Contractors – 6 Ways To Lower Your Rates and Better Your Coverage

Posted on April 20, 2021May 24, 2021 by BGESGroup

Are you a contractor who is unhappy with their contractor liability insurance rates, coverage or agency servicing their account?

Umbrella premium exorbitant?

GREAT NEWS!

We represent the “Top 10 Construction Insurance Programs” for tri-state contractor’s which means if you can’t get your agent to find you better than try us because we will or at least confirm what you have is the best plan available.

BREAKING NEWS! For New York or New Jersey General or Special Trades Contractor who are unhappy with their General and Umbrella Liability pricing or coverage, we can offer you what we believe to be the “Best Priced” and “Broadest Coverage” program around! If we can get you into this program you’ll save a ton of money and get better coverage. Call 914-806-5853 and find out if you qualify!

We reduced a Queen’s General Contractors General Liability premium from $104,000 to $39,500. Their Umbrella Liability premium got reduced $15,000+!

Another N.Y.C. contractor saved $196,000! They were paying $393,000. We reduced their pricing to $197,000.

What about your auto insurance? Paying thousands of dollars per vehicle? We represent very competitively priced companies whose rates can be drastically less than what you now pay.

For example, a contractor came to us who was paying $13,500. We got them the same coverage for just $7,800! That’s a $5,700 savings!

Unhappy with your insurance agency? Do they operate like a factory? Is it hard to get someone on the phone? Does it take days to hear back from someone? Do they shop your insurance when it comes up for renewal or keep you with the same company’s year in year out even though their rates keep increasing?

We operate like a boutique. When you call you get us. No phone tag. You have a problem we take it so you can focus on what’s most important. You can contact day and evening for we are always there to HELP!

Are you unhappy with your Worker’s Compensation pricing or company? Let us help you get better!

Some Problems We Can Help You With:

Losses cause your rates to skyrocket or your company to non-renew coverage?

In the middle of an audit dispute and being told pay our exorbitant bill or be cancelled?

In a state or assigned risk program but work out of state weeks at a time? If you do you may be leaving yourself exposed to a large uncovered loss.

Unhappy with your payroll/workers comp plan because of high rates are excessive fees?

Payrolls being misclassified?

Tell us what your issues are. What you are looking for. We will go and get it for YOU!

Are you in need of higher bonding limits? Lower rates, quicker turn-a-round? We have a bond department that can get the job done. Our bond department is very strong. Has great relationships with insurance companies and can get the job done for YOU when others can’t!

Group Health Insurance – Unhappy with your rates, coverage or getting help with claims? Our health department is incredible and can provide service unlike any insurance agency out there. If you need help give us a try!

Want better rates, better coverage, better service, call Gary Wallach TODAY by dialing 914-806-5853 or emailing bgesgroup@gmail.com.

Hope to hear from you!

BGES Group’s office, 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, 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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

What Cyber Insurance Underwriters Look For

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

As the number of cyber attacks against businesses continues to grow, insurers that provide cyber liability and other cyber-related coverage have started intensifying their scrutiny of their clients’ databases and operational security.

When a business suffers a cyber attack it could result in fraudulent wire transfers or having its systems rendered frozen, which can be unlocked only by paying a ransom. Some companies will also have their intellectual property stolen in attacks.

But while these attacks grow in number and cost, cyber insurers are expecting their policyholders to do more to protect their data and systems.

CFC Underwriting, a global insurer, says there are six things its underwriters look for when pricing cyber insurance policies:

Close unused remote desktop protocol ports — RDP ports are for remote workers so they can access their office desktop and the company database from afar. CFC recommends that any unused RDP ports be closed, and the ones that are in use should be protected with a virtual private network and multi-factor authentication (MFA).RDP ports are major vulnerabilities and CFC estimates that more than 50% of ransomware attacks that it sees occur thanks to open RDP ports. Close an RDP if it’s not absolutely necessary.
Use multi-factor authentication — These days complex passwords are not enough to provide the security you need to protect your data. That means there should be another layer of security used to authenticate a user, such as a thumbprint or a unique code that is sent to their phone by text message and that they need to enter to proceed. This is common technology on many websites and apps today.This can prevent brute-force attacks where criminals try multiple usernames and passwords in automated rapid succession to try to hack a system because, even if they get it right, they won’t pass the second authentication. Typically, when they use this type of attack they can steal credentials and sell them on the dark web, which can in turn lead to them accessing financial accounts.
“For that reason, our cyber underwriters love when a business has MFA in use across all business email accounts and on other key business software too,” CFC writes.
Have a data management strategy — Underwriters like to see that a company’s data is stored and segregated properly, like splitting client records across multiple servers so that if one server is compromised not all the data is lost. That, in turn, can reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic loss.If you’re using a cloud service, it would be wise to ensure they have the proper authorized access controls in place and that they are running security checks on any third party vendors.
Run endpoint detection and response — Besides firewalls and antivirus software, cyber insurance underwriters also advise that businesses use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. These systems continuously monitor all devices connected to your network to make sure they are secure and have not been compromised.

