As lawsuits against employers continue rising amid the coronavirus pandemic, some businesses are requiring workers to sign waivers absolving them of liability and responsibility should they contract the virus.

Eight percent of executives surveyed by law firm Blank Rome said they would require that their workers sign waivers of liability before returning to the workplace.

While employers are trying to protect themselves from a liability that didn’t even exist a year ago, some human resources legal experts have expressed concerns that they may not be necessary ― and may be unenforceable.

The moves come as employers are wrestling with numerous risks that the pandemic has wrought, and with the U.S. Senate having proposed legislation that would limit the liability of employers for workers who become sick during the pandemic. A number of states have also enacted laws or emergency regulations that make it harder for employees to sue employers for negligence over COVID-19.

COVID-19-spurred employee lawsuits have mostly centered on employers not providing the proper protections for workers, discrimination or for being laid off for refusing to come to work.

Legal experts caution that employers cannot require workers to waive rights they may have, such as access to workers’ compensation benefits or the right to file a complaint with OSHA.

They also say that some employers may consider waivers as a green light to not take precautions against COVID-19, but in such cases the waivers would likely not be legal.

If a worker claims they caught COVID-19 at work and the facts back that up, they would likely have access to workers’ compensation benefits (some states even require it). But if the employer was negligent, the employee could have further legal avenues to pursue besides workers’ compensation, rights that cannot legally be waived, lawyers say.

So even if an employee were to sign a document waiving their right to file a complaint if they feel their employer is being negligent, they may still have recourse.

Requiring workers to sign waivers could present a number of legal issues, according to the law website nolo.com, including:

• Courts in some states are reluctant to enforce liability waivers in the workplace because of the superior bargaining power of employers over their staff.
• Workplace morale could suffer if your employees think you are placing your own economic interests above workplace safety.
• Any waiver employees sign would not protect your firm from lawsuits filed by their families should they contract COVID-19 if staff are infected at work.
• A waiver might be unnecessary in states that have passed laws granting immunity to employers for claims made by workers infected with the virus.

Another option

While employees who refuse to sign a waiver of their company’s liability may have grounds to challenge their employer, some liability lawyers say that employers instead of a waiver can ask their staff to sign a social contract that requires:

• The employer to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at work, and
• The workers to comply with their employer’s requirements on mandates on wearing masks, social distancing and not coming to work if they have symptoms or of they think they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

This type of agreement won’t protect an employer from a lawsuit, but it does spell out that they are following authorities’ recommendation for protecting employees.

While employees who refuse to sign a waiver of their company’s liability could have grounds to sue, those who sign this type of acknowledgement of new workplace rules and government guidance are less likely to be successful if they are fired for not signing. This is because the acknowledgement is not forcing them to give up any of their rights and is rather for their and their co-workers’ protection.

These social contracts also would provide workers with a list of their responsibilities when working during the COVID-19 pandemic, and outline what their employer is doing to protect them.

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.      

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

While the pandemic rages on, the number of workers in the U.S. who are filing COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims is increasing and are accounting for a growing portion of overall claims.

While there is only data currently available from two states – California and Florida – the numbers coming out of the two states show the steady progression of claims being filed, although in Florida’s case the numbers don’t reflect all filed COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, the National Council on Compensation Insurance, which the rating agency for about 38 states will release it’s first numbers on coronavirus claims in September.

In California since the start of the year, workers have filed 22,621 COVID-19 workers’ compensation, according to the state

Division of Workers’ Compensation. In June and July alone case rose by nearly 11,000 cases. In Florida there have been 5,693 COVID-19 indemnity claims filed since the start of the year, but the number of new claims has been falling.

The way the numbers are reported in those two states differs though as Florida only provides monthly reports on all COVID-19 claims that result in indemnity payments. California’s numbers include the total number of first reports of injury where COVID-19 was listed as the cause, so that number includes medical-only claims. There have been 5,252 denials of COVID-19 claims in California through July 31, according to the DWC.

The numbers in California are concerning as in the last two months COVID-19 claims have accounted for nearly 20% of all workers’ comp claims filed in the state.

