

2.	Accounting Policies

Health Insurance Costs

We provide group health insurance coverage to our WSEEs in our PEO HR Outsourcing solutions through a national network of carriers, including UnitedHealthcare (“United”), UnitedHealthcare of California, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California, HMSA BlueCross BlueShield of Hawaii, and Tufts, all of which provide fully insured policies or service contracts.

The policy with United provides approximately 87% of our health insurance coverage. As a result of certain contractual terms, we have accounted for this plan since its inception using a partially self-funded insurance accounting model. Accordingly, we record the costs of the United plan, including an estimate of the incurred claims, taxes and administrative fees (collectively the “Plan Costs”) as benefits expense, which is a component of direct costs, in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The estimated incurred claims are based upon: (1) the level of claims processed during the quarter; (2) estimated completion rates based upon recent claim development patterns under the plan; and (3) the number of participants in the plan, including both active and COBRA enrollees. Each reporting period, changes in the estimated ultimate costs resulting from claim trends, plan design and migration, participant demographics and other factors are incorporated into the benefits costs.

Additionally, since the plan’s inception, under the terms of the contract, United establishes cash funding rates 90 days in advance of the beginning of a reporting quarter. If the Plan Costs for a reporting quarter are greater than the premiums paid and owed to United, a deficit in the plan would be incurred and a liability for the excess costs would be accrued in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. On the other hand, if the Plan Costs for the reporting quarter are less than the premiums paid and owed to United, a surplus in the plan would be incurred and we would record an asset for the excess premiums in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The terms of the arrangement require us to maintain an accumulated cash surplus in the plan of $9.0 million, which is reported as long-term prepaid insurance. In addition, United requires a deposit equal to approximately one day of claims funding activity, which was $6.0 million as of March 31, 2019, and is reported as a long-term asset. As of March 31, 2019, Plan Costs were less than the net premiums paid and owed to United by $19.5 million. As this amount is in excess of the agreed-upon $9.0 million surplus maintenance level, the $10.5 million difference is included in prepaid health insurance, a current asset, in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The premiums, including the additional quarterly premiums, owed to United at March 31, 2019 were $40.6 million, which is included in accrued health insurance costs, a current liability in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our benefits costs incurred in the first three months of 2018 included a reduction of $3.8 million for changes in estimated run-off related to prior periods.

Workers’ Compensation Costs

Our workers’ compensation coverage for our WSEEs in our PEO HR Outsourcing solutions has been provided through an arrangement with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies or its predecessors (the “Chubb Program”) since 2007. The Chubb Program is fully insured in that Chubb has the responsibility to pay all claims incurred under the policy regardless of whether we satisfy our responsibilities. Under the Chubb Program, we have financial responsibility to Chubb for the first $1 million layer of claims per occurrence and, for claims over $1 million, up to a maximum aggregate amount of $6 million per policy year for claims that exceed $1 million. Chubb bears the financial responsibility for all claims in excess of these levels.

Because we bear the financial responsibility for claims up to the levels noted above, such claims, which are the primary component of our workers’ compensation costs, are recorded in the period incurred. Workers’ compensation insurance includes ongoing health care and indemnity coverage whereby claims are paid over numerous years following the date of injury. Accordingly, the accrual of related incurred costs in each reporting period includes estimates, which take into account the ongoing development of claims and therefore requires a significant level of judgment.

We utilize a third-party actuary to estimate our loss development rate, which is primarily based upon the nature of WSEEs job responsibilities, the location of WSEEs, the historical frequency and severity of workers’ compensation claims, and an estimate of future cost trends. Each reporting period, changes in the actuarial assumptions resulting from changes in actual claims experience and other trends are incorporated into our workers’ compensation claims cost estimates. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, we reduced accrued workers’ compensation costs by $7.8 million and $5.7 million, respectively, for changes in estimated losses related to prior reporting periods. Workers’ compensation cost estimates are discounted to present value at a rate based upon the U.S. Treasury rates that correspond with the weighted average estimated claim payout period (the average discount rate utilized in both the 2019 and 2018 periods was 2.5%) and are accreted over the estimated claim payment period and included as a component of direct costs in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following table provides the activity and balances related to incurred but not paid workers’ compensation claims:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2019			2018

Beginning balance, January 1,	$	229,639		$	207,630
Accrued claims	15,787			16,903
Present value discount	(1,689		)	(1,692		)
Paid claims	(12,409		)	(9,931		)
Ending balance	$	231,328		$	212,910

Current portion of accrued claims	$	44,704		$	41,137
Long-term portion of accrued claims	186,624			171,773
Total accrued claims	$	231,328		$	212,910

The current portion of accrued workers’ compensation costs on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2019 includes $3.3 million of workers’ compensation administrative fees.

As of March 31, 2019 and 2018, the undiscounted accrued workers’ compensation costs were $250.2 million and $226.4 million, respectively.

At the beginning of each policy period, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier establishes monthly funding requirements comprised of premium costs and funds to be set aside for payment of future claims (“claim funds”). The level of claim funds is primarily based upon anticipated WSEE payroll levels and expected workers’ compensation loss rates, as determined by the insurance carrier. Monies funded into the program for incurred claims expected to be paid within one year are recorded as restricted cash, a short-term asset, while the remainder of claim funds are included in deposits – workers’ compensation, a long-term asset in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2019, we had restricted cash of $44.7 million and deposits – workers’ compensation of $170.9 million.

Our estimate of incurred claim costs expected to be paid within one year is included in short-term liabilities, while our estimate of incurred claim costs expected to be paid beyond one year is included in long-term liabilities on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Revenue and Direct Cost Recognition

We enter into contracts with our customers for human resources services based on a stated rate and price in the contract. Our contracts generally have a term of 12 months, but are cancellable at any time by either party with 30-days’ notice. Our performance obligations are satisfied as services are rendered each month. The term between invoicing and when our performance obligations are satisfied is not significant. Payment terms are typically due concurrently with the invoicing of our PEO services. We do not have significant financing components or significant payment terms.

Our revenue is generally recognized ratably over the payroll period as WSEEs perform their service at the client worksite. Customers are invoiced concurrently with each periodic payroll of its WSEEs. Revenues that have been recognized but unbilled of $411.7 million and $385.6 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, are included in accounts receivable, net on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Pursuant to the “practical expedients” provided under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No 2014-09, we expense sales commissions when incurred because the terms of our contracts are cancellable by either party with a 30-day notice. These costs are recorded in commissions in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Our revenue for our PEO HR Outsourcing solutions by geographic region and for our other products and services offerings are as follows:



	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2019		2018		% Change

Northeast	$	310,945	$	272,363	14.2	%
Southeast	129,906		115,188		12.8	%
Central	195,753		168,068		16.5	%
Southwest	269,832		232,866		15.9	%
West	233,204		212,619		9.7	%
	1,139,640		1,001,104		13.8	%
Other revenue	13,370		13,268		0.8	%
Total revenue	$	1,153,010	$	1,014,372	13.7	%

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and a lease liability for all leases with terms greater than 12 months and also requires disclosures by lessees and lessors about the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Subsequent to the issuance of Topic 842, the FASB clarified the guidance through several ASUs; hereinafter, the collection of lease guidance is referred to as “ASC 842”. Please read Note 6, “Leases,” for additional information.