With increases in litigation and federal and state enforcement of wage and hour laws, employers should make sure they comply with laws at both the federal and state levels.

All businesses should conduct periodic self-audits addressing the various wage and hour issues that are applicable to their workplace, in order to avoid the most common source of litigation by workers against their employers.

The goal of an audit should be to ensure that:

• Exempt classifications are properly applied to each employee;
• Exempt employees are paid on a “salary basis,” and that absence and leave policies comply with Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state law requirements regarding authorized and unauthorized deductions;
• All forms of pay required to be included in overtime calculations are, in fact, included;
• Non-exempt employees are paid for all hours worked;
• Payroll records are complete and accurate and are retained for the proper amount of time; and
• To the extent that state law requirements exceed those of the FLSA, such stricter requirements become the standard.

Any issues you identify in a periodic audit should be addressed immediately. At the same time, employment policies and actions should be implemented to create an environment in which compliance becomes part of your operational mindset.

The compliance strategies below cover some of the more common potential errors in the wage and hour context.

Meal and break laws

• Implement written policies regarding meal and break times of non-exempt employees, and require approval for additional hours worked.
• Implement measures to ensure that breaks are uninterrupted and employees taking such breaks are completely relieved from duty.
• Tell supervisors not to assign tasks to non-exempt employees or allow them to perform work during their breaks.

Misclassification errors

• At the time of hiring, inform employees of their exempt or non-exempt status, review job requirements and descriptions and describe in writing terms of their payment ― for straight time and overtime.
• Periodically review duties performed by exempt employees after they are hired, to ensure they remain properly classified.
• If you find you’ve made an exempt/non-exempt classification error for an employee, immediately consult your attorney to determine the appropriate remedial action, such as a change in status from exempt to non-exempt and making payments to such employee.

Overtime/off-clock errors

• Adopt clear written policies on schedules and hours of work, and require approval for overtime work.
• Adopt written policies requiring employees to report all time worked, and that you will pay for all time worked.
• Train employees and managers on timekeeping policies and discipline for violations of policy.
• Do not pressure employees to meet deadlines or perform assignments that can only be met by working off the clock. Workload expectations should be realistic.
• Regularly review overtime records. If you find overtime was not paid, pay it immediately, even if work was not authorized.

Record-keeping mistakes

• Implement and disseminate a timekeeping policy. The policy may, for example, require exempt and non-exempt employees to complete time sheets on a weekly basis, and to note meal and other breaks.
• Require non-exempt employees to review and sign their time cards or time sheets every week, and to initial any changes made to them. This is your evidence if sued for an off-the-clock violation.
• Retain time and payroll records for all employees. This will help you quickly correct any mistakes you uncover, and helps work with an employee who says they were short-changed on their paycheck. Also, accurate records are the best defense in a wage and hour complaint.

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) – 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.   

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%) General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program. Want to lower these costs? Get a quote today!   

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.    

 If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

How does safety pay dividends to the business owner? Time and resources spent on developing a culture of safety repays the business in the long run. Safety cultures rely on reducing the number of workers compensation claims, in return, the odds of a disastrous claim are reduced.

Business owners with workers’ compensation experience modifications above 1.25 need to review their safety policies with professionals. It is possible one year or even one claim causes this situation; but it should not be ignored. Discover and repair the root cause.

A 1.01 to 1.25 modification indicates worse than average experience. State rates can be less than adequate for a short period of time. The actuarial or mathematical calculations just incorrectly reflect the average expected claims. Slightly elevated modifications may be caused by these issues; however, review your losses by department in these cases and see if a problem area exists.

For slightly elevated modifications, review the safety program and types of losses. Seek out a professional risk manager for help if needed. Look for patterns in the losses, and consider changes in safety equipment or procedures to reduce problem issues.

Proactively nurturing a safety culture will pay long-term dividends. Experience modifications will decrease with positive results. How?

Each state calculates workers’ compensation experience modifications independently. Many states do utilize the services of the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) to gather data and promulgate base rates and experience modifications; but each state regulates its own workers’ compensation system.

Workers’ compensation experience rating predicts future behavior by analyzing past performance. It is a consequence of loss control performance, neither a reward for no losses nor a punishment for too many claims.