There are concerns that if COVID-19 cases continue rising among American workers that it will start affecting workers’ compensation rates as insurers never priced pandemic illness into their policies. The rate pressure may also be less as other industrial injuries have fallen dramatically as not as many people are working as before.

In Florida, COVID-19 was the cause of 28% of indemnity claims in March, 36% in April, 23% in May and 25% in June.

All of the above figures are still raw data as the more claims may be filed for prior months and as more data is available, the true cost of COVID-19 on the workers’ compensation system will become apparent.

Who is filing claims

Mitchell International, a San Diego-based insurance data provider, has been tracking COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims and has found that claims were filed as follows:

• 66% of claims were filed by workers in the health care and social assistance industries
• 7% were filed by workers in public administration
• 4% were filed by workers in education
• 4% were filed by workers in manufacturing
• 3% were filed by workers in transportation and warehousing
• 16% were filed by workers in other sectors.

At the same time, the frequency of other typical workers’ compensation claims continues to fall. For example, in California  in July there were only 16,000 total workers’ comp claims filed, compared to nearly 46,000 claims in July 2019.

The takeaway

As an employer, it’s encumbant on you to provide a safe workplace and that means also safeguarding your workers against transmission of COVID-19. OSHA, the Centers for Disease Control and various states have issued return to work plans for employers to follow.

Most important a safe workplace today must now include:

• Social distancing between workers and workers and customers.
• Requiring employees to wear masks and other protective equipment depending on their risk.
• Regular sanitizing and cleaning.
• Plans for monitoring employee’s for COVID-19

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.          

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

Two construction workers died on the job every day in 2013, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. One out of every 25 construction workers got hurt on the job that year. Workers in this industry need the protection of Workers’ Compensation benefits more than most.

Most states require employers to carry Workers’ Compensation insurance, but not in all cases. Many states exempt one-person operations from the requirement, for example. Regardless, it is a good practice for project owners and general contractors who hire subcontractors to require the subs to carry this insurance, whether the law requires it or not.

A typical construction project involves three types of entities: The owner who is paying to have the project done; a general contractor or independent contractor whom the owner hires to do the work; and subcontractors whom the GC hires to do portions of the work. The relationships between these entities and their employees differ.

While most states require employers to provide Workers’ Compensation benefits to employees, their laws also define who exactly is an employee. If someone is working on my property, but the law does not consider that person to be my employee, then I do not owe that person Workers’ Compensation benefits. States use several criteria to determine whether two parties are in an employer-employee relationship. These are similar to the criteria the Internal Revenue Service uses, such as control over when and how work is performed.

Typically, state regulators do not find a construction worker to be an employee of a project owner. The same cannot be said about independent contractors and employees of subs, however. Some sole proprietor subcontractors who suffer worksite injuries claim Workers’ Compensation benefits under the policies of the contractors who hired them. Often, state Workers’ Compensation law judges rule that these individuals were acting as employees of the hiring contractors, not independent contractors.

In addition, many state laws require an independent contractor who hires a sub to provide Workers’ Compensation benefits to the sub’s employees if the sub fails to obtain insurance. The injured subs or their employees end up collecting benefits even though that was never the intention of the hiring contractors. Consequently, insurance companies can and do charge independent contractors additional premiums when they find that uninsured subs have worked for them.

In a worse case scenario, both the independent contractor and the sub may fail to buy Workers’ Compensation insurance. Leaving aside the legal problems that will result for the employers, this leaves injured workers without sources of the benefits to which they are entitled. Their logical recourse is to sue the project owner. They may seek damages for an alleged failure to maintain a safe worksite or for negligence in the hiring and supervision of contractors. Since the project owners are not the employers of these injured workers, their own Workers’ Compensation policies will not help. Rather, they will have to seek legal defense and the payment of any awards from their liability insurance companies.

For these reasons, project owners should insist and verify that all contractors working on the job, including subs, carry their own Workers’ Compensation insurance. Independent contractors should do likewise with the subs they hire. Project owners may want to supplement their protection by making the independent contractors responsible for verifying that the subs have insurance, and by requiring the independents to hold the owners harmless from any lawsuits resulting from workplace injuries.