This is important because an employee can be using a device that gets compromised by clicking on a malicious link on their smartphone, which can unleash an attack on the company’s network.

An endpoint might be anything from an employee workstation and company server to a mobile phone.
Conduct regular and secure backups — Businesses need to do more than just back up their records and servers. What’s important is what is done with that backup information. If you are backing up your servers and then storing that data on those same servers, it doesn’t do you much good if your system is compromised.Underwriters like to see that data is stored and segregated from the main network, and even stored offline in an offsite location. This will make recovery quick and easy if you suffer a ransomware attack.
Make risk management a priority — Cyber insurance underwriters will also look at:

Any policies and procedures you have in place in terms of cyber risk management.
If you have a key person in charge of these policies.
And that the key person knows about the different kinds of data you are storing, and how it is stored.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

How the Pandemic May Affect Your Homeowner’s Insurance

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

While COVID-19 continues raging across the country, the pandemic has made many people worry about their homeowner’s insurance coverage.

We’ve all seen how the pandemic has damaged the U.S. economy and it is affecting the insurance industry as well, prompting some to worry about large policy rate hikes or their ability to pay their premiums on time, if at all.

There is also the possibility of increased costs of medical care due to how hospitals are having to work with non-COVID-19 patients, which could mean that any liability claims involving medical care could increase in cost.

While the overall effects from the pandemic have yet to be realized, here are some of the insurance questions homeowners have been asking.

Will my premiums go up?

With the widespread economic hit the economy has taken, it’s natural to assume insurance companies have been too, which means they could need to hike their rates. There may be some lines of commercial insurance that will see premium hikes, but overall, homeowner’s claims during the pandemic have been declining.

The pandemic has reduced the risk of burglaries because so many people are working from home or have no work, so they are, you guessed it: at home. Burglars aren’t keen on breaking into homes that aren’t empty.

On top of that, because many people are at home so much more than before, they are more likely to immediately notice other issues, such as a fire, leaks, and other issues that suddenly occur. If a homeowner is away when these events occur, the damage is likely to be more extensive, while someone who is at home can stop something like a fire before it gets out of control.

What if I can’t pay my premiums?

Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs during the pandemic. One in four adults have had trouble paying their bills since the coronavirus outbreak started, a third have dipped into savings or retirement accounts to make ends meet, and about one in six have borrowed money from friends or family or gotten food from a food bank.

Naturally, paying an insurance premium instead of putting food on the table is really not a choice. Fortunately, many insurers have offered to temporarily suspend payments. If you are in this position, you can call your insurance company to make arrangements to keep your policy in force.

Do I need to increase my liability coverage?

Homeowner’s policies, besides covering your structure, also provide liability protection should a guest injure themselves at your home or one of your family members damages a third party’s property.

Usually, in these scenarios, you could file a claim against your homeowners’ policy, but due to the pandemic, the cost of treating non-COVID-19 patients is costing more. Hospitals have to test and take many more precautions than before the pandemic, which is driving up the cost of care.

That could mean that your liability coverage limits may not be enough to pay any medical bills for a third-party claimant. Additionally, if you have a get-together at your home and someone claims they contracted COVID-19 there and can prove it, you could be sued for negligence if you had people over knowing that one of them or one of your family had the virus.

To make sure your homeowner’s policy can adequately cover injury claims, you may consider increasing the liability limits or purchasing a reasonably priced umbrella policy.

What if a claims adjuster wants to visit my home?

While this is something that many policyholders would naturally be afraid of in the current circumstances, the pandemic has made it more difficult for insurance companies to inspect the damage as they process a claim. Some may ask that you take pictures of the damage and also provide “before” photos if you have them.

Some insurance companies are performing exterior inspections on policyholders’ homes while observing social distancing measures the entire time. Others are using virtual claims processing.

Filing a virtual claim takes no more than signing into an app or website, writing a report that details the extent of the damage or loss, and submitting photos and videos as evidence.

