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.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

As we have become more dependent on smartphones and computers to make many parts of our lives easier and more convenient, this connectivity and technology comes at a cost in terms of potential risks and liabilities.

We are more vulnerable to having our personal data being hacked, our identities stolen, our computer frozen and our data held for ransom. The cost of cleaning up after having your identity stolen by crafty online criminals can run into the thousands of dollars, and criminals may also demand a ransom to unlock your computer if you’ve been hacked.

And the risks keep growing in number with new forms of fraud cropping up. Recognizing this growing trend, more home insurers are adding personal cyber insurance to their offerings, usually as an endorsement — a rider — to a homeowner’s or renter’s policy.

For now, this market is in its infancy, but more insurers are adding coverage.

You face cyber risks in a number of ways, including:

• The banking app on your phone.
• The online accounts and passwords stored on your computer.
• Your 401(k) app on your tablet.
• Virtual assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Home.

What’s covered

Here are some of the most common risks that cyber insurance policies cover. Some policies may cover more of the risks than others, but for the most part these are pretty standard:

Financial fraud — The coverage would reimburse you for any losses you sustained as a result of an unauthorized third party using one of your online payment services (like Paypal) or apps (like Venmo) to transfer funds.

Identity theft — If your personal data is breached online and someone steals your identity, the insurance would reimburse you for the cost of rectifying records with banks and authorities, as well as any time off from work you have to take to fix the problems. This includes the cost of a consultant who can restore credit records and personal identity.

Data restoration — If the data you store on your computer or laptop is compromised, deleted or rendered inaccessible, the policy could cover the costs for an IT specialist to clean your device of any malware and restore compromised data.

Ransomware — A growing type of cyber crime is ransomware, where criminals gain access to your computer if you click on a malicious link in a bogus e-mail. Once that link is clicked, they can gain access to your computer and freeze it, rendering it unusable until you accede to their demands of paying them a ransom, usually in Bitcoin.

Cyber insurance would reimburse you for the ransom payment and pay for the costs of IT specialists to mitigate the cyber-extortion attempt.

Cyber liability — If you are sued because someone accuses you of facilitating a transfer of data that was orchestrated by a cyber attack on your device without your knowledge, the insurance would step in to provide coverage.

Cyber attack — If a cyber attack results in you being unable to access your home or needing to replace an electronic device, the coverage will reimburse you for the costs associated with resolving the event.

Cyberbullying — This coverage is twofold: It would cover the costs if you are sued if your child is cyberbullying, or if one of your family members is the victim of cyberbullying and they need psychological counseling or legal advice. It could also cover the costs of online reputation restoration, where an IT specialist would attempt to remove or suppress offensive online content directed at your family member.

The takeaway

Want to know more about personal cyber insurance and if it’s right for you and your family? Call us and we can walk through your risks with you and see if there is a policy that would fit your needs.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

Did you know that home thefts increase dramatically during the holiday season? Thieves expect people to be shopping for new toys and electronics and stashing them in the house.

Not only that, but cyber criminals also up their game during the holidays, increasing your risk of identity or credit card theft.

While you might be planning your next big score at a great sale, burglars are looking for ways to break in while you are out and distracted from the home.

Similarly, online thieves are out in full force ready to capitalize on the millions of online shoppers who are submitting their private credit card information.

Whether you do your shopping online or in the stores, it’s important to remember these basic Christmas safety tips to protect yourself against holiday season theft.

Lock everything – Many burglars get into homes just because a door or window was left open or unlocked.

Secure valuables – Never leave anything of value out in plain sight. Consider placing any jewelry, extra cash or other valuables in a safe deposit box, or even a secure hidden safe within the house. Remember, one of the first places burglars look is the master bedroom.

Leave the light on – The more it looks like someone is home, the less likely that someone will try break into your home. If you’re going to be gone for more than a day, buy a timer for your lights so they come on at various times during the evening and turn off in the morning.

Activate your alarm system – Don’t forget to arm your security system, as this simple step will go a long way to protecting your home.

