Employee benefits for machine shops and manufacturers,made easy.
83% of U.S. machine shops have fewer than 20 employees.
You want great benefits for your team. You don’t have the time or the resources to get them.
That isn’t on you. For decades, the benefits industry has been built for big companies, and small businesses have been left to figure it out alone. Cakewalk was built for you.
How it works
You run your business. We handle the benefits.
Tell us about your business.
Start with your business name. We fill in what we can find. Connect payroll and your team comes with it.
Hundreds of options. One tailored package.
We compare hundreds of plans for your team. You get one package, priced and ready to adjust.
We get your team covered.
We invite your team. You see who has started. Each person gets help choosing. Everyone is covered.
Benefits admin. Off your plate.
New hires and departures sync from payroll. Each employee gets a benefits wallet. Their questions come to us, not you.
Your benefits team. On the house.
You pay for coverage. Insurance carriers pay us a commission, so we can handle everything from building your package to supporting your team year round, at no cost to you.
Small manufacturers at a glance
Offering benefits on the shop floor
Small shops compete with big manufacturers for experienced people. Here’s what shapes a benefits plan for a machine shop or small manufacturer.
- of U.S. machine shops have fewer than 20 employees
- 83%
- of private manufacturing workers have access to employer medical coverage
- 91%
Source: BLS Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2026
Competing with bigger manufacturers
91% of private manufacturing workers have access to employer medical coverage, against 55% at workplaces with fewer than 50 workers across industries. Closing that gap is part of hiring and keeping skilled people.
Source: BLS Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2026
An experienced workforce
Machinists’ median age is 45.7, against 42.1 for all workers, and 31% are 55 or older. Medical, life insurance, and income protection tend to matter more to a team at that stage.
Shifts and the 30-hour line
Some shops run nights and weekends. Federal rules treat an employee who averages 30 or more hours a week as full time, and a SHOP marketplace plan has to be offered to every full-time employee, with at least 70% of them enrolling in most states.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: machinists and tool and die makers; IRS: identifying full-time employees; HealthCare.gov: who qualifies for SHOP
A physical job
In 2024, machine shops recorded 2.7 injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers, against 2.3 across private industry. Income protection is worth a look alongside medical.
Source: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2024
Benefits are your choice under 50
Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents, aren’t subject to the federal requirement to offer coverage. Offering benefits is a decision you make for your team, not a mandate.
Source: IRS: applicable large employers
The small business tax credit
The federal credit can cover up to 50% of premiums for employers with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees and average wages under $68,200 in 2026, if you pay at least half of employee-only premiums and buy through the SHOP marketplace. Owners and their families don’t count toward the totals. SHOP plans aren’t offered everywhere, so check your state’s guide.
The whole benefits package.
Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and income protection. Built around your business and the people who power it.
Start with your team’s needs and your business’s budget. Explore medical coverage online, or work with a benefits advisor to understand your options and choose your next step.
Questions shop owners ask.
Not under federal law if you have fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents. Offering benefits is your choice, and it’s often a deciding factor for the people you want to hire and keep.
Tell us about your shop.
We’ll follow up to learn about your business and walk you through your options. There’s no cost to work with us.
Prefer to start on your own?