[5] Zenefits was started by Parker Conrad and Laks Srini to help startups and small businesses find insurance quotes and manage employee benefits in one place.

Over a dozen other customers of Zenefits came forward, both publicly and anonymously, with stories of similar issues for a BuzzFeed investigation into these complaints published in July 2015.

[12] These reported mistakes were mainly attributed to the chaos, confusion and turnover surrounding Zenefits' rapid growth and its buggy, inefficient software.

Customers would often have to revert to manual processes and paper forms to obtain benefits due to frequent software bugs and brokerage issues at Zenefits during this time.

[13] In 2016, an internal legal investigation at Zenefits found the company's licensing was out of compliance and that Parker Conrad, CEO had created a browser extension to skirt training requirements for selling insurance in California.

[30] On February 9, Zenefits announced it would be laying off 45% of its workforce as a way to "move toward an operating model that is sustainable and better reflects the needs of our current business" as noted by Fulcher in a memo sent to employees.

[40] Zenefits offers a platform for small and mid-sized businesses to administer and manage benefits; HR functions such as time tracking, onboarding and employee record keeping; payroll; performance and well-being.

[37] The platform also includes an online healthcare plan shopping feature, as well as a cash price insurance model offered by partner Sidecar Health.

[43] Zenefits has been valued as high as $4.5 billion; it has received $583 million in venture-capital funding from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Brendan F. Wallace, Venrock, TPG, I.V.P., and Fidelity.