Online shopping tips

About 7% of American adults have had their personal identities stolen or otherwise misused. Here are some tips to avoid that happening to you:

• Invest in identity protection software. There are many products available that range in their coverage of protection of your personal information.
• Install anti-malware software on your PC.
• Use a credit card instead of a debit card. You can often dispute charges you didn’t make on a credit card and you won’t be liable for them. But if someone gets your debit card information, they can drain your bank account.
• Before you purchase anything from a website, verify that the vendor has encrypted its payment form, such a secure socket layer (or SSL , as it’s known).

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

While most companies focus on driver training to help reduce the chances of accidents pushing up their insurance premiums, many executives have been frustrated to see their rates climb.

The top two factors affecting your commercial auto premiums are your history of claims and the driving records of your individual drivers. To get a handle on your insurance rates you should focus on hiring on mature, experienced, responsible drivers.

Once you have selected solid people, the next step is to enforce safety standards and provide them with adequate rest and the tools they need to drive safely.

New technologies and advances in underwriting are making it possible for employers to take a more proactive approach to risk management and claims reduction. The ultimate goal is to lower your premiums. Here are some steps you can take to keep your premiums down:

Monitor your drivers’ records – Consider using an automated service to monitor your drivers’ records. Drivers don’t always self-report their tickets, accidents and DUIs. Automated driver record monitoring systems can routinely check for new violations, DUI or DWI convictions, license suspensions, revocations, and approaching license renewal dates. You get a report each month, and you can take action, if warranted.

Add GPS tracking to your vehicles – Advances in GPS tracking and displays enable you not just to track your vehicles’ whereabouts and control malingering, but also monitor for speeding.

Turn the public into your eyes and ears – You’ve certainly seen those signs on the backs of commercial vehicles that say “How Am I Driving? Dial 555-555-5555.” They work. But if you do get complaints, it’s important to follow up on them, and in writing.

Pre-screen all new hires – Before hiring, pull an applicant’s DMV records. You want people with one point or less on their licenses. Incidents happen. But if a driver has two or more points, you don’t want them driving for you.

If you find a DUI, don’t hire them – You don’t want someone with a drunk-driving arrest on the road for you, and you don’t want to be paying their insurance premiums.

Raise your deductible – For best results, keep your deductible above $2,500 or so. This keeps the fender-benders off the books. The deductible is usually trivial compared to the potential claim if your driver causes bodily injury to someone else, anyway.

Use the savings on your premium and bank them for future use in case of fender-benders. Or you can funnel it into more liability or umbrella coverage.

Maintain an ongoing safe-driver program – Set up an incentive program to reward or give bonuses to drivers when they reach milestones like a certain number of miles of incident-free driving. You can also provide bonuses if their safe driving helps reduce your premiums.

Safe-driving clause – If your state allows, consider a safe-driving clause in the employment agreement.

Don’t overspend on vehicles – The more expensive the vehicle, the higher the premiums.

Consider whether you need collision coverage – If you have an aging fleet, or you can afford to replace one of your vehicles on occasion, consider cancelling collision coverage on your policy.

The takeaway

Employers that put in the effort to ensure they employ drivers with good records, and can show insurers they have put programs and measures in place to control their claims experience, have a better chance at taming their premiums.

Besides lower premiums, there are other benefits: Your business will pay out less in deductible charges, you have a safer workforce, and you spend less time and maintain productivity when you don’t have to deal with the aftermath of accidents and the insurance claims process.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

As the economy continues expanding, companies need to be careful about properly managing their risk, according to a report by Advisen Inc., an insurance research and data firm.

Increased activity typically means proportionally additional losses. For example, more trucks driving more miles will inevitably result in more accidents. However, there are other kinds of risk that can actually increase more than the jump in business activity. We look at three such areas here.

Workplace safety

Workplace injuries can increase as firms hire workers that have less experience. Typically, when employers expand their workforce to meet the growing demand for their products and services, the number of workers’ compensation claims tended to rise disproportionately.

New employees with less experience typically are more likely to sustain a workplace injury. At the same time, experienced staff may look for new job opportunities as compensation begins to take priority over job security.

What you can do: One option is to hire a temporary-staffing firm to fill positions. In these relationships, the client company is not responsible for covering temporary workers.

But you should be aware that OSHA requires what is known as the “dual employer doctrine”, under which temps are considered employees of both the agency and the company using them. And you are also not off the hook for providing them with a safe work environment and safety training specific to their job.