The takeaway

Fortunately, the pandemic fallout is limited so far for homeowner’s insurance policyholders.

But when your renewal is coming up, you may want to call us about what to expect and if you should change some of your coverage limits. Your insurer may also be imposing policy language changes that could affect future claims. We can help you sort through it all.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Home Inventory Is Crucial for Getting Your Claim Paid

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

You’ve had a fire and many of your possessions have been singed to a crisp. It’s time to file that homeowner’s claim, but can you remember everything that was destroyed?

This is a regular problem for homeowners when they file claims. They just can’t recall everything that was lost, let alone how much the items cost. Without that information it will be hard to make your claim and be reimbursed for your loss.

To make sure you don’t find yourself in this predicament, one of the smartest things you can do is create a home inventory. But do you know how to put one together? And where to start?

To get started, the first thing you should do is go through your policy with your agent. You should try to ascertain:

If your possessions are covered for their replacement value or actual cash value.
If you have unique items that may need special endorsements to your policy.
If your recreational items (skis, bikes, golf clubs) are covered.

Take pictures of your home Start with the outside from different angles, as well as any outdoor structures, decks, patio furniture, decorations and landscaping.
Then move inside and photograph each room from enough angles to cover all of the furniture and items. Since it costs nothing to take photos these days with your phone, snap away. The more shots the better.
Go through every drawer and closet Go through your drawers and list all items that would need to be replaced. For each item you should document when you purchased or received it. Where you got it from and how much it cost. If you have receipts, that’s even better. If you don’t keep receipts of your big ticket items, you should.
Scan receipts to keep with your home inventory. Keep the receipts of new household purchases in a special folder, so you can update your inventory once a year.

After going through your drawers, move to the closets. Take pictures and separate items that have a value of more than $300, and take photos.
Electronics Take photos of each electronic item (TVs, mobile phones, stereos, computers, tablets). Make sure that you also photograph the model and serial number of each item.
Fine china, crystal If you have nice dinnerware in your home, you should take a picture of each item front and back so that the logo is showing. Also take pics of any crystal glasses or decorative items you own. Take a picture of where you store these items.
Garage In your garage you likely store power tools, hardware, garden equipment, sports equipment, bikes and more. Take pics and document it all.
Special items and things with sentimental value Do you keep any collections of valuable items? If so, you should make sure that it’s all documented and you have photos.
Also, if you have special photo albums and family heirlooms, make sure you document those too.

And finally, don’t forget to include any luxury or rare items that you have at home.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Malingering, the Gray Area in Workers’ Comp Fraud

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

Nearly 25% of all lost-time workers’ compensation claims are exaggerated, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

While only a small percentage of workers’ comp claims are fraudulent, quite a few include employees staying away from work even after they’ve been cleared to return by their doctor and when they feel able to work. The term for this is malingering and it can cost an employer a lot of money.

When injured workers malinger, the claim lasts longer than the medical disability. The employee has recovered enough to return to work, but has not gone back.

This can be due to employee intent, a medical provider’s lack of knowledge about the job requirements, employer disinterest, or other reasons. As you can see, it’s not always the employee’s fault.

When an employee malingers and doesn’t return to work when they are able to, the cost of the workers’ compensation claim will continue to rise, counting against the employer’s claims experience. Additionally, malingering can evolve into a self-perpetuating cycle: the longer someone stays away from work, the less likely it is they will ever return.

While it’s not a good idea to spy on your workers at home, you also don’t want one of them drawing out the claim to both your and their detriment. However, there are signs indicating that an injured worker may be malingering.

20 Indicators of Malingering or Fraud

Tips from neighbors, relatives, friends or co-workers that a claimant is actually more active than alleged.
The injury coincided with a company’s reduction of the workforce.
Nurse case manager, doctor and therapist report a healthier and more active claimant than what is alleged.
The lack of organic basis for the disability; most of the complaints and allegations are subjective.
Premature or excessive demands for compensation.
The claimant works in a seasonal occupation.
The claimant often misses their therapy and/or doctor appointments.
Having “dueling doctors,” with one physician stating that the claimant is disabled while another reports a completely different prognosis indicating they are not disabled.
No witnesses to the reported accident.
The claim was reported after the claimant was terminated, suspended or had resigned.
The claimant had only been employed for a short while when the alleged accident occurred.
The claimant is not home when you try to contact them.
The claimant is disabled longer than is normally associated with the reported injury.
The claimant has a history of workers’ comp claims or short-term employment.
The claimant’s job performance has been below average, or they were disciplined at some point.
The claimant’s Facebook or other social media page shows they are more active than they claim they can be.
The claimant has financial problems.
The course of treatment seems to be too much for the injury, like extensive treatment and testing for a minor injury.
If it was a car accident, the damage to the vehicle is inconsistent with the claimed injuries.
The documentation of treatment is suspect — for example, photocopies of bills, no record of dates of treatment, no itemization.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Make Sure Your Workers Focus on Eye Safety

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

Thousands of Americans are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection.

