As the ransomware threat continues to grow and more businesses, utilities and government agencies fall victim to these cyber criminals, the federal government has created a new hub to assist in recovery.
The new website, www.StopRansomware.gov, is designed to make it easier for ransomware victims to access resources and recovery assistance, as well as serve as a resource for companies looking to harden their data infrastructure against ransomware attacks.
The State Department also announced that it was starting a ransomware taskforce that would offer rewards up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of anyone engaged in foreign state-sanctioned malicious cyber activity against critical U.S. infrastructure.
This new resource consolidates information from federal agencies on ransomware, provides news updates on ransomware incidents, and provides a way for reporting such attacks to the FBI.
The goal of the site is to mitigate ransomware risk by addressing the “fragmentation of resources” that often cause victims of ransomware attacks to miss important information when dealing with such attacks.
Www.StopRansomware.gov is run by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and it’s separated into a number of sections, including ransomware prevention and response. It includes information that will take affected organizations through the response process:
Detection and analysis — Usually an organization learns that it has been hit by ransomware when its systems lock up and they receive a notice demanding that a ransom be paid to unlock everything. The website recommends taking the following steps at this stage:
Determine which systems were impacted, and immediately isolate them.
In the event you are unable to disconnect devices from the network, power them down to avoid further spread of the ransomware infection.
Identify and prioritize critical systems for restoration and confirm the nature of data housed on impacted systems.
Consult with your incident response team to develop and document an initial understanding of what has occurred based on initial analysis.
Meet with your internal team, outside consultants and any affected customers or vendors to so see how they can provide assistance to mitigate, respond to and recover from the incident.
Containment and eradication— If no initial mitigation actions appear possible:
Take a system image and memory capture of a sample of affected devices (for example, workstations and servers).
Also, collect any relevant logs as well as samples of any “precursor” malware binaries and associated indicators of compromise (such as suspicious command and control IP addresses, suspicious registry entries, or other relevant files detected).
Preserve evidence that is volatile in nature — or limited in retention — to prevent loss or tampering (e.g., system memory, Windows Security logs, data in firewall log buffers).
Consult federal law enforcement to inquire about any decryption tools they may have to unlock the ransomware. Cyber security researchers have already broken the encryption algorithms for some ransomware variants, so you may be in luck.
The takeaway
The site also includes a number of ransomware prevention best practices, as well as services that can help your organization prevent attacks and recover from them
Any organization with a database should go to this site and make sure it is doing all it can to prevent ransomware and other cyber threats. And the site should be bookmarked in case a ransomware attack succeeds, as the step-by-step guide and other resources can help you contain the damage.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
Even though your insurance premium payments appear on your books as an expense, you are in fact purchasing a valuable asset.
The law firm of Anderson Kill recommends in a blog that companies treat their policies as assets that must be actively managed if their full value is to be realized when they are needed.
It recommends the following steps for maximizing the value of your insurance policies:
Save your policies — Make sure that you retain your insurance policies and accompanying documentation. If you are considering destroying an old policy, make sure first to review your activities and the policy to make sure you may not need it to respond to a future loss or a new claim that dates back to the time the policy was in effect.
New claims that are related to others made during the policy period can also arise, as can claims that arise out of circumstances that were reported during the policy period.
Be smart about how you organize your old policies. If you have multiple lines of coverage, you may want to consider using a spreadsheet to keep them organized.
Review new policies immediately — Once you receive a new policy, make sure that it matches the certificate and/or your correspondence with your broker or carrier. If you review the policies upon receipt, you can identify any potential problems. At this point it is usually not too late to get any issues fixed. Wait too long and that may not be the case.
If you do find any discrepancies, your insurer may be able to issue a revision, endorsement or clarification. If they don’t, at least you’ll be on record disputing a portion of the policy and you’ll have proof you did not waive anything.
Review coverage after every loss — Whenever you are faced with a potential loss, you should immediately assess which of your policies would respond. You can call us for assistance if needed.
