NEWS & ARTICLES FROM Baer Insurance Services

COVID-19: Reporting Work Comp Payroll During Furlough

In this difficult time business owners have been forced to make many challenging decisions, such as furloughing their employees.  This information is for those that have decided to continue to pay their employees out of their own pockets during this National Emergency.

The Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau (WCRB) has made a decision on how furlough pay will be reported by business owners:

Rule V – Premium Basis – H. Wages For Time Not Worked Wages paid to employees who have been furloughed during the time period where a state-wide emergency order issued by a public official, whether or not the employer is exempted from the emergency order, shall be reported at audit under stat code 0012 – Paid Furloughed Workers During A Governmental Emergency Order Impacting Employment.…

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Drug Testing Policies and Work Comp: How They Affect Each Other

Consider the following scenario. You have had an employee injured on a job site and your HR policy indicates that you need to have that employee drug tested. You think nothing of it because it’s standard practice, however, what if the employee fails the drug test? Your HR policy states that there are now grounds for termination. In compliance with your stated policies, you fire the injured employee. But have you thought about how the Workers Compensation responds?

This is a very challenging topic that many employers have been faced with, and a topic I have recently helped one of my clients navigate.…

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Design-Build Liability, I’m covered right?

We are often asked about the need for professional liability coverage when we’re conducting our business assessment with general contractors and design-build firms. Our answer usually surprises even the most sophisticated firms. Though design services may or may not be specifically excluded in General Liability (GL) policies, the amount of coverage and support offered is very limited at best. These limitations create a coverage gap for firms that are involved in project design because of the specific damages they are designed to cover; bodily injury or property damage.…

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OSHA 300 New Deadline! Are you ready?

March 2nd is the new deadline to electronically report your OSHA 300A (summary of work related injury and illness) for 2018 data.  If you are currently tracking this information with OSHA 300, this will be a brand new means and deadline for reporting. According to OSHA’s website, certain high-risk industries are required to report by this date.  It is in your best interest to be proactive and see if your company is included in that, and not rely on OSHA to notify you.…

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What is your “Why”?

Insurance policies and risk management strategies are traditionally slow to change, is your insurance provider helping you to get ahead of the curve?

In my last blog I addressed some of the issues we see in the commercial insurance industry that negatively impact businesses and their employees. Though each business we work with has unique needs, we have been told by our clients that the education and enlightenment we provide is worth the time they spend with us. Our clients choose Baer because we help them define a risk management strategy, provide the tools and encouragement they need to take action, and most of all help hold them accountable to executing that strategy.…

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Surprise! OSHA is on your job site!

Did you know that OSHA personnel can visit your business or job site without any event or complaint? OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs (NEPs) exist to recognize and mitigate specific hazards and high hazard industries. If your business falls within an NEP, you could be next in line for a surprise visit. There is no phone call, email or letter informing you of this visit, a compliance officer will just show up at your business or job site.

Imagine starting your day by finding out that OSHA is on site.…

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Rethinking the Commercial Insurance Experience

The commercial insurance buying experience is a mess. For too long agents, and in turn clients, have been making decisions based on a flawed process. The buyer determines it’s time to “shop” their insurance. They reach out to their current representative and maybe 1 or 2 more agents, “Bring me quotes,” they say. The agents jump, collecting current insurance information, determining what companies to get quotes from and finding the best, “can’t be beat” pricing. Because we as insurance professionals are willing to engage in this manner, the buying decisions are made based on price and a few ancillary “throw-in” features or benefits.…

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