Construction is dangerous work. Every contractor setting foot on a job site should carry its own Workers’ Compensation coverage, whether the law requires it to or not.

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.                     Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon  To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more. 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

More people staying home and driving less during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drop in the number of accidents, but new data suggests that emptier roads may actually be more dangerous to those who are driving on them.

With this in mind, companies that have drivers who are plying the roads now have special issues to contend with during this unprecedented time. And because of a rule suspension for long-haul truckers, there could be a rise in truck accidents due to fatigued drivers.

Preliminary data from the National Safety Council shows the fatality rates per miles driven increased by 14% nationally in March (from March 2019), when most of the country was under shelter-at-home orders.

Additionally, there has been an 87% increase in tickets to drivers going more than 100 mph amid the COVID-19 shutdown in California, as many drivers are apparently taking advantage of the open roads, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Those increases, though, coincided with an 18.6% drop in average miles driven in March compared to the same period last year.

New rules complicate matters

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an emergency declaration that suspended long-haul trucking hours of service regulations that limit the number of hours drivers are allowed to drive in a week. The regulations have been in place since the 1930s.

Observers worry that this could result in more crashes due to fatigue if drivers start spending more hours behind the wheel than the suspended regulations permitted.

The emergency declaration puts on hold the weekly 60/70 rule, which allows drivers to work no more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days, or 70 hours over eight days.

It also suspends another part of regulations that bar continued operation without 30-minute breaks. The goal of this regulation was to avoid the food and essential goods shortages (think about the toilet paper shortage in March and April).

At the same time, rules requiring drivers to be off duty for 10 hours before driving again are still in place.

The challenge for employers will be to keep their drivers as safe as possible, and that should include avoiding driver fatigue at all costs as the resulting accidents are often deadly and costly both in terms of human lives and property damage.

Fatigue plays a part in 13% of truck crashes, according to the FMCSA, while other fatigue-related factors such as “inattention” and “driver pressured to operate even though fatigued” come into play 8.5% and 3.2% of the time, respectively.

There could be an increase in these types of accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, what’s not clear is if the reduced amount of traffic will offset the risks of truck driver fatigue.

Another factor that could contribute to driver fatigue is the closure of rest stops and restaurants to enforce social distancing rules. And despite truckers not being required to take 30-minute breaks, they will still need to stop to use a restroom, eat, refuel and stretch their legs.

So many regular stopping places being closed could contribute to drivers not getting the rest they would normally get during these breaks. At the same time, if they reroute their journeys to pass places that are open for them to rest and eat, they may be driving in unfamiliar territory. And “unfamiliarity with roadway” is a contributing factor in 22% of truck crashes.

Finally, truckers may also be fatigued if they are especially busy at this time and working more hours than usual.

What you can do

You should hold safety meetings with your drivers, with the following top of mind:

• Require them to limit the number of hours they drive in a day and week, and to take rest breaks for at least 30 minutes during a shift to eat and rest.
• Tell them to resist the urge to speed on roads with less congestion and require them to observe the speed limit.
• Tell them to be aware of drivers who are taking advantage of the roads and speeding excessively.
• Require them to not use smartphones or other devices that can lead to distracted driving.
• When in urban and suburban settings, they should be aware that there may be increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic as people have been spending more time walking and biking during this time.

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

New guidance from the Trump administration absolves insurers of the responsibility of paying for COVID-19 tests that are required for workers who are returning to the job.

The guidance, released by the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury, means that employers will likely either have to foot the bill themselves as they screen workers during the pandemic or pass those costs on to their workers. But in states that require employers to test workers, passing testing costs on to staff is usually not an option.

There had been some confusion about who would pay for the tests after the Families First Coronavirus Response Act required insurers to cover COVID-19 tests without patient cost-sharing. The new guidance has added a new caveat to that rule: that insurers cannot require health plan enrollees to pay for the test if it is deemed “medically appropriate” by a health care provider.

“Testing conducted to screen for general workplace health and safety (such as employee “return to work” programs), for public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, or for any other purpose not primarily intended for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19 or another health condition, is beyond the scope of section 6001 of the [Families First Coronavirus Response Act],” the guidance states.

