by David Schek | Aug 8, 2016 | Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
Employers hope it never happens to them, but the possibility of a terrorist attack in a workplace, whether it be in a factory or a nightclub, is now a grim reality. Even if an employer appears to be unlikely target, example: San Bernardino, it can still happen, resulting in serious injury or death.
As a staffing firm, you assign employees to different clients every day with the expectation that they will be safe, especially if the employer has an outstanding safety record. You can never be 100 percent sure that your employees won’t be the victims of a “lone wolf” terrorist attack, which is the nature of the attacks in the U.S.
But, you can take steps to mitigate the risk. Where will your employees be working? Will they be in a large building with hundreds of employees? Will they be on duty during a busy shift? What is the layout? What is the security like? How does an employer handle disgruntled/fired employees? A PEO can help you address these questions, so you can lessen your workers’ comp exposure.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about all our staffing and workers’ comp offerings.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
by David Schek | Jun 30, 2016 | Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
Whether it’s a gym membership or a smoking cessation class, many employers are designing wellness programs to boost their employees’ health. A healthy employee is likely to be more productive and is less prone to illness or serious injury. For staffing firms, how the program is designed is the key to its success.
An employer should instill a culture of wellness that encourages employees to get healthy and stay healthy. Simply subsidizing a gym membership or handing out gift certificates for reaching weight goals, does not ensure long-term health. A workplace designed around fitness such as flexible hours for working out, encouraging walking or riding a bike to work, and offering healthful lunch options, can achieve long-term results.
A PEO can work with your company to design an effective wellness program that also meets all the regulatory requirements including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and relevant state laws. It’s worth noting that in some states, an employer sponsored wellness program, such as a gym membership, could mean you’re on the hook if an employee is injured while participating.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about all our staffing and workers’ comp offerings.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
by David Schek | Jun 16, 2016 | Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
Confusing and numerous state and federal regulations are a surefire way to spend valuable time trying to figure out how your staffing company should comply with all these rules.
Workers compensation and discrimination laws can trip up a staffing company in our very litigious country/work environment, causing a staffing owner to spend valuable time and financial resources cleaning up legal messes that a client creates with one of your temp employees. If your client discriminates against one of your temporary employees, your staffing firm is also potentially liable, unless you use a PEO.
Workers’ comp also differs from state to state and can create a jam if you have temporary employees in multiple states. Many direct carrier policies and ALL State Fund policies will not allow you to expand into other states to better service your large clients. Our PEO’s service 48 States. It’s also worth noting that some cities and counties have their own rules, in particular, reporting requirements for wages. This makes it even more confusing to the staffing owner who wants to stay in compliance with all the labor laws
Professional Employer Organizations can unravel the tangled web of workers’ compensation laws, IRS requirements and EEOC guidance, protecting staffing firms against actions by their clients.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about all our staffing and workers’ comp offerings.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
by David Schek | Jun 9, 2016 | Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
In December the Department of Labor will finalize the new rules on overtime pay. Specifically, the new rule would double the amount salaried employees make to qualify for overtime from $23,660 to $47,476 annually. The rule also builds in a mechanism to update salary and compensation levels every three years starting in 2020. In addition to increasing costs for staffing companies, these new rules will create new bookkeeping challenges for you and your clients. These are only a few of the rules in this regulation (see overview below). And true to form, there are plenty of pitfalls that could easily trap employers if not correctly implemented.
https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/overtime-overview.pdf
This presents an opportunity re-evaluate your overtime policies. This includes looking at all your exempt positions and possibly increasing salaries, where feasible, to get above the new threshold. You can also review and limit permissible overtime. It’s also worth considering that your clients might use more part time help, so a marketing campaign geared towards this new rule may be very effective.
The changes are complicated and failure to apply them properly could lead to fines and penalties. If you’re considering restructuring your overtime policy lessen the impact of the rules, a professional employer organization (PEO) can help overhaul your policies to guarantee that any changes you make comply with the overtime rules.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about workers’ compensation and administration payroll solutions.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
by David Schek | Jun 2, 2016 | Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
I hope all staffing owners had a restful Memorial Day holiday. The Holiday gave me some time to reflect on the importance of a workers’ compensation loss history report to a staffing company.
In the news these days we see many commercials about the importance of our individual credit reports. We are told, rightly so, how a good credit score will help us secure lower cost mortgages, lower cost life insurances policies, and better terms on car loans. Things that make a difference to most folks in their personal lives.
In the staffing world, a company’s workers compensation loss history/ report is equally important. It is a part of your business that needs to be protected and developed as much as possible. A poor loss report will result in higher rates and, consequently, lower profit margins. In fact, a really poor work comp history can result in rates so high that you cannot afford to stay in business. Every day I quote staffing companies with a broad variety of loss histories, and see how much their rates (with the same codes and the same states) can vary from quote to quote.
In my weekly blogs, I write about best practices, so all staffing owners can develop a positive workers compensation history, enjoy lower work comp rates, and have access to the best workers/ lowest cost compensation programs. The programs range from PEO (professional employer organization) programs to EOR (Employer if Record) programs to direct policy programs. From programs with no deductibles to programs with high deductibles. My clients use different programs to get the best rates. But all these programs are based on my clients having (or building) a good work comp history.
Please feel free to contact me at David@StaffingCompSolutions.com, call at (202) 302-1212, or visit our site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com to learn more about best workers’ compensation practices for staffing companies.
Sincerely
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
by David Schek | May 26, 2016 | Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Workers Comp, Workers' Compensation Insurance
Litigation against employers has spiked within the last 20 years, and it will likely get worse as expanding labor regulations give employees more tools with which to sue. Discrimination suits connected to wrongful termination drive litigation costs frequently to the detriment of employees. As the article below explains, with so much being paid to lawyers, there is less money available for wages and benefits.
https://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/dunlop/section4.htm
For staffing firms, this is money out the door. It doesn’t even include the cost of workers’ comp claims, which also must be litigated by defense attorneys, whether they have merit or not. Lawyers always win. Partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) or EOR can help control these costs.
PEOs not only keep employers informed and up-to-date regarding the rules and regulations, they can also assist in designing administrative dispute resolution programs that meet state and federal standards. Avoiding an onerous court battle can effectively benefit the employee while holding down the cost of business.
Work Comp Staffing Solutions can help introduce you to the best PEO’s and work comp specialists.
Visit our web site at www.StaffingCompSolutions.com, call us at 202-302-1212, or email us at david@StaffingCompSolutions.com for more information about all our staffing and workers’ comp offerings.
Sincerely,
David Schek
President
StaffingCompSolutions.com