And remember: Check to make sure the temp agency has workers’ comp insurance.

Litigation increases

The risk of being sued rises as employees make mistakes due to pressure on existing staff to increase production, and again when less experienced workers are added to the payroll.

Your workers may be putting in extra hours. But fatigued workers make mistakes. For example, some of the worst industrial disasters have been in part the result of tired workers. Bhopal, Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill all involved decisions made late at night or extremely early in the morning by people working long hours.

In addition, inexperienced employees are more like contribute to incidents where outsiders are hurt.

What you can do: Conduct thorough interviews, check references and carry out background investigations when appropriate to avoid hiring people with known problems. You are responsible for the actions of your employees.

Also, make sure that you are not overworking your staff. Provide proper breaks so they can rest, especially in jobs that require attention and strength.

Labor law violations

Trends in litigation and regulation make it more likely that companies will be charged with labor law violations. Employees are braver now about filing complaints, thinking they have a good chance of landing a new job if they are fired.

In addition, the federal and many state governments have cracked down on wage and hour law violations.

As well, some companies may try to add to their worker pool by using more independent contractors, in order to avoid hiring new workers. But the federal government has mounted a serious crackdown on companies that inappropriately classify employees as independent contractors.

What you can do: Pay close attention to your payment systems and audit your systems to make sure you comply with wage and hour laws as well as meal and rest break laws.

The takeaway

The lesson is to increase your vigilance in managing your risk and review your existing risk management strategies for gaps due to business growth.

You can take the following steps to reduce your chances of increased claims:

• Maintain high standards when hiring new employees, such as conducting thorough interviews, checking references and, where appropriate, investigating backgrounds;
• Properly train and supervise new employees during a growth phase;
• Consider your current policies on temporary workers, and weigh the benefits of a flexible workforce against liability issues that temporary workers pose;
• Revisit your policies about independent contractors, especially in light of the U.S. Department of Labor’s efforts to ferret out misclassification;
• Pay attention to overtime rules to ensure compliance with the law; and
• Keep shareholders informed as much as possible about any mergers or acquisitions, including terms of the transaction.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

Workers who are 55 and older are 50% more likely to be killed in vehicle accidents than drivers who are younger than them, a study by the Centers for Disease Control has found.

The reason, according to the CDC, is declining cognition, which can lead to errors while driving and avoiding potential collisions, as well as a greater susceptibility to injuries and more difficulty in recovering from injuries.

Because older workers have invaluable experience and are usually safer drivers, the solution is not to take them off the road. There are other ways to accommodate older workers who drive as part of their job so that your company can still enjoy the benefits of keeping them on staff.

Both employers and workers should be aware that it is normal for physical and mental abilities to gradually decline with age — putting them at greater risk of dying if they are in a motor vehicle crash.

Some challenges that drivers over 55 may face include:

• Worsening eyesight —Older eyes need more light and more time to adjust when light changes, so it can be hard to see clearly, especially at dawn, dusk, and night. Older drivers may become more sensitive to glare from headlights, street lights and the sun.
• Peripheral vision — The ability to see to the side or up and down while looking ahead often declines as people age, increasing their risk of crashes.
• Eye diseases — Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration become more common with age, making it harder for older drivers to read signs and see colors.
• Age-related hearing loss — This can make it harder to hear horns, sirens, and noises from cars, which warn of possible danger.

Several diseases and conditions can affect the ability to drive.

• Diabetes can make blood sugar levels too high or low, which can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, loss of consciousness, or seizures.
• Arthritis can make joints swollen and stiff, making it hard to grasp or turn the steering wheel, apply the brake and gas pedals, fasten a seat belt, or look for hazards.
• Sleep apneacan increase the risk of drowsy driving.
• Parkinson’s disease can affect balance and movement, diminishing a driver’s ability to safely operate motor vehicle controls.
• Other chronic diseases and the use of multiple medications may interfere with sleep quality, increasing risk for drowsy driving.

Mitigating your risks

Obviously, you don’t want to sideline career drivers as they are likely invaluable to your operations.

There are a number of ways to mitigate the factors through prevention and wellness programs, and workers can help by getting regular health exams and screenings.