And if you think that a policy or policies may cover a potential loss, notify your insurance carrier promptly. This is important so that you are abiding by your policy’s “timely notice provisions” requiring that you give notice within a certain period of time once you become aware of a potential loss or liability.
Don’t let the matter languish until it becomes a full-fledged claim or wait to see if another party will pursue payment for an alleged liability.
This strategy will work in your favor. If you eventually decide to handle it on your own and not file a claim, there has been no harm for you or the insurer. However, if you fail to file the claim in the required period of time, you could well be setting yourself up for forfeiture of the claim. And if you do wait and the insurer disputes the claim, you could be in for a long and costly legal battle.
Mergers, spin-offs and acquisitions — If you are going through a merger or acquisition, you need to pay special attention to insurance issues. It may not always be easy to transfer insurance assets that cover both a division that’s being spun off and other parts of the operations.
While it’s desirable that insurance for a covered unit be transferred with the sale, this is not always possible, particularly if the insurance company decides not to approve the transfer. If it refuses, you may have to consider other means of transferring risk.
Call us if this is the case.
Additional insured? Ask for policy copy — If your company is named as an additional insured on another company’s policy, ask the other firm for a copy of the policy, and not just a certificate.
Once you obtain the policy, you can then review it to make sure that your company was properly added as insured.
Also, if you have a copy of the policy in hand, you’ll be better able to respond should a loss or a claim arise. You will know where and how to give notice, what coverage is available, what exclusions might apply, what other conditions might apply, and how deductibles, retentions and limits of insurance are allocated and calculated.
Conversely, if you don’t have a copy of the policy, you have effectively ceded all of the control over the loss and claims-making process to your contractual partner.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
It might be hard to fathom any type of audit being beneficial, but when your insurer conducts a premium audit for your account, it can just as important to you as it is to your carrier.
When you were first issued your policy, the carrier looked at the estimated sales figures or payroll data that you provided to them. It calculated your premiums based on this information. Now that you have real numbers under your belt and actual experience, the information can be reassessed to determine the correct premium amount.
Depending on how your business operates and the size of your policy, there are several methods your insurance carrier can use to conduct your premium audit, including:
Mail — Your insurer will mail you an audit form and the instructions to complete it. Once completed, you will return the form by mail to your carrier.
Phone — Your carrier will hire an independent audit company to conduct your audit over the phone.
Physical — Your insurance company will usually conduct the audit at your business, but it could be conducted at an alternative location, such as your certified public accountant’s office.
Regardless of the method, the audit will typically include your disbursements and payroll journals, ledgers, tax and Social Security reports, state unemployment forms, and other accounting records being inspected. Depending on the audit, other documents could be involved.
The data is then used for determining and adjusting premium amounts (either higher or lower). If it’s higher, you may be asked to pay back premium for the months that you underpaid for coverage.
Be prepared
The best way to handle these audits is to be prepared, and that means keeping track of certain documents and records and having them conveniently accessible so you can produce them at a moment’s notice.
The most commonly audited policies are liability and all workers’ comp policies. The
audits collect exposure information estimated when the policy was written and compare it to the actual numbers.
Here are the main records you will need to produce:
Liability policies
Gross company sales
Independent contractor costs (insured and uninsured)
Payroll for certain types of exposures.
Workers’ compensation policies
Actual employee payroll
Cost of independent contractors if no certificate or proof of other coverage is provided.
If you are notified that you will be audited, you can make the whole process easier and less stressful and hopefully end on a positive note if you follow these tips:
How to prepare
Once you’ve been notified that you’re up for an audit, there are a number of steps you can take before the auditor arrives:
Find out what the auditor will be reviewing by looking at their worksheets and past audit billing statements.
Determine which of your employees would be best suited to work with the auditor. Look for someone that’s both knowledgeable about the accounting records that will be used in the audit and about what work is done by various employees and departments.
