HRcertification.com: What It Is, Costs and How It Works

What is HRcertification.com?

HRcertification.com is a training provider for people who run the day-to-day rules of human resources: leave administrators, benefits and payroll staff, HR generalists, and the third-party administrators (TPAs) that handle benefits for employers. Its own description of what sets it apart is that it teaches "hard skills": how to actually administer government-required rules such as FMLA leave, ADA and PWFA accommodations, COBRA notices, cafeteria plans and payroll reporting, rather than general HR theory.

The company says it has been in business since 1996, and its home page says "more than 25 years." It lists a long run of large employers and insurers as customers, including ADP, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Home Depot, Liberty Mutual, Paychex and UnitedHealthcare, and says its courses are used by more than 80% of major TPAs to train their staff. Those are the company's own statements; it does not publish the underlying numbers.

It is a private training business. It is not a government agency, a university, or one of the two big HR certifying bodies (SHRM and HRCI), though most of its courses are approved for their recertification credits. Its catalog covers four broad areas:

• Leave and accommodation: FMLA, ADA, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and how they overlap with workers' compensation and state leave laws.
• Benefits: COBRA, Section 125 cafeteria plans, health savings accounts (HSAs).
• Retirement plans: 401(k) and defined benefit plans.
• Payroll and general HR: paychecks, payroll operations and reporting, wage and hour, workplace investigations, HR generalist skills and HR leadership.

Is HRcertification.com legit?

People usually ask this before spending $800 or more on an online course. Here is what can be checked:

• A physical address and phone line. The company publishes a street address in Alpharetta, Georgia (9715 Rod Road, Suite A) and a phone number, 770-410-1219, on every page.
• A named content expert. Its FMLA, ADA, PWFA and leave-management courses are edited by Ann Kiernan, whom the company describes as an attorney with decades of experience in FMLA, ADA and other HR issues.
• Credit approvals you can confirm. Course pages show the HRCI approval wording and the SHRM PDC wording, including HRCI's standard note that approval "is not an endorsement by HRCI of the quality of the program." Approval means a course met the credit criteria, not that HRCI or SHRM vouches for it.
• A design award. The COBRA program and the payroll designation pages say the course design received ASTD's "Excellence in Design" award. ASTD is now called the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
• Published ratings. The site shows its own course ratings, for example 4.87 from 894 reviews for the HR Generalist seminar, 4.88 from 444 for FMLA & ADA, and 4.88 from 732 for Internal Investigations, plus a long testimonials page. These are collected and displayed by the company itself.
• A written guarantee. It promises a refund if you don't enjoy the training, with a possible return fee (details below).

We could not find an independent review site or a Better Business Bureau profile with enough history to add to that picture, so we have not quoted one. If outside reviews matter to you, ask the company for references from an organization like yours.

Who writes and teaches the courses?

The company names Ann Kiernan as the content expert and course editor for its seminars and online programs on FMLA, ADA, PWFA and leave management, and describes her as an attorney and a frequent speaker, author and presenter. Seminar trainers are named in student testimonials on the site rather than in a published faculty list, so if the instructor matters to you, ask who is teaching the session you're considering.

The online programs follow what the company calls Instructional Design requirements: short lessons with stated goals, plain-English explanations, worked examples and scenario quizzes. It says its pre-launch focus groups asked to see missed exam questions even after passing, which is why the exam shows them.

The online certification programs, one by one

Every online program costs $799 for a year, includes an optional exam, and lists 8 hours of SHRM and HRCI credit on its course page. Passing the exam earns a topic-specific "Certified Administrator" certificate.

The site also sells printed manuals (with forms and updates) alone or alongside the online program, and offers further payroll programs (Daily Operations, Reporting Requirements, Wage & Hour) as part of its payroll designations.

The seminars, one by one

Seminars are live and instructor-led, held either at a hotel venue or by video conference with the same content. Prices below are the published early-bird and regular prices.

HR Generalist is the flagship: 14 modules, a workbook of about 300 pages, real court case studies, sample forms and interactive exercises (evaluating complaints, interviewing complainants, handling reluctant witnesses, FMLA abuse and harassment investigations). Topics run from employment law and must-have policies through recruiting, onboarding, training design, compensation, benefits surveys, performance management and HR's strategic role. It bundles the FMLA, ADA, COBRA and Paycheck Fundamentals online programs.

FMLA & ADA Compliance covers reasonable accommodations, intermittent leave, return to work and identifying fraud or abuse, through lecture, discussion and exercises, and includes the FMLA, ADA and PWFA online programs at no extra cost.

Internal Investigations starts from the company's point that most workplace investigations are about behavior (bullying, negligence, retaliation) rather than theft or fraud, and teaches how to decide whether a complaint needs a formal investigation, interview witnesses and write the report.

Advanced Issues in Leave Management is aimed at professionals who already know the basics and deal with overlap: an employee who exhausts FMLA but may still be owed leave as an ADA or PWFA accommodation, PWFA's broader coverage of pregnancy-related limitations, and avoiding overly invasive medical questions.

