Case Study: Hard Rock Cafe achieves automated ACA compliance and higher employee engagement with Equifax ACA Management Platform

Hard Rock Cafe - Customer Case Study

Hard Rock International, a global hospitality brand with more than 192 locations and 50,000+ employees, faced a growing compliance and engagement problem: 80% of its workforce were variable‑hour employees, yet ACA eligibility was tracked manually by a four‑person HR team using spreadsheets. The manual process risked costly errors and government fines, and the prior benefits administration model offered only telephonic support, making it difficult to engage employees across many locations and time zones.

Hard Rock implemented the BENEFITFOCUS Marketplace integrated with the Equifax ACA Management Platform to automate look‑back calculations, exchange data automatically, and generate eligibility reporting. The integrated solution improved data accuracy, reduced administrative workload and compliance risk, and provided a branded portal and communication tools that boosted employee engagement — driving a 42% enrollment rate in voluntary benefits and freeing HR to focus on strategic initiatives.

Hard Rock Cafe

Patty Downs

Senior Director of Compensation & Benefits