234 5th Ave #501, New York, NY 100016
Employee Benefits Broker in Union Square
Strategic benefits guidance for Union Square employers navigating one of the most complex regulatory environments in the country.
Union Square sits at the convergence of Manhattan's tech, nonprofit, media, and retail sectors, and the employers here are navigating a workforce market that is anything but simple. From startups along Broadway to established firms near the Greenmarket and established organizations surrounding Union Square Park, the competition for talent is relentless. Partnering with an employee benefits broker who genuinely understands New York State's layered regulatory environment and the distinct pressures facing Union Square employers makes a real difference. Combs & Company, operating from 234 5th Ave, Suite 501, has worked with businesses ranging from 1 to 500 employees since 2005, advising on benefits strategies shaped by New York's compliance demands and the realities of hiring in one of Manhattan's most dynamic commercial zones. A 95% annual client retention rate and a team of PPACA Certified Advisors mean Union Square employers get a sustained advisory relationship built for the long term. Whether you run a growing fintech company off Park Avenue South or a mission-driven organization headquartered near 14th Street, Combs & Company structures benefits solutions that reflect where you actually operate.
Union Square Benefits Compliance in 2026
Union Square employers are subject to compliance obligations operating on two distinct tracks: mandates that originate in Albany at the state level, and city-specific requirements enforced by agencies including the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Both tracks carry genuine stakes. Falling behind on either can mean financial penalties, audit exposure, or a workforce that starts quietly exploring opportunities elsewhere. For businesses anchored near the L, N, Q, R, 4, 5, and 6 train hub at 14th Street or spread throughout Union Square's dense commercial corridors, compliance is an active concern, not an occasional one.
Paid Family Leave adjustments
New York's Paid Family Leave program has updated its benefit rates for 2026. The maximum weekly benefit is now $1,228.53, reflecting an increase of $51.21 from the prior year. Employee contribution rates have moved to 0.432% of gross wages per pay period, with annual contributions capped at $411.91. Union Square employers with workforces spanning technology, nonprofit, and professional services need to verify that payroll systems reflect these figures and that employees understand how PFL interacts with New York's statutory disability insurance program.
Paid Prenatal Leave
New York became the first state in the nation to mandate paid prenatal leave, effective January 1, 2025. Every private-sector employer in the state, regardless of size, must provide 20 hours of paid prenatal leave within any 52-week period. This entitlement exists separately from, and on top of, existing sick leave. For Union Square's many growing companies and established organizations, the NYC layer adds further obligations under amended ESSTA rules: employers must maintain a written prenatal leave policy, reflect prenatal leave balances on employee pay stubs, and post an updated Notice of Employee Rights in a location accessible to all staff.
Expanded Earned Safe and Sick Time
Amendments to the NYC Earned Safe and Sick Time Act became effective February 22, 2026. Union Square employers must now make at least 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick time available to employees from their first day of work. The qualifying reasons for leave have been broadened to cover public disasters, school or childcare facility closures, workplace violence incidents, and caregiving for minor children or care recipients. These amendments also folded the city's Temporary Schedule Change Act directly into ESSTA, consolidating what had been two separate obligations into one framework.
Minimum wage and salary thresholds
As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage across New York City, including Union Square, is $17.00 per hour. The minimum salary threshold for executive and administrative overtime exemptions has risen to $1,275.00 per week, or $66,300 annually. For Union Square employers in retail, hospitality, and the growing food and beverage scene around the park, these thresholds have direct consequences for how roles are classified and how benefits eligibility is structured across different workforce tiers.
Secure Choice Savings Program
New York's state-mandated retirement savings program is now in effect. Private employers with 10 or more employees who have been operating for at least two years, and who do not already sponsor a qualified retirement plan, must register or certify an exemption. Deadlines are tiered by company size: businesses with 30 or more employees faced a March 18, 2026 deadline; those with 15 to 29 employees must act by May 15, 2026; and employers with 10 to 14 employees have a deadline of July 15, 2026. For Union Square's considerable population of independent, mission-driven, and mid-sized employers, these timelines are now live obligations. Employees are auto-enrolled at a 3% contribution rate into a state-administered Roth IRA unless they actively opt out.
Ban on consumer credit history in employment decisions
Starting April 18, 2026, New York State employers may not request or rely on consumer credit history in hiring decisions, compensation determinations, or other employment matters, with only narrow exceptions permitted. This statewide restriction builds on a city-level rule that has been in force since 2015 under the NYC Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act. For Union Square businesses employing workers across a range of roles and compensation levels, understanding where the exceptions apply is a practical necessity.
Each of these requirements comes with its own documentation standards, deadlines, and enforcement risks, and they do not operate in isolation. A prenatal leave notice that is missing from the break room near your Union Square office, a retirement program registration that slipped past a deadline, or a sick time balance not appearing on pay stubs can each draw an enforcement response. For employers focused on running their operations in one of Manhattan's most competitive neighborhoods, a dedicated advisory partner who tracks this terrain full-time is a meaningful operational advantage.
