Directly Hiring Security Guards vs. Hiring a Licensed Security Agency
A guard’s hourly wage is only the beginning. Direct employment can bring registration, insurance, payroll, recruiting, training, supervision, call-out coverage, turnover and administrative responsibilities.
Hiring one guard can mean creating an entire security employment operation.
A business that directly hires security guards may become responsible for the complete employment and compliance structure—not merely the employee’s hourly wage.
- Employer registration and UID management
- Guard eligibility and credential verification
- Payroll taxes and required leave
- Workers’ compensation
- Security-related liability insurance
- Training tuition and paid training time
- Recruiting and background screening
- Uniforms, radios and equipment
- Scheduling and supervision
- Call-outs, overtime and replacement coverage
- Turnover and repeated onboarding
- Records, reports and compliance administration
Does your organization want to become responsible for running an internal security department?
Direct hiring may appear inexpensive when only the employee’s wage is considered. The full cost becomes clearer after insurance, payroll burden, recruiting, training, equipment, management time and replacement coverage are included.
Aspire allows clients to purchase a managed security service instead of independently building and maintaining all of these systems.
One option creates responsibilities. The other manages them.
Compare what your organization must handle directly with what Aspire can manage as your licensed security provider.
Directly Hiring Guards
Your company becomes the security guard employer and assumes the associated operating obligations.
- Register as a proprietary employer when required
- Obtain and maintain an employer UID
- Designate a Security Guard Coordinator
- Verify every guard through the DOS registry
- Monitor registrations and training deadlines
- Process payroll, taxes and required leave
- Maintain workers’ compensation
- Purchase security liability insurance
- Recruit, interview and screen applicants
- Pay for onboarding and training time
- Purchase uniforms and equipment
- Create schedules and cover open shifts
- Handle overtime and holiday staffing
- Supervise and discipline guards
- Replace guards who quit or call out
- Maintain post orders and incident records
Hiring Aspire
Your organization contracts with one licensed and accountable security-service provider.
- Licensed NYS Watch, Guard and Patrol Agency
- Aspire employs assigned security personnel
- Aspire handles guard payroll
- Aspire verifies registrations and eligibility
- Aspire monitors applicable training
- Aspire manages recruiting and screening
- Aspire coordinates assignment schedules
- Aspire addresses staffing changes and call-outs
- Aspire provides an agency chain of command
- Aspire maintains operational insurance
- Site-specific post orders can be prepared
- Daily activity reporting can be maintained
- Incident reports can be documented
- Client receives one service invoice
- Client has one accountable point of contact
The operational headaches employers often underestimate
These responsibilities do not disappear because one employee has a guard card. Someone must manage them every day.
Last-Minute Call-Outs
A guard calls out before the shift. The business must find replacement coverage, pay overtime or leave the post uncovered.
Turnover and Recruiting
When a guard quits, the organization must advertise, interview, screen, hire and train another employee.
License and Training Deadlines
Someone must monitor registrations, annual training and employment eligibility before assigning the guard.
Insurance Exposure
General business insurance may not automatically cover all activities performed by security personnel.
Performance Problems
Sleeping, lateness, poor reporting and policy violations require documentation, supervision and corrective action.
Payroll and Overtime
Extended shifts, uncovered posts and emergency staffing can create unexpected overtime and payroll expense.
Equipment and Uniforms
Uniforms, radios, flashlights, identification and reporting supplies must be purchased and replaced.
Supervision
Someone must inspect performance, answer questions, investigate complaints and enforce the post orders.
Administrative Work
Schedules, payroll records, registry checks, training files, reports and disciplinary documentation require ongoing staff time.
Add up what direct employment may actually cost
Every field is adjustable. The initial values use conservative planning assumptions for a complete internal security operation.
Based on a $20.00 hourly wage, 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year.
Compare this with one managed Aspire service rate.
Aspire can manage the personnel, payroll, credentials, recruiting, training monitoring, schedules, supervision, reporting, insurance and replacement staffing.
Request an Aspire Security QuoteThese are planning estimates, not guaranteed expenses or insurance quotations. Actual costs vary based on the employer, property, duties, schedule, insurance market, claims history, staffing needs and turnover.
Let Aspire handle the security operation
Your organization should be able to focus on its customers, employees, residents, patients or operations—not spend its time managing guard licenses, schedules, payroll and call-outs.
Licensed Agency Structure
Security services are provided through a New York State-licensed Watch, Guard and Patrol Agency.
Guard Employment
Aspire employs the personnel and manages the related payroll and employment administration.
Credential Verification
Assigned personnel are reviewed for applicable registration and training requirements.
Recruiting and Staffing
Aspire manages recruiting, screening and staffing for security assignments.
Scheduling and Coverage
Aspire manages assignment schedules and coordinates available replacement coverage.
Supervision and Accountability
Guards operate within an agency chain of command with account support and service accountability.
Site-Specific Post Orders
Security instructions can be developed around the property, duties, access points and escalation process.
Structured Reporting
Daily activity logs and incident reports can document the services performed at the property.
One Accountable Provider
The client has one service agreement, one invoice and one point of contact for security concerns.
Moving to a managed security service is straightforward
Tell Us What You Need
Provide the property location, schedule, guard duties and primary security concerns.
Security Review
Aspire reviews the environment, access points, responsibilities and staffing requirements.
Receive a Proposal
Review the proposed schedule, service responsibilities and managed security-service rate.
Begin Service
Aspire coordinates staffing, post instructions, reporting and ongoing account support.
Direct hiring versus hiring Aspire
Can a business directly hire a registered security guard?
A business may directly employ guards for its own property, but it may need to register as a proprietary security guard employer and meet the applicable employer requirements.
Does the guard’s individual license cover the employer?
No. The individual registration belongs to the guard. The employer may have separate registration, insurance, verification, training and recordkeeping responsibilities.
Why does the calculator start with conservative values?
The purpose is to help organizations budget for a complete internal security operation rather than considering only the guard’s wage. Every field can be changed by the visitor.
Can a $20-per-hour guard really cost approximately $42 per hour?
It can under higher-end planning assumptions once payroll burden, workers’ compensation, insurance, recruiting, training, uniforms, supervision, administration, overtime, replacement staffing and turnover exposure are included.
Is the calculator result guaranteed?
No. It is a customizable budgeting tool. Actual expenses depend on the organization, assignment, schedule, location, duties, insurance quotations, claims history and staffing model.
Is direct hiring always cheaper than hiring an agency?
Not necessarily. A direct employee’s wage may look lower than an agency billing rate, but the employer must add all related employment, insurance, compliance, recruiting, supervision and staffing expenses.
Who handles call-outs when Aspire provides the guard?
Aspire manages the staffing issue and coordinates available replacement personnel, subject to the service agreement and staffing availability.
Can a directly hired guard simply be treated as a 1099 contractor?
Merely labeling someone an independent contractor does not determine the legal relationship. Payment, scheduling, supervision, equipment and control must be considered under applicable law.
How does Aspire determine its service rate?
Pricing depends on the property, location, schedule, assignment duration, guard duties, risk level, staffing requirements and other operational needs.
Hire a managed security service instead of creating another department
Let Aspire Security Protection LLC manage the staffing, credentials, payroll, schedules, supervision, reporting and operational support.