Consulting Hours Policy

CEA can assist employers by offering Human Resource guidance, conducting trainings, drafting employee handbooks, and other HR projects, virtually and onsite. CEA also offers “hands-on” HR support through our HR Assist program. No matter the service, or the employer being assisted, CEA's role is to provide support and offer HR guidance, solutions, and best practices. However, CEA is not the decision-maker for any employer, nor does CEA have the authority to act on any employer’s behalf. To that end, CEA has outlined some information regarding how companies can and cannot be assisted.

CEA Can Assist You By: 

• Providing HR guidance and options to consider
• Drafting employee handbooks and policies
• Conducting trainings, coaching, and outplacement services
• Communicating disciplinary action and/or a termination decision, so long as an employer representative is always present and we are not the decision-maker/signatory
• Onboarding and training employees
• Administering leaves of absence paperwork
• Assisting with internal workplace investigations, so long as an employer representative is present for all interviews and the employer is the decision-maker/signatory
• Creating or revising job descriptions
• Conducting HR checkups
• Conducting I-9 audits

However, CEA Cannot:

• Provide legal advice or strategy
• Draft employment contracts
• Make employment decisions on behalf of the employer
• Take possession of original copies of: personnel files, I-9 Forms, tax forms, or any other employment records, whether confidential or not
• Run payroll or implement changes in an employer’s payroll system
• Conduct a “payroll audit” for wage and hour compliance by reviewing employees’ payroll records
• We cannot be solely responsible for accepting employee complaints/grievances. All complaints should be routed through a Company-provided email/phone number.
• We do not sign any documents that may impact an employee’s terms and conditions of employment, such as offer letters, termination letters, raise/demotion letters, wage theft notices, disciplinary action, and/or internal investigation reports on behalf of any employer. (However, we can prepare these documents for your approval and signature.)

In addition to all the benefits included at no charge within our membership plans, CEA offers additional services to members and nonmembers alike, billed by the hour.

Billable Hours

Billable Consultation Hours: Consultation hours are charged when project work is requested that goes above and beyond phone, email, or consulting support included with a membership plan. Please note that while CEA members have no limit on the number of phone calls or emails they can place for HR support, consultation time for each issue is generally limited to 15 minutes. If additional consultation time is needed in excess of 15 minutes, it may incur a billable charge at our rate of $250/hour. Be sure to discuss this with your HR Advisor.  

Premier and Ultimate membership plans include eight (8) consultation hours annually. These hours do not roll over if they are not used. Coaching, investigations (for non-members), and non-compliance-based trainings do not fall under consultation hours and are available through our Member Services department. 

Compensation Surveys, Affirmative Action Plans, and Recruiting, among other services, are offered by our Partners. 

The current hourly rate is $250/hour for members.

The nonmember bill rates are $325 per hour for Tier 1 billable consultation services.

Tier 1 Services are billed in 1-hour increments for members:

• Research on a wage and hour or labor law issue
• Preparation for trainings
• Delivering onsite trainings
• Conducting an HR or an I9 check-up
• Customizing webinars and other trainings
• Developing, reviewing or revising an employee handbook or policy
• Employer-assisted internal investigations
• Employee relations support virtually or onsite (hiring, discipline, termination, etc.)
• Mediation/Conflict Management services
• Preparing for representation
• Representation at Unemployment Insurance Hearings
• Representation at Labor Commission (DLSE) Hearings
• Responses to DLSE, CRD, and EEOC claims
• AB1234 (Ethics) trainings

Labor Relations, including union negotiations: All labor relations and union support are provided to employers at $350 per hour (members and nonmembers).

After Hours/Premium Pay: Work performed for members or nonmembers, Monday through Friday before 8:00 am and after 5:00 pm and/or weekends, will be subject to an additional charge of $250.00. Premium pay is not billed during labor negotiations.

RUSH Premium: Premium for any Hearings or Representation scheduled with less than 7 days’ notice. $500 for CEA members, $750 for nonmembers.

Travel Time: Two hours of travel time are billed when an onsite visit is requested or required for a hearing or training at $499/roundtrip.  (No travel charge for Ultimate Membership HR Audits)

CEA provides HR Support that is educational and informational in nature and does not provide legal representation or legal advice. 

Eff. 3.12.2024. Updated 1.22.2025.