Pretax commuter benefits for healthcare staffing agencies

Healthcare staffing agencies can offer Alice pretax commuter benefits to their W-2 employees, including travel nurses, agency CNAs, and per-diem allied health staff. Eligible employees save about 20% on transit and qualified parking, with no up-front employer cost. Actual savings depend on your tax situation.

Why staffing agencies offer Alice

Healthcare staffing agencies recruit aggressively in a tight labor market, and benefit differentiation matters. Alice gives recruiters a real benefit to talk about on the call. The agency takes on no up-front cost and no per-assignment admin work.

There is no manual open enrollment to manage, and no employee pre-funding. The employer keeps a reserve amount in its Alice plan account; it belongs to the employer and is not a fee. Traditional office-worker pretax benefit companies make you pay up front and manage enrollment and payroll on your own. Alice does not, and setup starts with one call.

What agency employees get

Eligible W-2 staffing employees get Alice Card, a Visa commercial credit card issued by Celtic Bank and powered by Stripe. Program funds are held at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC). The card works at transit fare gates, commuter rail vending, bus fareboxes, parking garages, parking lots, parking meters, and parking apps.

IRS 2026 limits are $340 per month for transit and $340 per month for qualified parking under Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Uber and Lyft are not IRS-eligible, with a narrow vanpool carve-out.

A travel nurse on a 13-week assignment can use Alice for parking at the contracted facility and for transit during the assignment. Elections adjust pay period to pay period.

How staffing payroll connections work

Alice connects to 30+ payroll providers, including connections to ADP, UKG, Paylocity, Paycom, Paychex, Toast, and others. Staffing agencies commonly run ADP, Paycom, or a vertical-specific payroll system.

The deduction posts on the agency's W-2, regardless of which facility the employee is contracted to that week. Per-diem staff with zero-hour weeks do not generate a deduction debt, since elections only pull against actual wages.

Setup speed

Setup starts with one call. Staffing agencies typically launch within two weeks of that call, depending on how quickly payroll credentials are shared.

How much agency clinicians and aides actually save

A travel nurse with $200 in monthly parking at the contracted facility saves about 20%, or roughly $40 per month. An agency CNA with a $100 monthly transit pass saves about $20 per month. Actual savings depend on your tax situation. We label that take-home difference as cash back during enrollment.

FAQs for staffing agencies

Do 1099 contractors qualify?

No. The IRS commuter benefit is W-2 only. Most staffing agencies pay clinicians as W-2, which is what Alice supports.

What about assignments in multiple states?

The federal commuter benefit rule (§132(f)) applies in every state. State income tax savings vary by state and by the employee's tax residency.

Can elections pause between assignments?

Yes. Elections adjust pay period to pay period. A clinician between assignments does not generate a deduction.

Talk to sales

Email sales@thisisalice.com or call (929) 552-4625.

Savings shown or implied — including any reference to "cash back" or take-home pay — are illustrative. Actual savings depend on your tax rate, benefit elections, and eligible spending each pay period. "Cash back" in Alice's materials refers to the federal, state, and FICA payroll taxes you don't pay on eligible commuter spending. It is income tax you keep, not a cash payment from Alice, your employer, or any third party. Alice does not provide cash back, rebates, or any direct financial benefit in connection with the Program. Alice does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult your own tax preparer, lawyer, or financial advisor for guidance specific to your situation.

Figures shown are for the 2026 plan year and are set by the IRS. Limits are indexed annually by the IRS.

Specific benefits, election rules, and run-out periods depend on your employer's plan design. Check with your HR team or plan administrator for details.

Pretax Hero Visa Commercial Card is powered by Stripe and issued by Celtic Bank. Program funds held at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC). Use of card and program is subject to the cardholder terms and related agreements presented at issuance.

Trademarks, brands, and product names referenced in this article are the property of their respective owners. References are for descriptive purposes only and do not imply endorsement. For definitive information about a third party's products or services, contact that party directly.