Upcoming in-person dates listed when we checked included Chicago (27 October 2026, HR Generalist), Scottsdale (9 December 2026, Investigations; 6 January 2027, HR Generalist; 24 March 2027, FMLA & ADA), Nashville (24 February 2027, FMLA & ADA), Los Angeles/Anaheim (24 February 2027, Investigations; 1 March 2027, HR Generalist; 5 May 2027, FMLA & ADA), Dallas/Arlington (7 April 2027, HR Generalist) and Denver (12 May 2027, HR Generalist). Video-conference sessions run every few weeks in between. One-day programs such as Managing HR in California also appear on the seminar list.

Webinars

Webinars are 90-minute, single-topic sessions you can attend live or buy as an OnDemand recording. Topics listed include employee investigations, deciding when an employee issue needs action, workers' comp basics, multi-state payroll tax, payroll record retention, and garnishments and child support orders. The FAQ also mentions fringe benefits, record retention, disaster planning, I-9s and handbooks. A typical webinar carries 1.5 SHRM PDCs or HRCI credits; the Multi-State Payroll Tax Compliance webinar was listed at $249.

Bundled designations

• Certified Payroll Administrator: four programs (Paycheck Fundamentals, Payroll Daily Operations, Payroll Reporting Requirements, Payroll Wage & Hour) for $1,995, which the company says saves $401. All four must be completed. The company lists 32 hours of SHRM or HRCI credit.
• Certified Payroll Manager: also $1,995 and also listed with 32 credit hours. When we checked, its page listed the same four programs as the Payroll Administrator bundle, so ask the company how the two differ before choosing.
• Certified Benefits Administrator: a benefits-focused designation built from several programs.
• Certified Administrator: the general term for the certificate earned from any single program.
• Certified TPA: a seal for third-party administrator firms (see below).

How much does HRcertification.com cost?

These are the prices published on the site when we checked on 19 October 2026.

Volume discounts apply per program and drop the $799 price step by step: $779 for 2 to 5, $739 for 6 to 10, $719 for 11 to 25, $679 for 26 to 50, $659 for 51 to 75, $639 for 76 to 99 and $599 for 100 or more. The count is total programs, not people: the site's own example is 20 staff where six take COBRA, five take FMLA and nine take both COBRA and HIPAA, which counts as 29 programs. With a manual, the same tiers run from $979 down to $799.

Worked example. Three administrators each taking FMLA and ADA is six programs, so each costs $739: $4,434 in total, against $4,794 at the single price. Because there are three or more people, the free management interface is included.

Paying. You can pay by card online, or by check or invoice.

How the online programs work, step by step

1. Enroll. Each person enrolls separately with their own login, which tracks their progress and is what lets them earn a personal certificate.
2. Work through the lessons. Each program is split into lessons of 20 to 30 minutes. Every lesson opens with two or three learning goals, teaches the rules "in English, not legalese" with administrative tips, examples and recommended procedures, and ends with scenario-based multiple-choice quizzes that explain the right answer.
3. Take your time. The company says training takes about eight hours, and up to two more for the exam. Its course pages estimate 8 to 10 hours for newer administrators and 6 to 8 for experienced ones. A bookmark lets you stop and resume, so you can spread it over several days.
4. Take the exam if you want the certificate. The exam is optional and included in the price: 50 questions drawn at random from a question bank. You can move back and forth before submitting. You get three attempts within one year of purchase, and you see which questions you missed, even if you pass. If you need the course for recertification proof, you must take and pass it.
5. Print the certificate. Pass and you print it straight away, for example "Certified FMLA Administrator."
6. Use it as a reference. The program stays available for one year from purchase. When the law changes, the company says it notifies you with an overview and points you to what changed in the course.
7. Renew, or don't. Renewing for $99 a year keeps access and updates and issues a new certificate for the year.

A free demo of the course platform is available before you buy.

What a seminar is like

From the course pages and student comments, a seminar day mixes lecture, group discussion and interactive exercises built on realistic workplace situations. You get a printed workbook, sample forms and real court cases, and a certificate "suitable for framing" at the end. Virtual sessions run the same agenda by video conference, so you attend from home or the office. Several three-day seminars also include online programs, so you can keep studying and earn topic certificates afterwards.

If you attend in person, plan for your own travel and hotel. The company notes that it prepays venues and catering weeks ahead, which is why it may charge a fee if you drop out late.

SHRM and HRCI recertification credits

Most courses are approved for credit toward keeping a SHRM or HRCI credential. The company's published figures:

• Webinars: typically 1.5 SHRM PDCs or HRCI credits.
• Online programs: 8 hours each.
• Three-day seminars: 18, and the HR Generalist and FMLA & ADA seminars add 8 more for each online program they include.
• Advanced Issues in Leave Management: 12.
• Payroll designations: 32 hours.

