ARE YOU HAVING “THE TALK” – EDUCATING EMPLOYEES ABOUT MEDICARE?

Are You Having “the Talk” – Educating Employees about Medicare?
Melissa Robinson, MBA, SPHR
Follow me on Twitter @FLInsuranceGal

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just this past decade, the number of Americans working past age 65 climbed 52 percent. More companies are taking steps to coordinate their health care coverage options for employees who are eligible for Medicare. This is important to recognize because these are your employees, and quite possibly their spouses, that are enrolled on your medical plan.

Employers tend to overlook the importance of this topic until (A) they discover a large claimant, usually a dependent, on their plan that is Medicare eligible. At which time, you cannot force an employee off of your plan, or (B) they are implementing a full-conversion Health Savings Account (HSA) and discover that once an individual turns 65, they can no longer contribute to an HSA.

Why not take a proactive approach? Consider hosting a session about Medicare once a year during your open enrollment period. Open it up to any individuals wanting to learn more about the program. Often times you’ll have a mixed audience including those that are approaching age 65 as well as spouses or children that may be helping their parents with their decisions on what to elect. In today’s economy especially, the contributions employees are asked to pay for their coverage, may be more than if an employee elected Medicare and a supplement plan for either them and/or their dependent spouse.

The details of Medicare can be complicated to understand. Use a professional with expertise on products in the Medicare Market to conduct this session for your folks.

IS YOUR SECURITY PLAN IN PLACE FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

Is Your Security Plan In Place For The Holidays?
By: Chip Storm

It’s that time of year again – Thanksgiving this week, Christmas next month, and we’re closing out 2011 on New Years Eve.  While your business may be closed and employees taking a few days off, the crooks will be working full-time to target great opportunities for their own gain at your expense.

Cargo theft increased by 4% in 2010, reflecting an average of 75 cargo theft incidents per month.  This is the most ever recorded; equivalent to one theft every 9.7 hours.  A new trend is for criminals to steal several pieces of equipment during one incident because they know the payoff will be greater and the risk of being caught is the same whether they steal one rig or five rigs

Remember, “Freight at rest is freight at risk!”

Below are some recommendations to consider.

General:

• Review security procedures with affected employees and remind them of the importance of “sticking to the plan.”
• Review your alarm response procedures in case your alarm system is activated.  Have your communicated your policy to local law enforcement?  Do employees know their roles?
• ESPECIALLY during the holidays, the crooks want you and law enforcement to be lazy and not follow typical protocol following alarm activation.  If you have had any recent alarms, they might have been a “test” to see what response, if any, there is after activation.  Get any concerns fixed now before the holiday weekend.

When Staging Equipment:

• Stage loads at secure company yards whenever possible, but ensure that secure lots used are truly secure and offer services that will prevent theft or unauthorized access.  An extra secure compound should be provided for cargo of high value or cargo that is attractive to thieves (for example, the compound should have a chain link fence of 9-gauge material at least 8 feet high and topped with barbed wire and it should be properly anchored).
• Employ the use of Security Patrols in lots where cargo might be staged for transport.
• Keep loaded trailers married to tractors and secure tractors with devices like air cuff locks, kill switches, king pin locks, and landing gear locks.
• Use high security locks on trailer doors to prevent break in thefts, and consider installing a sensor to alarm the driver when the trailer door is breached (available here http://www.traklok.com).  Traklok provides real physical security and global visibility for highly mobile cargo and containers.  To protect against container tampering, TrakLok has developed an intermodal and international container locking solution and integrated several wireless technologies to track containers globally.
• Consider using theft prevention devices to disable fuel, hydraulic, or electrical systems.

 

When On the Road:

• Close truck doors before pulling out into open view in the lot so that surveillance efforts cannot see what has been loaded on to departing trucks.
• If you do have deliveries scheduled during the holiday weekend, especially if you transport high-value commodities, be sure drivers do not stop from time of departure for at least 200 miles – this is called the “Red Zone;” the distance wherein the driver does not stop after pick-up.)  Drivers should be rested, fueled and all personal needs taken care of so the red zone can be effectively implemented.  NOTE: §392.9 requires a stop for cargo inspection within the first 50 miles and every 150 miles or three hours thereafter if hauling anything other than a sealed load.
• Encourage open internal communications and the reporting of any “out of norm” occurrences.
• Drivers should remain vigilant and maintain communication with their dispatch during extended stops at high risk areas such as truck stops and rest areas.
• Drivers and warehouse workers should not discuss any details regarding loads with anyone; specifically drop locations, routes and contents, if known.
• Consider a no drop policy keeping the trailer married to the tractor so that the tractor and trailer can be secured.

