backstageHR® Premier Advisor

Expert HR Support for Healthcare Practices

The Support You Need When You Don’t Want to Handle HR Alone

Premier Advisor gives owners and managers direct access to experienced CEDR HR experts by phone, email, or backstageHR® when employee questions, management decisions, or easy and higher-risk HR issues come up.

Your CEDR Employee Handbook provides the policy foundation. backstageHR® keeps the records, documents, requests, training, timekeeping, and PTO organized. Premier Advisor adds the human expertise that helps you apply that foundation to real situations.

CEDR supports the owner or authorized manager. You remain the employer and the decision-maker.

Expert Support Membership

Starting at

$230/mo

Includes up to 5 employees


  • $3.50 per additional employee per month
  • CEDR Employee Handbook required
  • Save $600 on the handbook when bundled
  • Ongoing handbook updates included
  • Unlimited access to CEDR HR experts
  • Payroll available as an add-on

When payroll is added, the additional-employee rate becomes $6.50 per employee per month instead of $3.50.

The Reason Premier Advisor Exists

Real HR Experts When Questions Come Up

HR questions rarely arrive with complete facts, perfect documentation, or an obvious answer. Premier Advisor gives you a highly qualified HR Team to help you identify your options, identify the policies and risks involved, and decide what to do next all while staying compliant with all applicable employment laws.

Talk to a real HR Expert
Reach CEDR by phone, email, or through backstageHR®. Ask the small question before it becomes a bigger problem, or bring us the complicated issue when you need help sorting through it.
Get practical options, not generic scripts
Your advisor asks questions, reviews the relevant policies and facts, explains the practical options, and helps you understand the documentation and follow-through each option may require.
Keep the decision where it Belongs
CEDR does not become the employer or take over the manager’s role. We support the owner or authorized manager so you can make a better-informed decision and carry it out confidently.
Use Support Early
Premier Advisor isn’t just for terminations or crises. Reaching out early can help keep issues manageable and give you more options. That’s why support is unlimited. Limited support plans give you a reason not to call.

The Required Policy Foundation

Why Premier Advisor Requires the CEDR Handbook

The handbook is not a hoop to jump through. It is what allows CEDR’s advisors to give guidance based on the policies and expectations your practice has actually adopted. It protects you while also providing a great foundation for managing your team.

It tells us how your practice operates and you about which rules apply, what your laws dictate, and what framework should guide the next step. That means no generic explanations or guessing and more time helping you evaluate practical options for your actual workplace.

Save $500
on the handbook when you join Premier Advisor

The handbook remains a separate one-time purchase. Ongoing handbook updates are included with the membership.

Learn About CEDR Employee Handbooks

Why the foundation matters:

  • Your policies are clear and documented
  • Guidance can be grounded in your actual handbook and is far less risky
  • Managers and employees share the same consistent framework.
  • The handbook is updated and training goes out as laws change
  • backstageHR® software gives you one place to store and distribute it

A Practical Support Process

How Premier Advisor Support Works

You do not have to learn a complicated escalation process before asking a question. Reach out through the channel that works for you, and CEDR helps move the issue forward.

Reach Out Your Way
Call, email, or submit your question inside backstageHR®.
Clarify the Facts
Your advisor helps identify the next best step, what is missing, and which policies or legal obligations may apply.
Understand Your Options
We help you evaluate practical choices, risks, documentation, and follow-through.
Move Forward
You make the decision. CEDR helps you apply your handbook and carry out the next step more confidently. Our job is to make your life better!

Support the Stays With You

Quick to Respond. Here as You Work Through it.

A quick first response matters, but it is only the beginning. Some HR questions can be resolved quickly. Others require documentation, difficult conversations, follow-up, or additional decisions as new information comes to light.

CEDR responds quickly, helps you determine what to do next, and stays engaged as the situation develops. Whether the issue is resolved in one conversation or several, we’re here to help you move it toward resolution.

< 24
Less than 24 hour average response time
132
Hours experts spend on the phone with members each month
660
HR matters addressed on average each month
97.6%
Positive member satisfaction

She took the time to have a detailed conversation with me about the best way to handle the situation and explained the logic behind the guidance. The incident was resolved favorably, and I know how to handle a similar situation next time.

CEDR Member


Everyday Questions Through Higher-Risk Decisions

What Can You Ask CEDR About?

Premier Advisor is built for the real people problems that occur while you are treating patients, managing a team, and running a healthcare practice.

Everyday HR Questions

  • Attendance, lateness, and scheduling
  • PTO, sick time, and time-off requests
  • Policy interpretation
  • Documentation and employee conversations
  • Hiring, offers, and onboarding

Developing Employee Issues

  • Performance and coaching
  • Team conflict and complaints
  • Corrective action and discipline
  • Role, schedule, or duty changes
  • Manager uncertainty about next steps

Higher-Risk Decisions

  • Termination and final-pay questions
  • Pregnancy, medical, leave, and accommodation issues
  • Wage-and-hour concerns
  • Workplace injuries and return to work
  • Sensitive complaints or potential legal claims

The Complete Support Relationship

What Premier Advisor Includes


Premier Advisor brings the policy foundation, software, updates, resources, and human support together so owners and managers have one practical HR system.