Eye injuries alone cost more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation.

OSHA requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards.

Eye and face protection is addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, longshoring and the construction industry.

It is impossible to predict when and where an eye incident might occur, but it can happen literally in the blink of an eye, injuring or even blinding a worker who’s not wearing proper protection.

It’s an employer’s responsibility to identify the eye safety hazards at the workplace, and then provide workers with the best protection against them.

Along with training on how and when to use eye protection equipment, workers should learn about cleaning, storing and replacing equipment.

In most cases, workplace eye injuries can be avoided if employees have been trained to know when and what eye protection equipment should be worn — and what to do in case of an eye injury.

Below are some common causes of eye injuries, with suggested first aid responses. In all cases, professional medical attention should be sought as soon as possible after taking initial first aid measures.

Eye injury responses

Foreign particles — Go to the nearest eyewash station or water source and flush the eye until the object is rinsed out. Don’t rub the eye because the object can scratch or become embedded in the eye. If the object doesn’t rinse free, bandage the eye loosely and seek medical attention.

Chemical splashes — Seconds count. These accidents require immediate action. Go immediately to the nearest emergency shower or water source. Look directly into the stream of water, hold the eyes open with your fingers, and flush the eyes for at least 15 minutes.

Light burns — Exposure to welding, laser or other radiant light without appropriate eyewear does not cause immediate pain, but four to 12 hours later exposed eyes may begin to feel gritty and become sensitive to light. Redness or swelling may occur. Keep your eyes closed while waiting for medical attention.

Cuts — Don’t rub, press or wash cuts near the eye. This can cause further damage. Loosely bandage both eyes to stop any movement.

Embedded objects — Never try to remove objects embedded in your eye; this can cause further damage. Loosely bandage both eyes and get medical attention.

Bumps & blows — Apply a cold compress for 15 minutes to reduce pain.

Take safety precautions

The best solution for when employees are doing any work that could result in an eye injury is to wear proper eye protection. But accidents happen and your workers should know what to do if they suffer an eye injury.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Employee Theft Hits Small Firms Hardest

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by BGESGroup

The majority of employee thefts are occurring in organizations with 500 employees or less and the median loss is $357,650, according to a report by Hiscox, a specialty insurer.

The main types of theft are outright theft of cash and check fraud, with rogue employees writing checks to acquaintances and trying to cover their tracks in the firm’s accounting system.

According to the Hiscox Embezzlement Watchlist:

79% of cases included more than one perpetrator. The average number of people involved was three.
85% of cases were perpetrated by someone at the manager level or above.
70% of cases lasted more than a year.
31% of crimes went on for three years or longer.
39% of those who experienced embezzlement saw more than one case in their career.
33% of perpetrators worked in the accounting or finance department.
39% of embezzled funds were recovered on average, through settlements, restitution or insurance.
Nearly 75% of total losses included direct theft of cash or misuse of bank deposits or transfers.

Rotten gatekeeper

In some cases, the fraud starts where the buck stops: the chief financial officer. In one such action in New Jersey, the accused CFO was suspected of diverting more than $6 million from the company to pay a host of personal expenses such as real estate taxes, motor vehicle costs and credit card bills.

For a full seven years, the CFO designated his own business as a company vendor, cutting checks for services that were never performed, which he deposited into his personal bank accounts. He was asked for copies of the invoices, prosecutors said, but he informed colleagues he kept them in his office.

Prime suspects

According to Hiscox, there are some typical traits that an embezzler may exhibit that you should be on the lookout for:

An employee having a financial crisis.
An employee whose lifestyle is out of proportion to their salary, such as fancy clothes or an expensive car.
An inquisitive employee who wants to learn how everything in the company works, even if it doesn’t relate to their job.
An employee arrives first every day and is last to leave. They may also not even take vacations. This could mean they are trying to ensure nobody goes through their files when they are not there.
People who take risks in other parts of their lives.
A disgruntled employee who may have been passed over for a promotion or feel underappreciated.