Approvals are granted per program, so check the credit line on the specific course page before you enroll. HRCI credits apply to PHR and SPHR recertification; SHRM PDCs apply to SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.

Is an HRcertification.com certificate the same as a SHRM or PHR certification?

No, and this is the question most worth getting right. SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP are credentials from the Society for Human Resource Management; PHR and SPHR come from the HR Certification Institute. You earn those by meeting their eligibility rules and passing their exams. A "Certified FMLA Administrator" or "Certified Payroll Administrator" certificate from HRcertification.com is the company's own designation. It shows you completed and passed its program on that topic.

The two work together rather than compete. If you already hold a SHRM or HRCI credential, these courses can supply the recertification credits you need to keep it, while teaching a specific compliance job in depth. The company frames it the same way: SHRM and HRCI cover HR broadly; it covers the mechanics of administering specific laws.

How it compares with other ways to learn HR compliance

Training a team, or a TPA

For employers. Organizations enrolling three or more people in an online program get a free management interface that shows each person's progress, test scores and missed questions, which is useful for targeted retraining. Organizations with 100 or more people needing FMLA training can ask for a customized version of the course. Mixed needs (some staff online, some in a seminar) can be combined into one package.

On-site seminars. HRcertification.com will run a seminar at your location. The published terms are a $9,950 base for up to eight attendees, $799 for each person after that, up to two hours of free customization (your own policies, processes, union rules and so on) and the speaker fee included; you pay travel, hotel and venue. The company says this is cost-effective at eight or more people and can work out at more than 50% less than sending the same team to public sessions.

For third-party administrators. A TPA can earn the "Certified TPA" seal by having at least 90% of its administrators, and a minimum of five, pass their individual certification exams. The company pitches the seal as a way to reassure employer clients about outsourcing, alongside transparency, references, data security and communication.

Refunds, renewals and policies

• Guarantee. The company guarantees "that you will enjoy your training or we will refund your money with no questions asked." It also reserves the right to charge a return fee, especially if you change your mind or drop out of a seminar, because it prepays venue, food and hotel costs weeks ahead. Ask what fee would apply before you register.
• Access period. Online programs are annual subscriptions: one year of access, updates and certificate.
• Renewal. $99 a year per program to keep access and receive a new certificate.
• Exam attempts. Three within the first year; more on request.
• Seminar policies. The site links a separate seminar policy page; read it for substitution and cancellation terms.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask before you enroll

1. Is this course approved for the type of credit I need (SHRM PDCs, HRCI, or both), and how many hours?
2. When was the content last updated, and does it reflect the latest rules for PWFA, retirement plans or payroll?
3. Who is teaching the seminar date I'm considering, and is it in person or virtual?
4. What return fee applies if I cancel or switch dates?
5. For a team: at what size do on-site training or volume pricing beat public seats?
6. For payroll: how do the Certified Payroll Administrator and Certified Payroll Manager programs differ?

How to get started

1. Browse the course listing or use the course finder on the home page.
2. Try the online program demo if you're choosing a self-paced course.
3. For a team, check the multi-program pricing and call about the management interface or on-site training.
4. Call 770-410-1219 or email HelpDesk@HRcertification.com with questions.

Visit HRcertification.com

Terms you'll see on the site

• FMLA: the Family and Medical Leave Act, which gives eligible employees unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.
• ADA: the Americans with Disabilities Act, which bars disability discrimination and requires reasonable accommodation at employers with 15 or more employees.
• PWFA: the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires reasonable accommodation of known limitations related to pregnancy and childbirth.
• COBRA: the federal law letting people keep employer health coverage for a time after losing it, at their own cost.
• Cafeteria plan (Section 125): a plan letting employees pay for certain benefits with pre-tax pay.
• TPA: a third-party administrator, a company that runs benefits or leave administration for employers.
• PDC: a SHRM Professional Development Credit, used to recertify SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.
• PHR / SPHR: HR Certification Institute credentials; recertified with HRCI credits.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 19 October 2026.

1. HRcertification.com, home page: hrcertification.com
2. About HRcertification.com: hrcertification.com/about.asp
3. FAQs: hrcertification.com/faqs.asp
4. Multiple enrollment pricing: hrcertification.com/multipricing.asp
5. Guarantee: hrcertification.com/guarantee.asp
6. Online program pages: FMLA, ADA, PWFA, COBRA, Cafeteria Plan, HSA, 401(k), Defined Benefit, Paycheck Fundamentals, Integrating FMLA, ADA, COBRA and Workers' Comp
7. Seminar pages: HR Generalists, FMLA & ADA, Internal Investigations, Advanced Investigations, Strategic HR Leadership, Leave Management
8. Payroll designations: Certified Payroll Administrator, Certified Payroll Manager
9. Certified TPA designation: program page
10. Multi-State Payroll Tax Compliance webinar: webinar page
11. Private on-site training: hrcertification.com/custom-hr-training
12. HR Certification Institute (PHR, SPHR): hrci.org
13. SHRM certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP): shrm.org/credentials