Resistance from advocacy groups

The guidance was met with resistance from employer and consumer groups, with the advocacy group Families USA arguing that the nation’s workers should not be saddled with additional costs during these economically uncertain times.

Employers can require employees to be tested before returning to work, but the Pacific Business Group on Health said it would be highly unusual for a large employer to require testing for employees without paying for the tests in full.

Democrats have asked the administration to withdraw the guidance, but the White House has said it won’t and that it would like to see Congress come up with a solution in its next economic stimulus package for the coronavirus pandemic.

The HHS has said that states should use the $10.25 billion that lawmakers appropriated for testing to help pay for tests of returning workers.

Insurance companies may opt to pay for such tests anyway, as a precautionary measure. America’s Health Insurance Plans, however, is calling on more government support to cover the costs, which it says could be between $6 billion and $25 billion annually.

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.     

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

One bit of good news coming from the COVID-19 pandemic is that the economic downturn has boosted efforts to close older workers’ comp claims that have been lingering as both sides cannot agree on a settlement.

Due to the financial pain brought on by the sudden downturn, injured workers who have been reluctant to settle their claims have been coming forward to close them, according to workers’ comp attorneys.

The injured workers are often settling their claims for less than they were demanding before. One lawyer told Business Insurance magazine that he was seeing claimants come in with offers that were on average 10% lower than previously.

This is an important development for employers who have legacy workers’ compensation claims that have stayed open as the injured worker remains on permanent disability and may also still be receiving ongoing or sporadic medical treatment. Employers want to close these claims because the longer they stay open, the more they end up costing the insurer, and hence it drives up the employer’s workers’ comp costs.

One of the most unpredictable parts of older claims is unexpected adverse claims cost development, particularly if the injured worker develops new medical complications that are an outgrowth of or related to the original injury claim.

When that happens, the workers’ comp carrier will also have to pick up the tab for that treatment, further driving up the cost of the claim and affecting the employer’s workers’ comp experience.

Work with your insurer

In a white paper, global insurance giant Marsh recommends that employers try to work with their insurers to proactively settle these older claims to save money in the near and long term, and to reduce the prospects of the claim deteriorating further given the “uncertainty about the post-COVID-19 economic environment.”

Marsh said that businesses should take a strategic approach to closing these old claims by working with their insurer’s claims adjuster and using analytics and claims inventory management tools to identify complex claims and focus on settling them first.

Another smart move is to stay in close contact with injured employees to help them navigate the workers’ comp system. And if they are at home on the mend, the employer should make a point to regularly reach out to them to see how they are healing up and if they have questions about their claim and the process for returning work.

This is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of an injured worker becoming disgruntled and hiring a lawyer to litigate their claim, which will usually drive up the cost of the claim in addition to the time they are away on workers’ comp disability.

Insurers are also feeling the effects of the COVID-19-related economic downturn, which gives them an incentive to try to settle old claims so they don’t have that uncertainty of how much they will eventually end up paying for the claim.

The downturn has also forced some insurers to consider laying off claims representatives as they deal with the prospect of lower premium volumes.

Injured workers may also have an incentive to get their claims closed by receiving a lump-sum payment now, which they may need due to the poor economic environment.

The takeaway

If you have any legacy workers’ comp claims that are still being paid, you may want to consider reaching out to your insurer to see if there is a possibility of getting the injured worker to renegotiate a settlement so you can get the claim closed. The longer it stays open and because of the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, it would behoove any employer to take this step.

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.

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.       

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

Studies show that for every major workplace injury or fatality, there are nearly 10 minor injuries – and more than 30 accidents that lead to property damage.

Capturing data even on minor incidents that may seem trivial in isolation can be critical in informing efforts to prevent much greater dangers in the future. A big part of that effort involves ensuring businesses maintain a complete set of data.

Managers at all levels should focus on solid and thorough documentation. Here is where management’s main effort should be concentrated:

Don’t ignore minor incidents. Document all of them. Even if you have avoided injuries and severe property damage so far, keeping careful records may provide critical risk management insights – and enable managers to take action to prevent accidents before they occur.