The generic formula for experience modifications follows some rules:

Just as payrolls are the basis for the standard premium, they form the basis for expected claims. Payroll is multiplied by an average claim factor to produce total expected claims.A discount factor is then applied to predict the potential severity of the claims.The product of this equation is expected losses.Actual medical only (MO) claims combine and report as a number of claims/total amount. Some states designate the MO claims as primary (maximum average) and excess, and then apply a discount rate to one or both of these amounts.Most states set a limit on the value of any one claim, and then discount large claims on a sliding scale.This historical claim experience is divided by expected losses. That quotient is the experience modification.

The insurance industry spends millions of dollars to find ways to predict the future. Loss analysts discovered one important fact: the best predictor of future claims is the frequency with which companies suffer losses in the past.

Frequency reflects the number of claims per employee, usually expressed as claims per payroll unit ($100), claims per year, or claims per time unit. Frequency, however, more importantly, reflects the safety culture of the business.

If the frequency of claims is predictable, how about the severity of an individual loss? No, severity, the magnitude of the loss, is not predictable. With greater frequency, however, comes greater odds that a severe claim will occur.

Experience modifications indicate the status of the safety culture within a business. Good management listens to risk management and loss control experts who ultimately reduce workers’ compensation costs. 

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) – 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.     

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!     

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.       

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

• 

Are you a contractor, auto service, limousine company, trucker, manufacturer, wholesaler or distributor?  We have PROGRAMS that is you fit will save you money, give you better protection and billing, claims, certificate issuance, day-to-day customer service is FIVE STAR!  Do yourself a favor and get a quote TODAY!  We are opened Monday thru Sunday from 7:30am till 9PM.  Call 9144-806-5853 anytime! 

ARTICLE: 
No company owner wants to undergo a workers’ compensation audit, but they are a fact of life if you run a business and have employees. 

Unfortunately, many audits don’t go smoothly and sometimes your insurer may make mistakes.  And sometimes the mistakes can be in the tens, hundreds of thousands of dollars and you get told, pay or and because the number is so ridiculous you get cancelled. 

Below we are highlighting 10 common problems faced by business owners THEN OFFERING YOU A SOLUTION! 

Wrong class code – Misapplication of job classifications occurs in many workers’ comp audits. With hundreds of job classes to choose from, mistakes can happen.

X-Mod is changed – After your insurer finishes the audit, it will use the information to calculate your premium. When that happens, it has to include your X-Mod to get the right rate. But sometimes the insurer may use an incorrect X-Mod.

Subcontractors are counted – Sometimes insurers will include subcontractors as employees, which results in a new audit bill to account for the additional “employees.” But if they are genuine subcontractors, they should not be counted. Often, uninsured contractors that have insurance will be included as employees. Often it takes hours on the phone and months of waiting before these charges are removed.  The problem is if you are billed tens, hundreds of thousands for subs that have insurance but your company says they don’t you have to pay what is billed or be cancelled.  We have a better way.

Disappearing credits – Most policies will have some sort of premium credits or other modifiers. Sometimes during audits, the insurer will remove them when recalculating the premium they think you owe. Watch out for missing credits and other modifiers if you get an audit bill, like:

• Premium discount
• Schedule credits
• Deductible credits
• State-specific credits

Audit worksheets missing – If the auditor fails to provide you with audit worksheets, which are used to compile your payroll and other audit information, you should ask to check their work. They will provide you with the information you need to carry out such a check.

Your rates changed – The rates you are charged at the beginning of your policy period must remain the same for the entire policy period. If your base rates have changed, the insurer may have made a mistake.

Separation of payroll – Depending on your industry, you may or may not be able to split your employees’ payroll between job classifications (like cabinet installers and sheetrock hangers). This is a pinch point when errors can occur. If the auditor says you are not allowed to split job classifications even though you have in the past, your audit may be in error.  We have a better way!

Unexpected large premium due – If you get a significant bill for your insurance company after your audit, the auditor may have made mistakes, particularly if you know that your employment has remained relatively stable and you’ve had no significant claims, if any. If it seems out of whack, it probably is.  We have a better way! 