You can address a number of contributing factors in your safety training and Injury and Illness Prevention Plan, including avoiding long hours behind the wheel to reduce fatigue and occupational stress; not pressuring drivers to drive too fast in order to meet time-sensitive delivery promises; reducing the probability of distracted driving; and enforcing the use of seatbelts.

The CDC recommends the following additional interventions of particular benefit to all older drivers, although some of these points may not be feasible:

• Select and adapt vehicles to better accommodate them.
• Institute policies that encourage less driving overall and less night-time driving.
• Require route and trip planning to reduce stress and fatigue.
• Provide your workers with information about medical conditions and medications known to affect driving ability.
• Allow your drivers to use their judgment to reschedule travel or stop driving in cases of fatigue, illness, bad weather or darkness.

The takeaway

Companies with driving employees who are older than 55 can usually count on them being safer drivers overall, however, they may also be dealing with some age-related issues that can affect their driving.

By taking the above steps to work with those older drivers, you can help reduce the chances of them having a serious accident while on the job.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

BREAKING NEWS!  We now offer the GREATEST contractor program for NY. Trades and best in class interior commercial GC’s.  Call and Get a Quote Right Now, Save a Ton of Money and Get Excellent Coverage.  Gary 914-806-5853.  

If you are a tri-state contractor who operates within New York City’s 5 boroughs most likely you’re paying EXORBITANT PREMIUMS for your liability policies (General and Umbrella Liability).

Making matters worse, here we are in 2021, in the middle of a pandemic and insurance companies are increasing renewal rates yet again 10% or more!

This is beyond crazy!  Most contractors feel they work for their insurance companies. Quite a few if their policies included “Labor Law” closed shop.

Did you know 95%+ of the insurance brokers are incompetent when it comes to insuring contractors?  They know more than you but “THEY ARE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR WEALTH!”  That’s because they don’t understand the contractual nuances of the policies they sell you.

Most contractors that operate within the 5 boroughs are insured through “Surplus Lines Carriers.”  Most “SLC” policies have exclusions, restrictions and limitations that are designed to pigeon hole coverage.

For example, “Blanket Additional Insured.”  One form covers all additional insured’s you by contract agree to cover.  Another form covers additional insured’s you ONLY have a signed, written and executed agreement with.  Know the difference?  There’s a big one.

Example: You’re a plumber who signs a contract with a GC.  In the agreement the GC requires you to cover 20 additional insured’s in addition to the GC.  Under the first form everyone would be covered.  Under the second only the GC is covered leaving the other 20 uncovered and YOU with a serious uncovered contractually legal obligation.  You find out the issue at time of claim when your insurance company sends you a denial letter.

How would you like to lower your 2021 rates and get better coverage, less exclusions and less restrictions?  How would you like to have your account marketed to “THE BEST PROGRAMS FOR TRI-STATE CONTRACTORS?”  Know 95%+ of agencies don’t have access to these programs.  WE DO!

Another very important issue is screening subcontractor’s policies.  Would you like someone else to do it for you?  We have a whole department set up for this. Why this is so important is because in your policies there’s very strict wording regarding subcontractors insurance.  Failure to comply can and most likely DOES leave you without coverage.

BGES Group are “Tri-State Construction Insurance Experts.”  This is our specialty and we’ve been insuring contractors for 39 years.  We are “Preferred Agents” for MANY “Main Street Programs” which means we could end up cutting your costs by up to 50% while getting you better coverage.  (We did so for a Queens Contractor.  He was paying $393,000.  We reduced his premiums to $197,000).  We also represent the “Top Programs for contractors” and 50+ “Surplus Line Carriers” too.

You know what Costco and IBM have in common with BGES Group? One has incredible buying power.  The other has very smart people working for them.  That’s what you get working with BGES Group.  Note our group does billions in premium with insurance companies yet you deal with one person who you’ll ALWAYS be able to reach day or evening Monday thru Sunday guaranteed!

BGES Group also offers property, inland marine, bid and performance bonds, auto, workers compensation, N.Y.S. disability, group health and personal lines insurance.

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

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that President Biden signed into law on March 11 contains a number of provisions intended to help small businesses and other organizations hurt by the pandemic.