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Benefits Services for Union Square Employers
Combs & Company approaches employee benefits for Union Square employers with a clear recognition that this neighborhood contains extraordinary professional variety. A consumer tech company on Broadway has a fundamentally different workforce profile than a nonprofit with offices near the Greenmarket, a boutique financial services firm off Irving Place, or a creative agency a few blocks from the park. That range calls for advisory work that is built around each client's actual situation, not a generic package. Medical, dental, and vision benefits anchor most employer programs, and in New York's carrier market, where premiums are consistently above the national average, active negotiation and knowledge of which provider networks serve the Union Square area workforce are essential. Disability coverage is designed on top of New York's statutory base, which often leaves meaningful gaps for higher-earning employees across the neighborhood's professional and technology sectors. Group life insurance, voluntary benefits, and executive benefits are layered into packages built to support retention in a market where workers have no shortage of alternatives. Compliance consulting across ACA reporting, ERISA documentation, and audit preparation is built into the advisory relationship from the outset, not reserved for emergencies. For Union Square employers managing prenatal leave policies, Secure Choice registration deadlines, and updated ESSTA requirements simultaneously, that integrated support is what makes the advisory relationship work.
Medical, dental, and vision coverage anchor nearly every benefits package Combs & Company builds for Union Square employers, and putting those packages together in New York requires active engagement with a carrier market that consistently prices above the national baseline. The firm works across multiple carriers to find plans that balance premium costs against the coverage levels that Union Square employees, many of whom are experienced professionals with defined expectations, actually need. Knowing which hospital systems and provider networks serve the neighborhoods where your workforce lives matters in a city this large.
New York's statutory disability program provides a wage replacement floor, but for many Union Square employees working in professional services, technology, or media, that floor is not enough. Short-term and long-term disability coverage addresses those gaps directly. Group life insurance, voluntary benefits, and executive benefits round out packages designed for an environment where employees are regularly evaluating outside options and where retention is built through the complete picture of what an employer offers, not just base salary.
Compliance consulting covering ACA reporting, ERISA plan documentation, and audit readiness is integrated into every client engagement at Combs & Company, not positioned as a premium add-on. For Union Square employers dealing with overlapping obligations around prenatal leave policy documentation, Secure Choice registration, and ESSTA amendments, having compliance expertise built into the advisory relationship rather than invoiced separately is an advantage that surfaces at both renewal time and when regulators come knocking.
What Sets Combs & Company Apart in the Union Square Market
What distinguishes Combs & Company is structural rather than cosmetic. Every advisor on the team brought professional experience in at least two industries outside of insurance before joining the firm. That background enables the team to identify risk exposures that brokers with narrower experience frequently overlook, which matters for Union Square employers operating across technology, media, nonprofit, and hospitality simultaneously. The firm's 95% annual client retention rate across a client base concentrated in New York City's most competitive industries reflects advisory work that continues to deliver after the first year. PPACA Certified Advisors on the team carry deep expertise in ACA, ERISA, and the state and city-level requirements that make New York one of the most regulated employee benefits environments anywhere in the country. The firm works with employers ranging from 1 to 500 employees, the range where benefits decisions have the most direct impact on hiring and retention but where dedicated in-house expertise is rarely available. Susan L. Combs founded the firm in 2005, and its growth has been driven primarily by referrals and sustained client relationships, a reflection of how the advisory model is built.
The 95% annual client retention rate Combs & Company maintains across its New York City client base is a product of consistent advisory delivery, not strong first impressions that wear off at renewal. Union Square clients in technology, professional services, nonprofits, media, and retail bring distinct compliance profiles and workforce structures. The Combs team has navigated those variations across enough engagements in Manhattan and across the broader metro area that New York's regulatory complexity is a familiar environment, not a learning exercise.
Combs & Company's PPACA Certified Advisors carry focused expertise across ACA, ERISA, and the full landscape of state and city-level mandates that govern employee benefits for New York employers, including those with workforces concentrated in Union Square's diverse industries. The firm's 1 to 500 employee client range covers exactly the businesses where benefits strategy has the greatest influence on financial performance and talent retention, and where a dedicated in-house benefits function is typically not practical.
Susan L. Combs founded the firm in 2005 with an advisory model built around continuity rather than transaction volume. Union Square clients who work with Combs & Company are not passed to account managers after enrollment. The firm's growth comes through referrals and multi-year client relationships, which reflects how the engagement is structured from the very first conversation.
Who This Serves in Union Square
The companies that benefit most from working with an employee benefits broker in Union Square
are typically growing firms in the
10–500 employee range
— large enough to face real compliance obligations under programs like Secure Choice and ACA employer mandates, but without the internal HR infrastructure to manage those obligations alone. This includes founders and COOs at Union Square-based tech and media companies scaling past their first wave of hires, CFOs at professional services firms managing benefits costs against the city's wage pressures, and HR directors at nonprofits and cultural organizations competing for talent without Fortune 500 budgets.