Payroll data doesn’t match – If there is a discrepancy between your payroll data and what you see on the audit, a mistake may have been made. Try to match the payroll on the audit with that generated from your accountant. If the insurer made a mistake, you could end up paying for phantom payroll numbers.  And there are insurers that when they do not believe your numbers create phantom payroll.

No physical audit – There are three types of audits:

• Mail audit
• Phone audit, and
• Physical audit

The mail and phone audits are prone to errors since neither you nor your staff likely have any experience in premium auditing. If you have a big bill after a mail or phone audit, mistakes could have been made.  

Solution:  How would you like to be in a Workers’ Compensation plan that has competitive rates, at the start employees get classified correctly, contractors can split field weekly payrolls by class code, plan automatically applies payroll caps, where the premium you pay is based on current payroll figures and a plan that doesn’t audit you every year or maybe ever? 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Specialists and depending on what you want we can get it for you.  Call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 and receive help immediately!  

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) – 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.    

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today! 

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. 

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

Spotting the red flags that indicate possible workers’ compensation fraud by employees is the best way to prevent fraud from occurring. Knowing how to spot the red flags is a proactive way to nip a potentially costly but false workers’ compensation claim before it begins.

Most instances of workers’ compensation fraud occur when the claimant:

• Deliberately falsifies information about how an injury occurred, such as claiming the injury was work-related when it was not,
• Deliberately amplifies the seriousness of an injury to falsely prolong the claim, or
• Deliberately continues to collect entitlements while working on the sly for their own purposes or with another employer.

Common Signs of Workers’ Compensation Fraud

• Lack of witnesses – The majority of people claiming false work-related injuries usually do not have witnesses to support their claim. Vigilance is especially necessary when the employee normally works with other co-workers who should have witnessed the injury but did not.
• Contradictory accounts of how the injury occurred – This can be particularly blatant when any of the doctor’s, employer’s, or witnesses’ reports contradict the employee’s report of the incident. Another red flag should be raised when the employee is deliberately vague about how the injury occurred.
• Dissatisfied employees – Unhappy employees can be motivated to make a false workers’ compensation claim, especially if a recent incident such as a reprimand, changed responsibilities, or a possible demotion has occurred.
• Time occurrence of the injury – Many false workers’ compensation claims are submitted before a potential strike, project conclusion, strike, or possible layoff. Many false claims also happen to be submitted on either a Friday or a Monday.
• Inconsistent injury – The nature and extent of the injury is not consistent with their duties or type of job performed.
• Inconsistent reporting procedures – Occurs when there is an inexplicable gap between when the injury occurred and when the employee reported the injury. Be alert if crucial injury data is absent, such as no definite time reported when the injury happened or if other vital dates are absent.
• Lack of contact – The employee cannot be easily contacted by the claims rep or employer. Continuous lack of contact might be indicative the employee is working elsewhere while receiving ongoing entitlements. Another red flag should be raised when the employee immediately moves to another state or foreign destination after going on workers’ compensation.
• Lack of cooperation – The employee deliberately delays or avoids medical treatment or medical diagnostics needed to clarify the medical condition of the employee’s alleged injury.
• Physical signs – The employee exhibits physical signs of working such as dirt or grease on their hands or fingernails, work clothes that exhibit traces of work, or scrapes or bruises.
• Newer employee – From a statistics vantage, new employees are more likely to commit workers’ compensation fraud than senior employees. The most proactive means to counter this is to carefully screen all new employees in the hiring process beforehand.

Although red flags can help minimize potential workers’ compensation losses from fraud, your best strategies to counter this problem should include:

1.   Implement a Zero Tolerance policy for workers’ compensation fraud and be sure your employees know about it.

2.   Take a hands on approach with all workers’ compensation claims and become especially vigilant when red flags appear.

3.   Keep in regular communication with your injured employee.

4.   Have a consistent new employee screening process. Offer new employees a thorough orientation and communicate a comprehensive explanation of the workers’ compensation process along with the employee’s rights and responsibilities.

Fraudulent workers’ compensation claims are a severe drag on the costs of any business. By being aware of how to spot potential problems and being proactive at the outset can help you reduce workers’ compensation fraud in the workplace.

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) – 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.     

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!     

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.       