Foremost, it includes additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to struggling businesses, and a number of special grants to companies in industries that have been especially hard hit, including restaurants, movie theaters, concert spaces and museums.

The measure also includes provisions extending a number of tax credits to employers affected by the pandemic, in order to make it easier for people laid off during the health emergency to access COBRA coverage after they lose their jobs and their health coverage.

ARPA opens up a new opportunity for businesses that have been hurt by the pandemic to access financial aid and assistance to keep their doors open and stay viable. Here are the main points of interest to employers. Many of the programs build on ones introduced earlier in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA).

PPP extended

The law authorizes another $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which offers forgivable loans to small businesses and other organizations that have seen their revenues hit by the pandemic.

These loans are forgivable if 60% of the funds are used on payroll and the rest pays for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, personal protective equipment or certain other business expenses.

The additional money is intended to expand eligibility for the loans to include more nonprofit organizations than were eligible before, as well as digital news services providing local news and public health guidance during the pandemic.

The catch is that the deadline to apply for these loans is March 31. Lawmakers in Congress are in discussions to extend the PPP application deadline from March to June.

Other assistance

There are a number of other provisions of the new law aimed at providing financial aid to small businesses:

• $10 billion for state governments to help leverage private capital and make low-interest loans and other investments to help their small businesses recover.
• $15 billion to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants program to be given to small businesses in underserved areas, especially minority-owned enterprises.
• $29 billion to create a grant program that provides direct relief to restaurants. The maximum grant size will be $5 million for restaurants and $10 million for restaurant groups. The Small Business Administration will administer these grants.
• $15 billion will be added to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants program, which was launched by the CARES Act. More funds will be made available to museums, theaters, concert and other venues that had to shut down due to COVID-19-induced restrictions. This program has not yet launched.

Tax credits

Originally enacted under the CARES Act and ACC, the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) lets certain employers take advantage of a tax credit for qualified wages paid to employees.

The CARES Act capped the ERC at $5,000 per employee for 2020. The CAA, passed in late December, expanded the ERC to apply to payments of qualified wages made between Jan. 1 and June 30 this year. It also increased the maximum amount of the credit to $7,000 per employee per quarter.

The new stimulus law extends the ERC for an additional two quarters through the end of this year. That means that eligible small businesses can take a tax credit of up to $28,000 per employee for 2021.

Who is eligible: Businesses that were either fully or partially suspended as a result of COVID-19-related government orders that restricted their ability to operate and generate sales. Also, any business that that has gross receipts that are less than 80% of gross receipts for the same calendar quarter in 2019.

ARPA also makes eligible for the tax credit any start-up businesses that also suffered revenue losses as a result of the pandemic.

In addition, ARPA extends through September the availability of paid leave credits to small and midsize businesses that offer paid leave to employees who may take leave due to illness, quarantine or caregiving due to the pandemic and any closure orders.

Employers that offer paid leave to workers who are sick or in quarantine can take dollar-for-dollar tax credits equal to wages of up to $5,000.

COBRA extension

The bill also extends assistance to people who have lost their jobs as well as their employer-sponsored health insurance due to the pandemic, by providing a 100% COBRA premium subsidy to them. This will allow them to continue their health insurance with no out-of-pocket premium costs on the employees’ part. This subsidy is effective April 1 through Sept. 30.

Who is eligible: Workers who are involuntarily terminated and want to remain on their employer’s health insurance. The employer would pass along the subsidy so that qualifying individuals would pay nothing for their COBRA coverage during this period.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

Employers are increasingly facing lawsuits over how they handle background checks while screening job applicants.

For a lesson in what can happen, take the recent class-action lawsuit filed against a Whole Foods Market Inc. store in Fresno, California. The suit alleges that the store’s online form asking for job applicants’ approval for criminal background checks violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The lawsuit seeks damages of up to $1,000 for each individual from whom Whole Foods obtained a consumer report without valid authorization, plus punitive damages and costs. Whole Foods has used the application form in question since January 2009, according to the suit.

This case highlights two things:

1. How careful employers have to be while conducting background checks; and
2. The importance of securing employment practices liability insurance, which will pay for most costs associated with employment-related lawsuits.