Identify patterns. Do minor incidents seem to happen in the same area? Involve the same or similar machinery? Are they in the same department or under the same manager? Careful record-keeping is a valuable tool for identifying patterns.

Discourage presenteeism. Workers who come to work sick may be taking medications that increase the risk of incidents. Workers are not robots: Sick or distracted workers may make serious or deadly mistakes. To prevent this, have a sustainable sick day policy and encourage workers to take time off when needed – especially in dangerous occupations.

Encourage reporting. Studies have shown that the vast majority of minor incidents are not properly reported or recorded.

One study found that 85% of workers told researchers they had experienced work-related symptoms, 50% had experienced persistent work-related medical symptoms and 30% reported they had lost time from an incident or from a repetitive motion injury – yet only 5% of workers told researchers they had formally reported any of these incidents.

When asked why they didn’t report safety incidents, workers cited a number of reasons:

• Fear of reprisal
• Poor management response to prior reports
• Fear of losing their job or being transferred to a less desirable position
• Belief that pain or another medical symptom was a normal consequence of work activity or ageing.

Maintain OSHA-required injury logs. By federal law, most employers must maintain the following safety documents:

• OSHA Form 300 –  Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
• OSHA Form 300A – Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
• OSHA Form 301 – Injury and Illness Incident Report

Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the preceding calendar year are exempt from the federal requirement, though many states may impose more stringent requirements.

Record near misses. Often, near misses – in which property damage, injury or fatality were narrowly avoided – can provide data that’s just as valuable as for incidents resulting in actual damages or injuries. This information can prove vital to informing prevention efforts.

Perhaps most importantly, carefully documenting all safety incidents and near misses, however minor, may help establish a culture of safety throughout the organization.

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.  

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

Are your safety meetings a drag for your workers? Are they shifting in their seats as they sit through yet another presentation on slip and fall hazards?

Safety meetings are a key part of a safety awareness program and are one of the best methods to motivate workers to take safety out of the classroom and into the field. But they don’t have to be boring. You need to keep your employees’ attention and make sure they retain what you teach them, because their lives could depend on it.

But, it’s not easy to keep the meetings motivating and interesting to your workers. Here are some tips to keep your workers engaged while also making them more aware of safety in the workplace.

1. Have people with management experience organize your safety meetings. Too often, people leading the meetings are certified in safety, but have no experience in management. In other words, safety engineers may get too wonkish for your workers, who can then lose interest. To be most effective, have a manager conduct the meeting with the safety expert, who can answer the technical questions.
2. Build an agenda and circulate it before the meeting. Work with a small group. Focus on the specific. Define what success will mean. Create an expectation of value and participation. Anticipation is a powerful emotion.
3. Don’t look backward. Don’t make the meeting all about reliving one bad accident that happened in the workplace. Instead, review the accident or close call and what led up to it in the first place, so you can discuss with participants ways to make sure the incident is not repeated in the future.
4. Vary your techniques. Individuals learn differently. If you must use Power Point slides, use them sparingly with one idea or image per slide. Videos can be helpful in combination with discussions and games. Involving people helps them retain the message.
5. Tell stories and use real life examples. Have a story or an example to illustrate every point. The best safety meeting is just hanging out and talking about a subject and telling stories. Talking about the individuals involved in the story helps personalize it.
6. Use games and competitions, but be sure they have a purpose to either educate or inspire. Think “Safety Bingo” or “At-Risk Jeopardy.” You can hold competitions between teams of workers to see who knows the most about a certain safety issue that is typical in the workplace. Competition really brings out the best in people and helps them learn.
7. Have fun. Fun during safety meetings can help people feel like they are part of a team and create a sense of belonging. It also helps create a shared company culture. Try something unique, like a Shakespeare play that turns on safety.
8. Follow up. Reinforce the key points of the meeting by getting back to the participants. Send them articles, bullet lists, and links with resources, as appropriate, a few weeks after giving a safety talk.

The most successful safety meetings are well-planned, with management involvement ― and documented.