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

When stores lease real estate spaces or construction firms win jobs, the party on the other end usually has a very specific set of requirements.   One of the main requirements is that the tenant, contractor or borrower show proof that he or she has adequate insurance.   Copies of insurance documents may be sufficient. But, not all companies want copies of documents sitting around.   A very helpful substitute for document copies is a certificate of insurance.  How it works  A certificate of insurance is a standardized document that will show:The typesof coverage the policyholder has purchasedThe effective and expiration dates of the policy, and The limits of liability coverage.  In short, it provides evidence that a company is insured. This item is simple to create and store. Unfortunately, not all firms and insurance buyers fully understand them.ACORD constructed the forms that are most commonly used. According to their instructions these certificates are intended for informational purposes.   When some businesses receive these certificates, they think the items are contracts. But, the certificate is simply a snapshot of insurance provisions. It indicates that a policy exists, but it is not the document that actually provides coverage. The only document that actually provides coverage is the policy itself. When you need one  Companies and individuals that hire contractors want to be certain that they will not be held liable for injuries, damages or substandard work. For this reason, they will frequently request to see a certificate of insurance.  If your company has been contracted to do work and is asked for proof of insurance, we can provide you with a certificate of insurance if you have purchased coverage through us.   Many businesses want these certificates to have specific terms, phrases or words. But agents have legal boundaries for such requests. The only way agents can add wording to a certificate is if the listed policies contain that wording. Changes are not always allowed.Many states prohibit agents from handing out certificates implying provisions that are not included in the policies.   For example, a certificate holder may want the item to state that coverage is primary and noncontributory. However, policies that do not reflect such information cannot have certificates that indicate otherwise.   Before you sign papers for leases or construction jobs, you should verify coverage requirements with us.  Don’t be alarmed or taken off guard if a client requests the addition of their name or business as a certificate holder on your certificate.   Oftentimes, this is easily accommodated, but you must submit a request to your insurance agent so that they can review and issue your certificate accordingly. Act now  Don’t wait until a client asks you to provide evidence of business insurance coverage. You can be proactive and have your document ready.   When working with a new client, the last thing you want is to hurt your company’s reputation and lose clients because you have not requested your insurance certificate in advance.    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) – 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.                                                                                 New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!    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.                                                                                                    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 – 2019 – BGES Group

Workers’ compensation premiums represent a major personnel expense for most organizations. Injuries that cause employees to miss work are especially costly, in terms of both lost wage compensation and lost productivity. Also, the longer a worker is disabled and unable to work, the more his future earning power decreases and the more likely it becomes that he will hire an attorney. For these reasons, it is advantageous to both employer and employee to get the injured worker back on the job as soon as possible. As a result, many employers have implemented return to work programs.

Under a return to work program, the injured employee performs a different job while receiving his prior level of pay. The new job should be matched to his current physical capability, reflecting his state of recovery from the injury. To succeed, this requires a good working relationship between the employer and treating physician. The employer needs accurate information as to the tasks the worker can safely perform; otherwise, the result may be a second, more severe injury. If the worker’s physician will not cooperate or provide a realistic estimate, the employer or insurance company may have to require a physical examination by an independent physician.

A return to work program should be one piece of a comprehensive and coordinated loss management program. The elements of the program should include:

* Immediate reporting and investigation of accidents

* Arrangement of primary medical care

* Return to work program

* Regular communications with the injured worker

To assist in the arrangement of primary care, the employer should provide the treating physician with job descriptions that explain each job’s physical tasks in detail. Meetings with the physician to explain the nature of the employer’s operation will help match a job to the worker’s capabilities. Communications between the physician and the employer are vitally important. The employer may want to arrange for direct reports from the physician or regular reports delivered by the employee. The ideal situation is one where the employee can assume light duties without missing any time. Barring that, limiting lost time to a week or two will still keep the claim’s cost down, resulting in premium savings for the employer. The experience modification formula, which adjusts the premium based on loss history, gives the most weight to losses of $5,000 or less. Getting the injured worker back on the job quickly will help keep the loss well under that limit. Since losses remain in the calculation for three years, the effect of holding down claim costs is long lasting.

