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing with the IRS

Bookkeeping, Consulting and Notary Work

Bookkeeping is the firm's main specialty, so payroll clients can keep their books and wages under one roof. Bookkeeping services cover reconciling bank and credit card accounts, reporting sales tax, managing accounts payable and receivable, and preparing financial reports.

On the consulting side, Tandem builds system workflows, offers QuickBooks training, and helps owners draw up organizational charts that clarify roles and responsibilities. The company also provides notary services for both businesses and individuals, including immovable property transactions, mandates, wills and small successions handled under Louisiana law.

Background and Team

The business was started by two sisters, Allyson Davis and Amy Smith, who describe themselves as entrepreneurs and who together report more than five decades of combined professional experience. Both hold MBA degrees and both are QuickBooks Online Advanced ProAdvisors with QuickBooks Online Payroll certification, credentials that are directly relevant for companies running payroll through Intuit's platform.

Amy Smith is also a notary public, and she traces her interest in business to working in her family's company in Pearl River as a young person.

How They Work With Clients

The firm presents itself as a partner that takes administrative tasks off an owner's plate so that leadership can concentrate on growth. It emphasizes long-term client relationships and solutions shaped around each company rather than a single standard package, and it offers a free initial consultation for prospective payroll and bookkeeping clients.

Communities it lists in its service area include Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego, Chalmette, New Orleans, Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, Lacombe, Madisonville, Abita Springs, Hammond and Ponchatoula. Businesses that want a local, QuickBooks-focused team able to handle payroll, books and notarial needs together may find Tandem a practical fit.