Collect all the accounting records that will be used during the audit.
If you use subcontractors, make sure that you have their certificates of insurance on hand. Ensure that your documentation shows all the contractors have their own general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage.
Check that your payroll documents include a breakdown of wages according to class code, department and employee.
The day of the audit
Make sure you have all the applicable records easily available to the auditor. You might request the audit be conducted at your place of business.
Ask the auditor to explain any points that aren’t clear to you.
Request a hard copy of the auditor’s findings.
After the audit
Carefully assess the audit billing statement, comparing it to your original policy. Discuss the findings with us for assistance and advice.
Don’t agree to pay any additional premium dollars until after you have talked to us, you’ve made a list of all changes and discussed any problematic areas with the auditor.
Knowing what to expect and how to prepare is the key to a successful audit. Even if you end up being charged back-premium, it could be worse if you don’t keep accurate records. By regularly updating records that your insurer would ask for, you’ll be ahead of the game and you may identify changes that may affect your premium.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
Almost all businesses have some risk of being sued or cited for pollution, even the most benign, such as a property owner.
Pollution exposures for many businesses are obvious – like dry cleaners from the chemicals they use, to printing companies from the ink they use. And any manufacturer would face some type of pollution exposure as well, in addition to warehouse operators and contractors
Think you’re not exposed? Say you own a business property, even an office building for example, you could have pollution exposure such as:
The existence of lead (paint and pipes) or asbestos.
Releases of pollutants by tenants from improper or inadequate storage or disposal of lubricant oils, primer or lab waste material.
Inadequate containment in loading areas that could lead to the release of pollutants.
However, as the risks have grown for pollution liability, most commercial general liability policies now exclude pollution coverage. It’s something to be aware of for most any business, particularly as the list of what is considered to be a pollutant has grown dramatically.
The exclusion
The easiest way to think of a pollution exclusion is that it can apply to a contaminant. Virtually every commercial general liability policy includes a pollution exclusion.
These policies used to cover pollution but as the risk for being sued for pollution has grown, so then has the exclusion.
The standard policy has two pollution liability coverage forms. It also has a special form for underground storage tanks.
The current version of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) commercial general liability form has pollution coverage narrowed down to a few covered occurrences, typically including:
Certain off-premises exposures
Certain product-completed operations
Smoke, fumes, soot, vapors from your heating equipment or from a fire in your building
Gas or fumes from materials you bring into a work site.
The broad definition of pollution
Consider these examples:
A food company in Wisconsin recalled a batch of listeria bacteria-contaminated sandwiches and filed a product recall claim with its insurer. However, the insurer denied coverage based on the policy’s pollution exclusion. The court sided with the insurer, concluding that bacteria were an excluded ISO form pollutant.
A hospital in California was sued after an outbreak of legionnaire’s disease was traced back to a drinking fountain in the hospital lobby. The insurer rejected coverage for the lawsuits, citing a fungus and bacteria exclusion in their general liability policies.
The solution
What are the solution options when it comes to the pollution insurance question? You can have a specific commercial liability form or a separate pollution liability policy.
Pollution liability insurance is designed to address claims and suits involving pollution losses in which it is alleged that the insured is responsible, as well as property losses related to pollution on owned or occupied property.
Typically a pollution liability policy covers three risks:
Premises pollution liability — Covers first-party claims associated with pollution on the premises of the insured. (Example: It is discovered that instead of clean soil, contaminated soil was used to fill a space formerly occupied by an underground storage tank that leaked. The cost of remediation would be covered.)
It would also cover third-party claims associated with the pollution (like when a person falls sick due to the pollution).
Contractors pollution liability — Covers bodily injury, property damage and remediation costs for which a contractor who causes pollution is liable.
Errors and omissions liability — Covers losses that result from wrongful acts performed in conducting professional services, such as a soil engineer erroneously rendering an opinion that there is no soil pollution, when in fact, there is.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
Studies show that for every major workplace injury or fatality, there are nearly 10 minor injuries – and more than 30 accidents that lead to property damage.
