We all love the magic of Halloween. Whether it be trick-or-treating, going to costume parties, or making a trip to a neighborhood haunted house, the season makes everyone feel like a child again. For parents, however, there is often a fine line between Halloween fun and Halloween worries, especially when it comes to road and personal safety. To ensure adults have peace of mind, and children have a safe holiday, Merriam Insurance recommends you follow this list of suggested Halloween safety tips: A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds If your older children are going alone, plan, review, and agree upon an acceptable route. Be sure your children understand that they are to never cross streets between cars. They should always cross the street at a corner. Agree on a specific time your children should return home Remind your children to never enter a stranger's home or car, and to not approach a house that has its porch lights off, indicating they are not participating in the evening’s festivities. Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stay in a group with their friends Tell your children to not eat any treats until they return home All costumes should be fire-resistant Avoid wearing masks that obstruct vision or long garments that can become a tripping hazard. Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags or provide glow sticks. Ensure all make-up is nontoxic. Always test for allergic reactions in a small area first Remove all [...]

It is once again the holiday season, a time when many companies choose to host holiday parties and charity events. While these gatherings can provide opportunities for your employees and their guests to mingle casually and revel in the spirit of the holidays, they can also prove to be a liability for you and your company. That is why it is important that you take reasonable precautions to minimize risk and financially protect yourself through proper insurance coverage. The United States Department of Labor states that hosting a holiday party with improper use of alcohol can make your company more vulnerable to liability under Workers’ Compensation or other laws. When you host a holiday party and serve alcohol as part of the festivities, liquor liability can be covered by your Commercial General Liability policy. However, it is always best to check with your insurance agent or broker first, to make sure this coverage is specifically included. If you are a company without a liquor license that does not serve alcohol, you may not need a Liquor Liability policy. We strongly recommend you discuss the specific serving practices, whether by staff or by the guests themselves, with a trusted insurance advisor, to make sure you have the protection you want for this activity. In addition to a Commercial General Liability policy, businesses should also consider purchasing an Employment Practices Liability policy. This policy will protect your company from claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, emotional distress, and other workplace-related issues. When purchasing this [...]

As of January 1, 2018, New York State’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) began to provide paid time off so an employee can: bond with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child; care for a family member with a serious health condition; or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military duty. The immediate benefits notwithstanding, PFL allows you to continue your health insurance while on leave and guarantees that you return to the same or a comparable job after your leave ends. Who is Eligible? If you work a regular work schedule of 20 or more hours per week, you are eligible after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. If you work a regular work schedule of less than 20 hours per week, you are eligible after working 175 days, which do not need to be consecutive. You are also eligible regardless of your citizenship and/or immigration status. What is the Benefit? For 2019, PFL will pay 55% of your average weekly wage, not to exceed 55% of the New York State average weekly wage, for a maximum of 10 weeks. However, the benefit is set to increase each year for the following two years, through 2021, and will be capped at 67% of your average weekly wage for a maximum of 12 weeks. Payroll Deduction The 2019 payroll contribution is 0.153% of all weekly wages, capped at 0.153% of the current State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW). The SAWW is $1,357.12. Contributions will continue until the annual [...]

Hurricane Florence is expected to wreak havoc this week, and as it approaches the Southeast coast of the United States, the area affected can expect to experience hurricane-force winds in excess of 80 mph. For those of you who are in path of this storm, we encourage you to follow this comprehensive list that was found online detailing the necessary steps to help protect your family and possessions: Charge any device that provides light. Laptops, tablets, cameras, video cameras, and old phones. Old cell phones can still be used for dialing 911. Charge external battery backups. Wash all trash cans, big and small, and fill with water for flushing toilets. Line outdoor trash cans with trash bags, fill with water and store in the garage. Add bleach to sterilize. Fill every tub and sink with water. Cover sinks with plastic wrap to keep it from collecting dust. Fill washing machine and leave lid up to store water. Fill old empty water bottles and other containers with water and keep near sinks for washing hands. Fill every Tupperware with water and store in freezer. These will help keep food cold longer and serve as a backup water supply. Fill drinking cups with water and cover with plastic wrap. Store as many as possible in fridge. The rest you can store on the counter and use first before any water bottles are opened. Ice is impossible to find after the storm. Reserve fridge space for storing tap water and keep the sealed water bottles […]

The following is an overview of how we counsel in the development of an active shooter protocol. This guide is designed to help you utilize resources in your community to craft a response plan that fits your organization. Through this guide you will learn how to: Educate key staff on protocols the experts recommend. Draw on the knowledge and experience of local law enforcement and other first responders. Develop and implement a crisis response plan. Develop training appropriate for all employees and complete drills at least twice annually. Step 1: Research Your Active Shooter Plan You will need to select a point person within your organization to organize meetings with local law enforcement and first responders. This point person should be the chairperson of the committee that develops your crisis plan. You will need someone who writes well to take notes and organize the group’s conclusions. As the plan is being developed, you want input from both male and female staff. We encourage you to have a group of 2–4 people who meet with first responders and develop the first draft of the crisis response plan. We also recommend you request that your leadership team participate in some or all of these meetings with first responders. Ask the local police/first responders to walk your campus with you and point out potential issues they see. Note these carefully. These can include unmonitored means of egress, glass windows that could be shot out and walked through, or areas of staff vulnerability, such as your […]

As the Affordable Care Act enters into a new phase, many regulations attached to it may represent a burden to your organization. The Health Benefit experts at Merriam Insurance may have the solution, HR360. HR360 our FREE online HR Library, features a step-by-step guide on how to comply with major benefit laws including ACA Health Care, COBRA, FMLA, OSHA, ERISA, etc. Included are dynamic interactive HR tools such as a job description builder and a salary benchmarking section. The forms and policy section features over 500 sample forms available for downloading, customizing and printing. Whether you have 5 or 5,000 employees, our comprehensive library makes it easy to stay compliant. You may view a 15-minute video demonstration of the HR360 site by following this link. Remember, there is NO COST for this product for our clients. Should you have any further questions, we would be happy to discuss this topic further. Alternatively, you can request to ENROLL now by simply contacting a member of the Merriam Insurance Health Benefits team.