Start a Conversation with Combs & Company
If your Union Square business is building a benefits program for the first time, evaluating whether your current plan still makes sense heading into renewal, or working through a compliance question before a deadline becomes a problem, Combs & Company offers a no-obligation discovery call to assess where things stand. The advisory team will review your current benefits structure, identify any compliance gaps specific to New York, and walk you through what a tailored engagement would look like. Schedule a discovery call to get started.
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Employee Benefits
Comprehensive Employee Benefits for Your Team
Benefit solutions can be as diverse as your workforce. Combs & Company takes a holistic approach to build solutions that meet employee needs, your company's budget, all while meeting federal and state requirements. Offering innovative solutions from trusted providers can help your business attract and retain top talent. From one employee to 1,000, our team supports you to ensure benefits don't become a burden and fall short of expectations.
Medical Benefits
Comprehensive medical coverage from top-rated carriers, with plan designs that account for NYC's provider networks and premium environment.
Dental Benefits
Preventive, restorative, and orthodontic coverage options that meet employee expectations in a competitive hiring market.
Vision Benefits
Vision plans that include routine exams, eyewear allowances, and corrective care for focused productivity.
Short-Term Disability insurance
Income protection that supplements New York's statutory disability program during temporary illness or injury.
Long-Term Disability insurance
Extended income protection for employees facing prolonged health challenges beyond statutory coverage.
Group Life Insurance
Financial protection for employees and their families, structured as a core component of the benefits package.
Group Long-Term Care Insurance
Coverage for extended medical or personal assistance expenses, addressing a growing concern for NYC's aging workforce.
Voluntary Benefits
Accident, critical illness, and supplemental coverage that gives employees flexibility to customize their protection.
Executive Benefits
Customized benefit plans designed to attract, retain, and protect leadership talent in NYC's competitive executive market.
International Travel Insurance
Coverage for employees on global assignments or business travel, addressing medical emergencies and unforeseen risks abroad.
Employee benefits aren’t just perks — they’re a promise. A promise to value, protect, and invest in the people who drive your company’s success every day.
Combs & Company
Empowering Businesses Through Smarter Employee Benefits
Your employees are the foundation of your company’s success. Combs & Company believes investing in their well-being leads to higher retention, better productivity, and stronger company culture. Our customized employee benefits solutions are designed to fit your organization’s goals, budget, and workforce. From startup to mature entity, we’ll help you create a benefits package that attracts and retains top talent — while protecting your bottom line.
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
How do NYC's prenatal leave and ESSTA requirements affect my company's benefits administration?
If you employ anyone in New York City, your benefits administration now includes multiple leave entitlements that must be tracked separately: 20 hours of paid prenatal leave under state law, 40 or 56 hours of paid safe and sick time under ESSTA (depending on employer size), and as of February 2026, an additional 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick time available immediately upon hire. Each entitlement has distinct policy, notice, and recordkeeping requirements — and NYC's rules layer additional obligations on top of the state mandates. An employee benefits broker in NYC should be helping you maintain compliant written policies, update notices, and ensure your payroll system tracks each leave bank independently.
Does my NYC business need to register for the Secure Choice Savings Program?
If your company has been operating for at least two years, employs 10 or more people in New York, and does not currently offer a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA, you are required to register with the New York Secure Choice Savings Program or certify your exemption. Deadlines in 2026 are staggered by employer size, with the final group — employers with 10–14 employees — facing a July 15, 2026 deadline. Your employee benefits broker in NYC can help you evaluate whether registering for the state program or adopting a private retirement plan is the better strategic move for your company's benefits package and talent competitiveness.
What makes employee benefits more complex for NYC employers than employers in other markets?
New York City employers operate under a dual regulatory framework — state mandates from Albany and city-specific rules enforced locally — that creates compliance obligations most other U.S. markets simply don't have. The city's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act, prenatal leave policy and posting requirements, and the Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act all impose requirements beyond what state law mandates. Combined with New York's high premium environment, a minimum wage of $17.00 per hour affecting benefits eligibility classifications, and the competitive pressure of recruiting in a market with over 200,000 tech sector jobs alone, NYC employers need an employee benefits broker with specific experience in this market — not a national firm applying a generic playbook.
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234 5th Ave #501, New York, NY 10001
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Empower your workforce with tailored benefits that attract talent, enhance satisfaction, and improve retention — all while keeping your business compliant, competitive, and financially protected.
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Our team includes PPACA Certified Advisors and licensed professionals with expertise in ACA, ERISA, and complex coverage solutions, providing trusted guidance.
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If you're a food entrepreneur or in the restaurant biz, I highly recommend working with Susan and her team. Offers great customer service and she really knows her stuff! I had Susan come lecture at my food law class at New York University a few years ago and the students loved her! I refer clients to her without hesitation
Cari B.