Of course, return to work programs have pros and cons. The pros include:

* Limiting or eliminating lost work time

* Keeping the worker involved in the work environment

* Eliminating the need to locate, hire and train a replacement

* Increasing the chances of success should the worker refuse the new duties and sue for lost wage benefits, since the employer can show that it made a reasonable job offer

Among the cons are:

* The employer will pay the employee’s full wage for reduced productivity

* An employee with a bad attitude about his alternative duties could lower morale among the other employees

* If the alternative arrangement does not work out, returning the employee to lost wage benefits will wipe out any cost savings

While individual cases might not produce the desired results, employers should realize long-term savings by implementing return to work programs. Beyond the verifiable dollar savings, return to work programs can give the employer a more stable, happier workforce and a good reputation with potential employees.

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) – 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.     

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!     

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.       

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

Scamming “the man” can be a favorite pastime among some employees, and one of the best places to run a con is through your workers’ compensation plan.� If you aren’t vigilant, a good scam artist can perpetuate the fraud for a very long time.

The most common garden-variety type of workers’ comp fraud is the phony workplace injury that’s discovered later, when the employee is accidentally caught doing heavy lifting or seen working for another employer while collecting benefits.� Fraudulent claims can also occur when an employee complains of unseen ailments or extends the length of a legitimate claim because he doesn’t want to go back to work.

No matter what form it takes, everyone in the company feels the effects of workers’ comp fraud.� Other employees may have to put in more hours to compensate for the lost productivity, or an employer may have to decrease the percentage of annual raises because of higher workers’ comp premiums.

How can you evaluate the potential for workers’ comp fraud at your company? These are some signals that will alert you to a possible scam in the making:

�         If an employee has an accident shortly after arriving on Monday morning, this can be a sign of a scheme because the injury may have resulted from weekend activities.

�         If an injured worker refuses treatment from a doctor or physical therapist, it could be cause for concern.� Their reluctance to receive treatment could be an attempt to keep a phony injury from being discovered.

�         If a disgruntled employee or one who knows they are about to be laid off files a workers’ comp claim, it may be a ruse to get even with the employer.

Of course, while it is important to be alert to possible fraudulent claims, it is far more important to prevent them from happening in the first place.� According to theCoalition Against Insurance Fraud, there are several things you can do to combat workers’ comp fraud in your company:

�         Verify references and background information carefully.

�         Publicize your workers’ comp policy to all new and current employees, and provide them with updates at least once each year.

�         Spread the word that money paid for fraudulent claims comes out of the employer’s pocket, and can directly impact salary increases for employees.

�         Educate supervisors on workers’ comp issues, including how injuries decrease productivity and how costs affect the bottom line.

�         Display fraud awareness posters and the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s fraud hotline number.

�         Work with your insurer to implement a safety-management program that can eliminate possible safety problems.

�         Be aware of workers’ comp fraud indicators when a claim is made.

�         If you suspect a fraudulent claim and have evidence or witnesses to back up your suspicion, contact your insurer’s special investigations unit immediately.

�         Pay attention to employee complaints and concerns about their working conditions.� The strongest predictor of fraud is a chronically disgruntled work force.

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) – 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.     

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!         

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.                               

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.       

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

• 

All year long you have been reminding your employees to “work safely … don’t take short cuts … prevent accidents.”

To do this they have to keep their minds on their work, but this time of the year as the holidays near, their minds might be everywhere else but on work.

They may be thinking “what to buy for everyone for Christmas – I hate shopping!” and “how will I pay for Christmas?” Meanwhile, relatives coming to stay add yet more distracting thoughts.

For some employees the holiday period is a wonderful time, and for others it is dreadful, but it is stressful for most anyone. Normal routines and schedules are disrupted, and there is a lot of rushing around the town to crowded and chaotic stores and malls.

Be aware that accidents may be more likely to happen at this time of the year at the workplace, on the road or at home. Employees tend to take extra physical risks ― such as when hanging lights and lugging trees around. 

And when roads and freeways are jammed, auto accidents increase.

In-office safety

When planning decorations for the office, it is important to keep holiday safety in mind.