Capturing data even on minor incidents that may seem trivial in isolation can be critical in informing efforts to prevent much greater dangers in the future. A big part of that effort involves ensuring businesses maintain a complete set of data.
Managers at all levels should focus on solid and thorough documentation. Here is where management’s main effort should be concentrated:
Don’t ignore minor incidents. Document all of them. Even if you have avoided injuries and severe property damage so far, keeping careful records may provide critical risk management insights – and enable managers to take action to prevent accidents before they occur.
Identify patterns. Do minor incidents seem to happen in the same area? Involve the same or similar machinery? Are they in the same department or under the same manager? Careful record-keeping is a valuable tool for identifying patterns.
Discourage presenteeism. Workers who come to work sick may be taking medications that increase the risk of incidents. Workers are not robots: Sick or distracted workers may make serious or deadly mistakes. To prevent this, have a sustainable sick day policy and encourage workers to take time off when needed – especially in dangerous occupations.
Encourage reporting. Studies have shown that the vast majority of minor incidents are not properly reported or recorded.
When asked why they didn’t report safety incidents, workers cited a number of reasons:
Fear of reprisal
Poor management response to prior reports
Fear of losing their job or being transferred to a less desirable position
Belief that pain or another medical symptom was a normal consequence of work activity or ageing.
Maintain OSHA-required injury logs. By federal law, most employers must maintain the following safety documents:
OSHA Form 300 – Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA Form 300A – Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA Form 301 – Injury and Illness Incident Report
Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the preceding calendar year are exempt from the federal requirement, though many states may impose more stringent requirements.
Record near misses. Often, near misses – in which property damage, injury or fatality were narrowly avoided – can provide data that’s just as valuable as for incidents resulting in actual damages or injuries. This information can prove vital to informing prevention efforts.
Perhaps most importantly, carefully documenting all safety incidents and near misses, however minor, may help establish a culture of safety throughout the organization.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
While safety improvements slowly take hold in the construction industry, some firms are turning to technology to reduce workplace injuries.
Owners and management have been scrambling to find new and better ways to monitor employee safety and prevent accidents as the industry grapples with growing workforces that often include new workers with little experience.
There are also language barriers as the number of foreign workers entering the trade continues growing as employers struggle to fill positions.
Construction, for example, is one of the least-digitized sectors in the world, according to research from The McKinsey Global Institute. But that’s changing as technologies like helmet cams and smart glasses, smart safety vests, drones, and even smart boots are being employed.
The technologies are aimed at both training new workers in the safety aspects of the job and warning them if it appears that danger is imminent. This type of real-time communication has been proven to reduce risk and improve quality.
And there is an added benefit in that most of the new technologies also collect data that can be used if a contractor is sued for construction defects.
Here are some of the new technologies that contractors are using on their worksites, according to The Hartford, which recently published a paper on trends in construction safety.
Smart glasses and helmets
Smart glasses essentially capture video from the view of the worker. Smart helmets do the same through a camera mounted on the unit.
This wearable technology can help train less-experienced workers by allowing management to monitor their work from a different location.
By monitoring the action in smart glasses, management can:
Flag mistakes that workers make so that they can be fixed to avoid a construction defect. That’s because new instructions can immediately be sent to a worker who has made a mistake.
Improve safety in real time, including alerting workers of dangers.
Be used to train workers and enhance communication among employees and supervisors.
Improve decision time and work quality by allowing management to review video.
Some helmets are also equipped with display visors that can dynamically project relevant information onto the surfaces of objects in the wearer’s field of vision.
Smart safety vests
Some new safety vests will alert workers when they’re entering a dangerous area at a job site. There are also new vests that can monitor a workers’ heart rate and stress levels and alert them and supervisors if they are at unsafe levels.
Some vests even will send a signal to slow or stop heavy equipment when the vest is detected nearby.