 

Additional Security:

• For High Value / High Target Loads consider employing the use of covert tracking devices which will enable geo fencing during stops and tracking in the event of a theft.  Employ theft prevention devices to disable fuel, hydraulic, and/or electrical systems.
• Shippers that utilize covert tracking systems should geo-fence and route fence staged loads.
• Consider installing AGPS (Assisted GPS) trackers in loads or in trailers where possible (available here http://www.lojacksci.com ).
• Remove keys from forklifts in warehouses and restrict access to the keys.
• Be sure lighting is well maintained and functional so that the facility and lots are well lit.

Remember, your preparation and vigilance helps us in the battle against cargo and equipment theft; a tremendous expense to us all.  

Be safe during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve holiday weekends!

PREPARE FOR THE END?

Prepare for the End?
Chip Storm

 

I was at a stop light the other day and a guy was standing on the corner with a sign bellowing “Prepare for the end” and it got me thinking about work.  With only a month left in the 2011 Hurricane season, we can take a collective deep breath nothing catastrophic has occurred.  One thing we should not do is become complacent.  Since the storms in 2004 and 2005 I have seen complacent behavior with businesses’ in respect to disaster planning and mitigation.  The best time to prepare and plan for a property loss is before it occurs.

 

Total property losses are rare, in fact, most property losses are partial losses to a structure.  Fire and water damage losses are by far the most prevalent.  Many losses occur due to a neighbor having a property loss and your property becomes impaired due to their loss.  The other factor coming into play is Murphy’s Law.  Most property losses occur in the evening or on the weekend.  Here are a few ways to become prepared:

 

• Develop a business continuity plan and put it in writing. It is important to identify the key elements of keeping your business functioning.  Some key items are alternative work sites/facilities, alternative vendors, key employee contacts and clients.  Also, it is important to develop a timeline of what to do and when immediately after a loss.
• Prescreen property restoration companies.  Establish a relationship with a firm who can respond immediately to a loss.  This way they will be familiar with your company and the property.  Once a loss occurs your recovery team will know who to call no matter what hour the loss occurs.
• Employee contacts.  Develop a call tree so employees can stay informed and safe.
• Update and drill.  It is important to update the plan periodically to maintain the credibility of the information.  Also perform an informal drill so all team members know what to do in the event of a fire, hurricane or other type of loss.  The plan is no good if no one knows what to do.

 

Business continuity and disaster planning are often a neglected part of an organization’s risk management program.  I hope the tips above have given you some ideas for developing your own plan.  If you would like a template, please contact me at cstorm@oswaldcompanies.com

 

 

THE BENEFITS OF RETENTION

The Benefits of Retention
Melissa Robinson, MBA, SPHR
Follow me on Twitter @FLInsuranceGal

Workers are poised for a mass exodus next year, according to a poll of more than 1,400 workers in North America by Right Management. The exact percentage is 84%, up from 60% in the previous year. If you are a business leader – you need to take note of this finding.

Can you really afford to lose employees? One? Two? Maybe. But what would a mass exodus cost you in terms of production, morale, and most of all – your reputation with your customers and competitors.

People will leave for any number of reasons but what if you took the stance and communicated that the grass is greener on your side? Ask your employees what they want. Conduct exit interviews if they leave.

The last few years have been hard for many employers. They have to do more with less. Take a different spin. Offer more for less. Would it hurt to add voluntary benefits? It makes the benefits package you offer look more robust and employees get the advantage of group rates.

Below is a list of benefits that won’t cost you little to nothing but can be a BIG deal for some of your employees. You may offer some, or even all of these benefits. Tell us what we missed.

–        Access to company season tickets

–        Birthday off with pay

–        Credit union access

–        Critical illness

–        Dental insurance

–        Designated casual days

–        Direct deposit

–        Discounted memberships to wholesale clubs (i.e. Costco)

–        Discounted entertainment tickets (movies, theme parks)

–        Discounts of products/services of your customers and/or vendors

–        Discounts on your products or services

–        Home/auto insurance (group discount)

–        Life insurance

–        Opportunity to purchase used computers when you upgrade

–        Pet insurance

–        Recognize milestones (birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, births)

–        Short term disability

–        Long term disability

–        Supplemental life

–        Vision insurance

Survey Finds Sharp Rise in Employee Discontent                                                             Right Management