Decorating the office helps workers enjoy the spirit of the season together, but remember that proper safety precautions should be observed at all times:

• Be mindful of potential fire hazards when selecting holiday decorations and where you place them.
• Be careful of stapling holiday lights, do not add too many strings of lights and make sure illuminated items are turned off.
• Verify that all fire extinguishers are in place and fully charged and accessible.
• Do not block exits, hang decorations on fire extinguishers, fire alarms or fire hose boxes, or obstruct the view of exit signs.
• Do not hang decorations from sprinkler heads or electrical panels.
• Without proper planning, holiday decorations can create tripping hazards. Extension cords should not be run through traffic areas where they pose trip hazards and, if you have to use an extension cord, use the proper one.
• Avoid placing trees, freestanding decorations and presents in traffic areas.

Holiday party

The holidays bring office parties and, if alcohol is being served, keep in mind the liability involved.

Provide plenty of alternatives to alcohol, such as soft drinks, coffee, tea, water and cocoa. Consider non-alcoholic beers and virgin drinks at the bar.

Also, so your staff is safe on the way home, stop serving alcohol a few hours before the party ends.

It’s essential to make transportation arrangements for employees who should not drive – whether the party is held at the office, restaurant, your home or any other location.

The takeaway

If you keep in mind that the holidays put extra pressure on everyone, it may help you to keep your workplace free of accidents.

By following a few simple safety tips, it will be easy to enjoy the holiday and the events at work without dealing with injuries or damage to property.

When planning for the holidays, incorporate safety precautions into the planning process.

Need Gift Ideas for Your Christmas Party?

Give a gift of safety that just might save a life. Here are some ideas of safety items we don’t think about until we need them and/or it’s too late:

• A smoke detector and batteries.
• A quality fire extinguisher.
• A flashlight and batteries, or light sticks.
• A first aid kit.
• An automobile safety kit including jumper cables, flares, fix-a-flat and reflectors.
• A carbon monoxide detector.
• An emergency kit flashlight, energy bars, batteries and first aid kit ― packed in a small travel bag.
• A radio that runs by cranking rather than batteries.

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) – 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.    

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today! 

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.

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. 

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

• 

NEWS!  We Have Workers’ Compensation Programs for Contractors, Limousine Services, Real Estate Companies, Truckers, Recyclers, Wholesalers and Distributors.  Fit Into One of Them and Get Excellent Pricing, Coverage, Claims Service, Day-To-Day Service Customer Service, Payroll Services (If Wanted).  Call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 and Obtain a Quote Today! 

Article:

Spotting the red flags that indicate possible workers’ compensation fraud by employees is the best way to prevent fraud from occurring. Knowing how to spot the red flags is a proactive way to nip a potentially costly but false workers’ compensation claim before it begins. 

Most instances of workers’ compensation fraud occur when the claimant:

• Deliberately falsifies information about how an injury occurred, such as claiming the injury was work-related when it was not,
• Deliberately amplifies the seriousness of an injury to falsely prolong the claim, or
• Deliberately continues to collect entitlements while working on the sly for their own purposes or with another employer.

Common Signs of Workers’ Compensation Fraud

• Lack of witnesses – The majority of people claiming false work-related injuries usually do not have witnesses to support their claim. Vigilance is especially necessary when the employee normally works with other co-workers who should have witnessed the injury but did not.                                                                                
• Contradictory accounts of how the injury occurred – This can be particularly blatant when any of the doctor’s, employer’s, or witnesses’ reports contradict the employee’s report of the incident. Another red flag should be raised when the employee is deliberately vague about how the injury occurred.                                             
• Dissatisfied employees – Unhappy employees can be motivated to make a false workers’ compensation claim, especially if a recent incident such as a reprimand, changed responsibilities, or a possible demotion has occurred.                                          
• Time occurrence of the injury – Many false workers’ compensation claims are submitted before a potential strike, project conclusion, strike, or possible layoff. Many false claims also happen to be submitted on either a Friday or a Monday.                   
• Inconsistent injury – The nature and extent of the injury is not consistent with their duties or type of job performed.                        
• Inconsistent reporting procedures – Occurs when there is an inexplicable gap between when the injury occurred and when the employee reported the injury. Be alert if crucial injury data is absent, such as no definite time reported when the injury happened or if other vital dates are absent.                                                                
• Lack of contact – The employee cannot be easily contacted by the claims rep or employer. Continuous lack of contact might be indicative the employee is working elsewhere while receiving ongoing entitlements. Another red flag should be raised when the employee immediately moves to another state or foreign destination after going on workers’ compensation.                                                                                         
• Lack of cooperation – The employee deliberately delays or avoids medical treatment or medical diagnostics needed to clarify the medical condition of the employee’s alleged injury.                                                                                                     
• Physical signs – The employee exhibits physical signs of working such as dirt or grease on their hands or fingernails, work clothes that exhibit traces of work, or scrapes or bruises.                                                                                                               
• Newer employee – From a statistics vantage, new employees are more likely to commit workers’ compensation fraud than senior employees. The most proactive means to counter this is to carefully screen all new employees in the hiring process beforehand.