There are also GPS-enabled safety vests that track worker locations across crowded jobsites. As a result, workers within a geofenced jobsite can be located with the utmost precision – within 8 inches, in fact.
Smart boots
Some boots on the market now have sensors that can detect temperature changes, and track location and motion through GPS and Wi-Fi.
From a safety perspective, the ability to track a worker’s location could be extremely helpful during a time of crisis.
Drones
Some contractors are using drones to monitor unsafe practices on job sites. Since a supervisor can only be at one place at time, a drone with a bird’s eye view can provide real time monitoring of many workers at the same time.
Contractors are also using drones to monitor and document the quality of a project. They can also be used to keep clients up to date on the progress of a project, while documenting the project for possible future questions about building to specifications or code.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
More employers are testing new hires in physical jobs to establish a baseline in case they ever file a workers’ comp claim down the road.
The aim is to establish what physical ailments and pain the new hire already has, so if they are injured you can find out if they aggravated an existing injury or it’s just an existing injury that’s flaring up. And if done correctly, baseline testing doesn’t infringe on the worker’s rights or health privacy.
Baseline testing should not be confused with physical evaluations that are conducted after a job offer, but prior to placement, to ensure the new hire doesn’t have physical constraints that would keep them from performing their job. The data in a baseline evaluation cannot be used for that.
In fact, the data collected in baseline testing is kept sealed from the employer.
How it works
Baseline testing is best conducted on workers in physical jobs.
Baseline tests measure the signals traveling in the nerves and muscles, and include the use of electromyography. The tests are non-invasive and often include range-of-motion testing.
Employers that send their employees for testing cannot view the test results unless the information is needed to confirm or refute a subsequent injury.
If a worker files a claim for a soft-tissue or repetitive motion injury, the employer can order a second test, which will be used by the insurance claims adjuster or treating physician to compare to the baseline test. If there is no change in pathology, the claims administrator can deny the claim and the chances are high it won’t be contested.
To avoid problems with singling out specific workers or disabilities, you should perform this testing on the entire workforce – or at least in all of your physical jobs.
Under the law, you can order baseline testing at any time on any employee, and not just when they are hired.
The good thing about the testing is that it can identify legitimate claims. Since there is a baseline, when doctors compare and see a change in pathology, they can order treatment and workers’ comp insurance pays for it and the worker’s time away from work.
On the other hand, a second test can show irrefutable evidence that there was no chain in pathology and so the injury that the worker is claiming is likely not work-related.
Savings
Anecdotally, employers that use baseline testing see tremendous results in their workers’ comp claims.
According to an article in Business Insurance, Wisconsin-based Marten Transport since starting baseline testing in 2015:
• Has seen its rate of soft-tissue injury claims for new hires drop from 3.3 per 100 new hires to 1.4.
• Has had only three of the 37 claims filed by new hires in their first six months showing actual injuries beyond soft-tissue pain that was documented when they began working.
Marten Transport conducts the tests as part of its employment agreement and uses a third-party company to carry them out.
The non-profit organization, the Gatesway Foundation, started using baseline testing by contracting with California-based Emerge Diagnostics to rein in its spiraling workers’ comp costs.
It had been experiencing a high share of work-related musculoskeletal injuries (soft-tissue) claims, like injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs.
The year prior to implementing baseline testing, the foundation’s developed claims losses were $1 million. In the first six months of the next policy year, prior to implementing the program, the foundation’s developed losses were $500,000 but, in the latter half of the year – after implementation – losses had dropped to $30,000.
Overall, it reduced claims costs by $316,544 and the program cost $9,200 – a return on investment of 3,441%.
The takeaway
As mentioned, workers in physical jobs are the best candidates for baseline testing. That includes both light and heavy manufacturing, construction, agriculture, cleaning services and movers, to name a few.
But it could also be applied to any job that involves any type of repetitive motion, even without physical exertion.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
A new study has found that people who have had workers’ comp claims in the past are more likely to file future claims compared to those who have never suffered an on-the-job injury.