What to do

For small business owners, Hiscox recommends:

Sending bank statements directly to your home for a review to ensure they can’t be falsified prior to reconciling accounts;
Periodically reviewing payroll reports to look for anomalies; and
Signing all of the checks yourself or keeping the signature stamp under lock and key.

For all organizations, the insurer recommends:

Establishing best practices in accounting. Businesses should mandate dual signatures or dual review on disbursements (checks and wires). It is also important to create separation in key business processes.
For instance, separate the money from record-keeping so that no single employee can control a process from beginning to end, and don’t let the accounts payable person reconcile bank accounts.
Bringing fraud deterrence into the light. Provide a short training session for all employees to illustrate the damaging impact of fraud and abuse and provide practical advice on how to spot fraud.
Setting the ‘tone at the top’. Have everyone from management, audit and the leadership team talk about fraud prevention. Be sure employees are aware of internal controls and ask them if they know of any weaknesses in the controls and how to improve them.
Hotlines are an excellent way to promote reporting of misconduct and reflect a culture of integrity.
Conducting comprehensive audits that specifically look for fraud. Surprise audits are particularly effective because fraudsters will not have time to alter, destroy or misplace records and other evidence.

The insurance solution

If you don’t have it already, your firm should seriously consider buying employee theft insurance, or employee dishonesty coverage. Employee theft coverage applies to loss or damage to money, securities or other property that results from theft committed by an employee.

Coverage applies whether or not you can identify the specific employee that committed the act, and whether the individual perpetrated the theft alone or in collusion with other people.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Do You Need Comprehensive Auto Coverage?

Posted on April 15, 2021April 15, 2021 by BGESGroup

In auto insurance there are two main areas of covered physical damage losses: collision damage losses and losses other than collision. These two categories are often referred to as collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.

What is comprehensive coverage?

Comprehensive car insurance is auto insurance that covers loss to the insured’s vehicle caused by an object, disaster or theft. In addition to theft, comprehensive covers fire, falling objects, explosions or other unexpected non-collision-related disasters.

Comprehensive insurance does not cover bodily injury. Collision reimburses the insured for the full cost of repairs or replacing the vehicle after an accident. Certain insurers won’t add comprehensive coverage to your policy unless you also buy collision coverage.

But, you can usually purchase collision insurance without comprehensive. Ask us for details.

Do you need it?

You may have heard that an older vehicle doesn’t need comprehensive coverage because it isn’t worth as much as before. If you have comprehensive coverage, you could end up paying more for the premium each month than you would get from the insurance company if your vehicle were damaged.

Comprehensive car insurance may be useful for owners of vehicles that are less than five years old. Comprehensive, along with collision, can account for 30% to 40% of your total premium.

Both are also cash value coverages. If your car is damaged beyond repair, you are entitled to recoup the “Kelly Blue Book” value of the car.

As your car ages, the KBB value declines. So, the general rule of thumb is if both your collision and comprehensive are more than 10% of the KBB value of your vehicle, you might want to drop these coverages.

If your car is only worth several thousand dollars, you might also consider dropping these coverages. But if you eliminate collision and comprehensive, in the event of an accident that is your fault or if your vehicle gets totaled or stolen, you will have to pay the repair bill.

Loans and leases require it

If you lease your vehicle or took out a loan to buy it, the dealership or bank probably required you to purchase comprehensive coverage. They might also mandate the deductible your policy includes. Be sure you understand these requirements when you talk to your insurance agent about coverage for your new vehicle.

Factor in the deductible

If you decide to carry collision and comprehensive (whether your car is five or 15 years old), you should consider choosing the highest deductible you can afford. This will lower your premium considerably. $1,000 is the most popular deductible for this type of coverage.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

How to Create a Flextime Policy

Posted on April 14, 2021April 14, 2021 by BGESGroup

With so many people having been relegated to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers are now wrestling with how to proceed as it starts to wane. Many companies are considering implementing hybrid, flextime work schedules after seeing success with remote work.

Flextime is the use of flexible schedules in which employees spend a portion of their workday on the worksite, and the rest from home or another location. For example, a flextime schedule might require an employee to work on-site from 8 am to 2 pm, and complete the rest of the workday from another location.

Unfortunately, there is little legal guidance on the use of flextime schedules. Even the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which governs minimum wage and overtime pay for most employees, does not address flexible work schedules.

Alternative work arrangements are a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee.

Flextime considerations

If you decide that you want to extend flextime to one or more of your employees, you should start by drafting an official company policy on exactly how it works. It’s always good to get it down on paper.