Fresh ideas

Selecting a topic for a safety meeting is not always easy. Sometimes you may be wondering what to feature, especially when you have covered some topics many times. If you are fresh out of ideas, consider your topic by:

1. Reviewing new laws and industry standards,
2. Reviewing new company policies and procedures,
3. Evaluating existing safety hazards in the workplace,
4. Considering future industry events that may impact specific work procedures,
5. Asking your employees for issues they would like to see discussed at the meeting.

The best time to schedule a safety meeting is the start of the work shift. Before you start a safety meeting (on time), have the participants sign in.

Sample meeting agenda

• State the primary purpose of the meeting.
• Review old business from previous safety meetings.
• Ask for suggestions for future meetings.
• Present material for the current safety meeting, using visual aids, such as video, overhead transparencies, slides or printed handouts to stimulate the employees’ interest.
• Review or give a quiz to participants.
• Present an agenda for the next meeting.

The takeaway

You should do all you can to ensure your workers’ safety, and a key part of that is to train them properly in the safety issues that confront them at work.

Employees have often sat through several safety meetings, so the key to driving home the point effectively is to make them engaging, stimulating ― and above all, memorable.

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.  

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

The average age of a construction worker is now in the 40s. Baby boomers – people born between 1946 and 1964 – represent 40% of the construction industry workforce, according to the Center for Construction Research and Training.

The nature of construction work presents many hazards for workers, many of which may not appear until late into a person’s career. Research suggests that long-term construction work impacts an individual’s musculoskeletal system.

Also, any time an older worker suffers a workplace injury, they are more likely to be out of commission – and the road to recovery is longer.

Because of the physical demands of the work, construction workers have to be healthier than the general population, but the same physical demands cause workers with injuries or illness to leave the industry.

Some 10% of construction workers do not return to work after an injury, and those with a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), lung disease or other serious injury are more likely to retire on disability than workers with the same conditions in less physically demanding types of work.

Compared to office workers, construction workers are also less likely to have health insurance and they have an increased likelihood of developing a chronic disease as they age. Their odds also increase for developing lung disease, stroke, back problems and arthritis.

Risk factors for older workers

Lower-back injuries are a common injury experienced among construction workers. Also, as people age, they naturally lose strength and muscular endurance, which could have an effect on their ability to carry heavy loads. They may also lack the flexibility of younger workers and experience trouble working in awkward positions, making them more prone to a workplace injury.

Physical workload is an important determinant of work ability among construction workers, and in turn work ability is highly predictive of disability among such people. A construction worker between the ages of 45 and 54 with a low work ability index and severe low-back pain has a 40-fold increased probability of disability retirement compared to a construction worker without those risk factors.

And if they are injured, it can take someone older than 40 twice as long to recover from a typical injury.

A study of U.S. construction roofers found that workers over 55 had lower physical functioning, and were more likely to have both a chronic medical condition and an MSD.

The study found that older age, reduced physical function, and lack of job accommodation among these roofers were each predictive of early retirement.

What you can do
The study also found that construction roofers who had received job accommodation for an MSD or a medical condition were four times less likely to retire than workers with similar medical status but without accommodation.

Some form of job accommodation was offered to more than 30% of the workers in the study, and many of the accommodations were relatively simple, such as allowing more time to accomplish a task or changing the work schedule. But, few employers provided new tools or equipment.

Using the proper tools and work practices is important. Employers should also recognize the importance of job rotation among workers to help prevent repetitive-motion injuries.

Shifting focus from hazardous to safe work practices will help reduce injuries and keep older and more experienced employees safe and healthy on the job.

Common excuses
Some of the common fallback excuses among baby boomer workers include:

• “I don’t need help!” – Some older workers won’t ask for help when lifting a heavy load that they think they could have easily hoisted when they were younger. This risks injury.
• “Deal with the pain!” – This old-school belief is that pain is part of the job, and that whining about it is for sissies. But if something hurts, the worker should stop and tell their supervisor.
• “I already know how!” – Many veterans are resistant to change in work processes or in using tools.
• “Get it done fast!” – A mentality of getting the job done quickly without following proper safety procedures, which can lead to injuries.

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.             

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) 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.

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 mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New Customers – Sick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

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 – 2020 – BGES Group