CEDR Employee Handbook
The professionally customized policy foundation required for Premier Advisor guidance.
backstageHR®
Timekeeping, PTO, employee records, signatures, documents, HIPAA training, background checks, and compliance resources.
CEDR HR Experts
Unlimited access by phone, email, or backstageHR® for questions and employee issues.
Ongoing Handbook Updates
CEDR updates your handbook when applicable laws change and keeps the policy foundation connected to the membership.
Forms, Guides, & Training
Practical management resources, job descriptions, compliance tools, HIPAA training, and education for owners and managers.
CEDR White-Glove Payroll™
Available as an optional add-on when you want payroll connected to backstageHR® timekeeping.

The Defining Choice

Opening Act or Premier Advisor?

Both memberships include backstageHR®. The decision is whether you want software alone or software plus access to CEDR’s HR experts.

Software Membership

Opening Act

$120/mo

Starting price includes up to 5 employees.

Choose Opening Act when you want the software.


  • backstageHR® software
  • Timekeeping, PTO, documents, records, and training
  • Handbook optional
  • Payroll optional
  • No direct access to CEDR HR advisors
Learn More About Opening Act

Expert Support Membership

Premier Advisor

$230/mo

Starting price includes up to 5 employees.

Choose Premier Advisor when you want CEDR on your side.


  • Everything included in Opening Act
  • Unlimited access to CEDR HR experts
  • Help applying policies to real employee situations
  • CEDR Employee Handbook required
  • Payroll optional
Get Started With Premier Advisor
Feature Opening Act Premier Advisor
backstageHR® Software Included Included
Timekeeping, PTO, Records, Signatures, and Training Included Included
CEDR Employee Handbook Optional, $1,999 when bundled Included
Ongoing Handbook Updates Included when paired with a CEDR handbook Included
Direct Access to CEDR HR Experts Not Included Included
CEDR White-Glove Payroll™ Optional Add-On Optional Add-On

Best-Fit Guidance

Who Premier Advisor is built For

Premier Advisor is a strong fit when:

  • You want a real HR expert available before you make employee decisions
  • Managers need help applying policies consistently
  • Leave, discipline, complaints, or terminations create uncertainty
  • You want one system for policies, software, records, and support

Opening Act may be enough when:

  • Your main need is software, timekeeping, PTO, records, and documents
  • You have your own well qualified and trained HR Expert
  • You do not need help applying policies to employee situations
  • You want a lower-cost standalone software path that is still very powerful that saves you time and money

Why CEDR

A Handbook Company That Stays to Help You Use It

CEDR began by helping healthcare practices build stronger workplace policies. Since 2006, that work has grown into a complete relationship built around the real people problems owners and managers face.

The handbook gives you the foundation. backstageHR® keeps the work organized. Premier Advisor gives you experienced HR experts when software and policies are not enough.

Healthcare-focused
Healthcare-focused handbook, software, and HR support
Expert HR Support
Support by phone, email, or backstageHR®
Built for Managers
Practical guidance for owners and authorized managers
One Connected System
One connected system for policies, records, tools, and expert support

Premier Advisor FAQ

Questions to help you Determine if Premier Advisor is right for you

What is Premier Advisor?

Premier Advisor is CEDR’s expert HR support membership for healthcare practices. It combines the required CEDR Employee Handbook, backstageHR® software, ongoing handbook updates, practical resources, and direct access to CEDR HR experts.

How Much Does Premier Advisor Cost?

Premier Advisor starts at $230 per month for up to five employees. Each additional employee is $3.50 per month unless payroll is added.

Why is a CEdR employee Handbook Required?

The handbook gives CEDR’s advisors the policy foundation for your practice. It allows guidance to be grounded in the policies and expectations your team has actually received rather than generic HR answers.

Are Handbook Updates Included?

Yes. Ongoing updates to your CEDR handbook are included with Premier Advisor.

How do I reach a CEDR HR Expert?

Premier Advisor members can reach CEDR by phone, email, or through backstageHR®.

Does CEDR Make the Decision for me?

No. You remain the employer and the decision-maker. CEDR helps the owner or authorized manager understand options, apply policies, document appropriately, and move forward with more confidence.

Can Payroll be Added to Premier Advisor?

Yes. CEDR White-Glove Payroll™ is an optional add-on. When payroll is added, the additional-employee rate becomes $6.50 per employee per month instead of $3.50.

Ready to have CEDR on Your Side?

Get the Handbook, Software, Updates, & HR Expertise Working Together

Premier Advisor gives your practice a connected HR foundation and a real team of HR Exerts to call when employee questions, management decisions, or easy and higher-risk issues come up.