Forbes magazine recently published this list of how to conduct background checks without breaking the law:

Be broad and thorough – Look at the spectrum of information, which includes consideration of an applicant’s education, employment and criminal history, driving history, social media, and much more.

Companies lose great candidates when they look at only one specific item. Worse yet, you could become the target of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation for excluding applicants who have criminal records, no matter what the charge or how long ago the offense occurred.

Don’t use the ‘box’ – The EEOC and many states are making efforts to ban the “box,” which is that question on applications that reads, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” Instead, interview and consider all applicants equally. Then you can run a broad and thorough background check.

Follow the law – Before you start conducting a background check, make sure you first obtain a legal release from the applicant, inform that applicant of their rights, and provide them with a copy of the report.

Be consistent – Keep your application process consistent for all applicants. Applicants going for the same job should have the same checks run on them. While the investigation may vary between different job types, if it’s for the same position, keep your process uniform to avoid charges of discrimination.

Communicate – If you find something on a background check that may affect your decision to hire an applicant, you should in the very least ask the applicant about it. So many misconceptions, mistakes and reporting errors can be resolved via face-to-face communication.

Locate patterns – Positive and negative patterns are the best way to evaluate your applicant. A single good act or bad act should not be the defining measure of a person or of their job ability.

Considering consistent patterns of behavior is a defensible way for employers to make hiring decisions.

Don’t seek out only the negative – While most background checks are conducted to ferret out negative information, use them also to find positives that can help you decide on the best candidate.

Use a professional agency to conduct checks – A good screening firm has the experience and processes to be accurate and efficient. It also will prevent you from viewing data that might be a violation of state or federal law.

Employment practices liability insurance

Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, you can still be sued by an applicant for perceived discrimination or other infractions due to your background-check policy. An employment practices liability policy can cover the costs associated with a number of claims, including:

• Wrongful termination claims
• Discrimination claims (covering those by current, former and prospective employees)
• Sexual harassment claims
• Whistleblower claims
• Wage and hour claims.

Other employment-related claims – such as libel, slander or other defamation, invasion of privacy, mental anguish, infliction of emotional distress, loss of consortium, assault, battery, breach of contract, negligent hiring, supervision, promotion or retention in connection with any other employment-related claim – can often also be covered.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group

Imagine the following costly scenarios:

• One of your staff embezzles $80,000 from your company.
• A visitor to your office slips and falls after the floor has been mopped, breaking his leg.
• There’s a fire in your warehouse that damages half of your $2 million inventory.

As a small business owner, you would likely be reeling if any of one of these happened to you as you’d be looking at a significant financial hit. But would you be surprised to know that a single insurance policy could pick up the tab for any of these occurrences?

A business owner’s policy, known as a BOP, can provide “package” protection against these risks — and an array of others — for a premium that’s significantly lower than the cost of the individual property and liability policies that you would need to cover all of these perils.

As a rule, BOP packages are available to Main Street businesses (those with revenues of $5 million or less and 100 or fewer employees).

The main coverages

Property coverage under a typical BOP includes:

• Damage to your premises, contents, inventory, office equipment and computers, as well as the property of others that’s temporarily in your care — such as clothing being cleaned. Most BOPs will pay for the cost of replacing lost or damaged property, rather than its actual cash value.
• Business interruption covers loss of income to your business caused by lost or damaged property.BOP liability coverage includes, but is not limited to:
• Bodily injury. This covers losses due to physical or mental injury, disease or death that occurs on your premises or is caused by your products.
• Medical payments. This portion of the BOP picks up the cost of health care treatment for customers, vendors or suppliers injured on your property.
• Personal and advertising liability. This protects your business against lawsuits alleging slander, libel or invasion of privacy.
• Crime. This section covers loss of money or securities from burglary, theft and embezzlement.

You need to know that the amounts of insurance (limits) under your BOP are fixed, and as such you might need to increase your limits in certain areas. You might also need to add coverage, such as fleet auto and other cover depending on your needs and the industry in which you operate.

Also, workers’ compensation coverage is not typically covered by a BOP and you would need to secure a separate policy.

We can provide you with a BOP that’s tailored to the needs — and budget — of your business. Please call your agent with any questions.

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

© – Copyright – 2021 – BGES Group