Take your time to make sure you have all angles covered, including ensuring that you don’t run afoul of wage and hour laws in the process.

Among other considerations, you should address the following three issues when crafting your flextime policy:

Which employees are eligible for flextime (management, sales or others);
What hours employees are required to work on-site; and
Whether prior approval is required from management or human resources.

Once you’ve written out your policy, it may be a good idea to pass it by your legal counsel to ensure you comply with all relevant wage and hour laws. When approved, include the new flextime policy in your company’s employee handbook, so that it is received by all employees who are or may become eligible for the alternative work schedule.

Benefits of flexible hours

Through the availability of smartphones and wireless internet, the amount of work employees can complete off-site has grown significantly. Utilizing available technology for this purpose can increase productivity, and even expand the geographic area in which a business operates.

Employees working remotely can also better attend to family and personal matters, improving their work-life balance and in some cases reducing the need for a leave of absence. They also don’t have to waste time commuting, which for some can be more than two hours or more on the road every day.

Creating a virtual workplace that allows a company to offer a flextime schedule can result in a number of significant benefits, including:

Saving money on work space;
Retaining valuable employees;
Bringing on outside project teams;
Expanding visibility; and
Increasing efficiency and productivity.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Employee Drug Abuse Costs Employers Dearly

Posted on April 14, 2021April 14, 2021 by BGESGroup

Drug abuse is costing U.S. employers some $81 billion annually due to employee illness, absences and lost productivity, and the problem has only gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence found that 70% of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed, and workers who report having three or more jobs in the previous five years are about twice as likely to be current or past year users of illegal drugs as those who have had two or fewer jobs.

And now, with the changes in marijuana laws sweeping the country, employers are concerned that more people (read employees) will get hooked on drugs.

So far, 28 states have enacted laws on medical marijuana and two have legalized possession of small amounts of the drug. More states have pending legislation to legalize recreational marijuana use.

Additionally, the number of overdoses from other drugs has skyrocketed during the pandemic. In the 12-month period ending Aug. 31, there were 88,295 drug overdose deaths, a record high that is almost 19,000 more deaths (27%) than the prior 12-month period.

Drug use, abuse or addiction by employees can lead to a range of problems for businesses, such as lost productivity, absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, theft and poor employee morale, and increases in health care usage, legal liabilities and workers’ compensation costs. Also, if workers are using drugs while on the job, the risk of those issues increases exponentially.

Some of the problems that drugs can cause in the workplace are:

Sluggishness and impaired job performance.
The employee setting up purchases or using drugs at work.
Selling illegal drugs to or arranging purchases for co-workers.
Psychological effects due to drug use by a family member, friend or co-worker that affects an employee’s job performance.

Signs of drug use in the workplace

According to the council, the following job performance and workplace behaviors may be signs of possible workplace drug problems:

Inconsistent work quality.
Poor concentration/lack of focus.
Lower productivity or erratic work patterns.
Increased absenteeism or on-the-job “presenteeism.”
Unexplained disappearances from the job site.
Carelessness, mistakes or errors in judgment.
Needless risk taking.
Disregard for safety of self and others.
Extended lunch periods and early departures.
Odd/socially unacceptable workplace behavior.

What can you do?

You should have a policy in place that strictly prohibits your staff from working while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You should treat drug use at work with the same severity as you would drinking on the job.

Document any complaints or concerns raised by co-workers or clients if they suspect one of your employees to be using drugs.

It is important that two people at management level also observe the individual’s behavior, with both of them documenting their observations in detail, which should include (but not be limited to):

Odors
Slurred speech
Dilated or constricted eyes
Emotional issues such as agitation or irritability
Drowsiness
Excessive sweating.

Once the situation is documented and everyone is in agreement, only then should you meet with the employee for a discussion of what has been observed. And always have a second party at the meeting to act as a witness. You then have the options to follow whatever is stated in your company policy.

Drug testing is a legal issue and may depend on your company policy as well as any state laws prohibiting testing. Consult with your lawyers about the legality of testing workers you suspect of being under the influence.

Depending on your policy if they are found to be using on the job, you can use your discretion about how you want to handle it. If they are a valued employee, you may want to refer them to your employee assistance program as well as a drug-free workplace program, which help refer staff members and their families to community resources and services to help fight drug abuse.

Studies have found that employers with successful employee assistance and drug-free workplace programs reported improved morale and productivity, as well as decreases in absenteeism, workplace injuries and accidents, downtime and theft.

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com