The study – the subject of an article published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine – concluded that a past claim is the most predictive factor in determining the likelihood of future workers’ comp claims.
While the findings shed light on a significant driver of workplace injuries, employers are in a difficult position as asking prospective employees about past claims experience is illegal in most jurisdictions.
A higher proportion of both men and women who had filed workers’ comp claims in the past also experienced a subsequent workplace injury.
For both genders, a past claim is the most predictive factor in determining the likelihood of filing a future claim.
Women who had certain pre-existing behavioral risk factors like depression, poor sleep habits and headaches were more likely to file a subsequent claim if they had already filed one. These same risk factors did not add to the likelihood among men in filing second claims.
Future claims are associated with individual workers’ overall health.
The takeaway
Besides addressing workplace hazards proactively, anytime you have a workplace injury, you should investigate to determine how the incident occurred. Once you identify what went wrong or broke down in your processes leading to the incident, you can address the problem through new safeguards and training.
Also, if an employee does file a claim, when they are back on the job you should give them additional safety training and attention to reduce the chances of them suffering future workplace incidents.
And what about prospective employees? First off, most states bar employers from asking prospective hirees about any past workers’ comp claims they have filed with previous employers.
The Federal Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as numerous state laws, seeks to protect job seekers from discrimination in hiring as a result of filing valid claims.
The bottom line is that an employer cannot request workers’ compensation records in order to have a policy of not hiring anyone who has made a claim. It is discriminatory to penalize a person who has exercised a lawful right in a lawful way and filed a valid claim.
If you are considering trying to obtain past workers’ comp records, you should consult with a labor lawyer before making any moves.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
Just the mention of a workers’ compensation audit can stir up the butterflies in your stomach and add a serious dose of stress to your existence.
But, if you are scheduled for an audit, there is no need to dread it. A small amount of preparation and common sense can save you a lot of aggravation and money.
Timing Devoting a few hours of effort now can save you a lot of time in the future. Give your full attention to the auditor and remain with them throughout the entire process. The process may take a couple of hours to complete, so make sure that the time and date of the scheduled audit are convenient for you. Call to reschedule the audit if it has been scheduled at an inopportune time.
Documentation
As soon as you learn about the audit, begin to collect and organize:
Payroll records,
Overtime payroll records,
Classification divisions, and
Insurance certificates.
This should give you plenty of time to compose a summary of each, which will help you to better communicate important data during the audit process. Information that is well organized will also expedite the process. If you can reconcile your calculations to payroll records, such as W2s and payroll stubs, the auditor might be more comfortable trusting your data.
You will also want to make any needed adjustment to payrolls; for example, subtracting bonus pay from overtime pay.
If applicable, you will need to apply the maximum and minimum payrolls to the calculations. This part may take a little research, since the minimum and maximum will vary based on state, career, and even among sole proprietors, partners and executive officers.
Classification and subcontractors
Before the audit, review the different employee job classifications and make sure that each person is correctly classified.
This is a key element to ensure that the audit flows smoothly. If there’s any question about how to classify an employee, call us. The auditor is most likely going to ask you about the classification and job duties for multiple different employees, so be prepared and armed with knowledge.
One last important preparation concerns subcontractors. Payments issued to subcontractors can go against your workers’ compensation in the event that the subcontractor did not have a certificate of workers’ compensation.
You can get a copy of the certificate, but make sure that it is current and shows coverage during the time the subcontractor worked for you.
D-day
Once the audit arrives, you’ll be glad that you took a little time collecting, organizing and summarizing your information. You will also find that the auditor is not a nemesis, especially when you provide honest answers and organized paperwork.
At the conclusion of the audit, ask the auditor for the audit worksheet. Then ask us to review the accuracy of the final audit.
You have a legal right to ask for a corrected audit anytime you think there were any errors. If any overpayment was made under the last three preceding audits, you also have a legal right to recover it.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs! We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health. We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU!
BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help! We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner. We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.
In addition, we offer all personal insurance coverages including home, auto, boat, jewelry, fine arts, life, disability, health and long-term care. When was the last time you got a complete check up for all your coverage needs? We are extremely caring and would love the chance to help you with your personal insurance needs.
BGES Group is an insurance agency whose owner is very responsible, responsive, offers boutique, very personal service and is ALWAYS there when you need him most!
We know reading an article we post or getting an email is not the best way to consider working with someone. If you are interested, go read our “Google Reviews” and see what people have to say about us! That can give you the comfort level needed to contact us.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
Employee and job applicant discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC grew about 15% in 2022 from the year prior. The fastest growing are class-based employment claims, and class actions involving EEO claims have resulted in historic settlement amounts. The total for all class-based employment discrimination cases settled grew to nearly $600 million last year, nearly double from 2021.
While disability discrimination and sexual harassment cases account for a majority of EEOC actions, other types of discrimination complaints have been growing, in particular sex and religious discrimination.
In fact, nine out of the 10 highest settlements involving class-based employment claims in 2022 involved sex-bias claims, and the tenth case involved a religious-discrimination claim related to a company’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Some of the settlements and lawsuits that the EEOC has announced recently include the following:
After the EEOC investigated allegations that the Joe & the Juice restaurant chain failed to recruit, hire and promote females at its restaurants, the employer agreed to pay $715,000 and hire an employment monitor.
The EEOC in December 2022 sued the Hometown IGA grocer for religious discrimination after it allegedly refused to hire a job applicant because of his Spiritualist Rastafarian dreadlocks hairstyle.
After the EEOC investigated an allegation against Qualtool, Inc., a Florida tool manufacturing company, over allegations that it had refused to accept applications from or hire women who sought positions on the evening shift because of their gender, the employer agreed to pay a $50,000 settlement.
What you can do
To ensure your business doesn’t get caught up in a discrimination complaint, you need to make sure that you have the appropriate personnel policies in place and that your managers and supervisors are trained to avoid taking actions that could appear discriminatory.
First of all, familiarize yourself with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against a person based on race, color, religion, sex — including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity — or national origin in such aspects of employment as:
Job assignments
Pay rates
Hiring or firing
Training
Promotion
Benefits
Layoffs.
In an article by the Society of Human Resources Management, Peter Spanos, an attorney with Taylor English Duma LLP in Atlanta, recommended that employers:
Adopt clear and meaningful anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.
Conduct periodic training for the workforce, management and HR personnel.
Update mission statements that emphasize the company’s commitment to a workplace free from unlawful harassment and discrimination.
Host employee forums regularly to explore whether workers feel that any discrimination or harassment is occurring.
Other steps you may want to consider include:
Conducting pay-equity audits at regular intervals to assess whether your systemic compensation and benefits practices are susceptible to a disparate-treatment or disparate-impact claim.
Consulting your counsel before making decisions that affect all or most of your staff in a given position, department or division, and if any of those groups pose any issues with employees’ protected status.
Analyzing your current employee benefits offerings and rules for them (employee benefits issues are a common theme in discrimination lawsuits). If you are going to make changes that reduce or change these benefits, discuss your plans first with your counsel.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
BGES Group’soffice, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Worker’s Compensation, Workers Compensation Premium Recovery, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.
Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT)– We we have 50+ insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages. We help contractors set up proper risk transfer. If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.
BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists for the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut– Issues we address: 1) Lowering pricing – we have specialty programs that can save you up to 40%; 2) Finding a new company; 3) Replacing policies that are being cancelled or non renewed; 4) Audit disputes; 5) Company creating fictitious payroll at audit time; 6) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 7) Misclassification of payrolls; 8) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits; 9) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for a few months; 10) Covering multiple states under one policy; 11) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 12) Timely issuance of certificates; 13) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.
If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.
Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538