Although red flags can help minimize potential workers’ compensation losses from fraud, your best strategies to counter this problem should include: 

1.    Implement a Zero Tolerance policy for workers’ compensation fraud and be sure your employees know about it. 

2.    Take a hands on approach with all workers’ compensation claims and become especially vigilant when red flags appear. 

3.    Keep in regular communication with your injured employee. 

4.    Have a consistent new employee screening process. Offer new employees a thorough orientation and communicate a comprehensive explanation of the workers’ compensation process along with the employee’s rights and responsibilities. 

Fraudulent workers’ compensation claims are a severe drag on the costs of any business. By being aware of how to spot potential problems and being proactive at the outset can help you reduce workers’ compensation fraud in the workplace. 

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) – 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.     

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!  

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. 

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.  

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 – 2019 – BGES Group

• 

Are you unhappy with your General Liability rates?  How about your Umbrella liability pricing?  Did it increase again this year?  Are your liability policies riddled with restrictions and exclusions? Are these restrictions and exclusions preventing you from getting work?

Well there may be help on its way!  Our agency specializes at construction insurance and has 50+ companies to market your account to.  A few of our companies, which are “Main Street Type Companies”, because of the volume and relationships we have, are quoting FOR US contractors they would not have considered these past few years.  For example, we just reduced a Queen’s contractor’s liability premium from $370,000 to $177,000.  That’s a $193,000 savings!  Got rid of a lot of exclusions and restrictions too!  Ask yourself–>

Questions:

1. Is your liability insurance with a “Surplus & Excess Lines” insurance company?  Higher risk contractors end up insured through these type carriers.  Rates are higher, coverage is more restrictive.  We may now have a better solution for you.                                                                             
2. Do you have a “Composite Rate” which uses “Sales” to determine premium?  Or is your policy pricing based on payroll and sub contracted costs?  Many prefer payroll and subcontracted costs.  If you are one of them we may be able to help you                                                                                                                                                             
3. Do you have a “Labor Law” exclusion on your policy?   Would you like this coverage if affordable?                                                                                                                     
4. Does your liability policies have a “Hammer Clause” that mandates your subs carry certain limits and coverage and have a written executed insurance and hold harmless agreement in place for each sub?   Would you like to eliminate “Hammer Clause” from your policy?                                                                                           
5. Does your liability policy have a “Contractors Limitation” endorsement?  This endorsement restricts the type of work covered by your policy.  Would you like to avoid form being in your policy?                                                                                           
6. Does your liability policy have “Contractual Liability?”  Do you sign customer contracts?  This is very important to know.                                                                                                 
7. Are your policies preventing you from getting work?  How would you like policies that almost no one has a problem with?                                                                    
8. Are your subs carrying the right insurance? How are you checking to make sure?  Would you like your insurance agency to help screen subs insurance?                                                                                                                                 
9. Construction contracts you sign, who checks them to make sure you’re in compliance with their insurance requirements?  Is your insurance agency helping you? We can help.                                                                                                  
10. Are you unhappy with your Workers’ Compensation pricing, company, service?  In the middle of an audit dispute and being told pay or be cancelled?  Work out of state weeks at a time but your plan doesn’t cover you when you do?  We have a great solution.  We may have a plan where you do not have to be audited every year.  It’s easy to get a quote.

There’s an end of the year push for business!  Let us try to get you out of your present coverage situation and hopefully better your plan!   If we can save a Queen’s contractor $193,000 we may be able to do something incredible for YOU!   

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

BGES Group’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) – 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.    

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today! 

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.

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. 

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 – 2019 – BGES Group