Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a phased-in system of paid family leave (PFL) that became effective January 1, 2018 for New York employers. Administered by the State of New York Workers’ Compensation Division, PFL is an automatic rider to your statutory disability policy. PFL eligibility and internal administration...
Author Archives: Joshua D. Crowder, AAI-M
Driving for the Ministry? What church leadership needs to know
Can your church get sued over a car accident, even if the church does not own a vehicle? The answer is yes. Any time a person drives his or her own vehicle on church business, liability is generated for the church ministry. This could be the pastor driving to visit...
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or Senior Executives that help provide direction, influence decision making and help craft policy? Are you on such a board? By participating in such a capacity, somebody becomes personally liable for decisions that they make in that role. In light of the...
Working or Volunteering with Children?
If you work or volunteer with children it is important to know how to properly protect your organization against potential threats. Abuse and Molestation Coverage protects your organization from the unthinkable act of a defenseless, dependent child being abused or molested. The Merriam Insurance Agency addresses abuse in two parts,...
You may have a lawsuit on the horizon . . .
Did you know you could be sued for seemingly innocuous actions? Things such as: the “wrongful imprisonment” of the neighborhood kid you caught lurking in your backyard and suspected him of burglary. In good conscience, you kept him there until the police arrived, but they determined he really was just...
What Caused the Damage and Who Cares?
“What” is very important, and “You” care, or at least you will when “What” happens. Suppose that “What” is a bolt of lightning that starts a fire in your house; or that “What” is a vehicle that missed the turn and drives through the front window of your business; or...
Going the Extra Mile
The early snowfall in Western New York this past winter caught national attention when the Buffalo Bills had to play a “home” game in Detroit, because there was too much snow to get to the stadium. This is a rare problem for people in that part of the state. They...
Attention Business Owners!
It is difficult to do much business in the current environment without taking advantage of some of the conveniences afforded by technology. As businesses expand the use of time saving and efficiency-improving devices, those involved in organized crime are doing the same.
Drop Dead Deadline
It is common for the Human Resources person at a workplace to pass out new forms every year during open enrollment, requiring every employee to indicate their personal information and that of their spouse and children, as well as the health plan they are choosing, the primary care physician, etc. It seems that there is always a question that cannot be answered immediately so these forms are set aside to complete later. Sometimes, later is after the deadline
Residential Fire Awareness
According to a recent U.S. Fire Administration study, on an annual basis, fire departments across the country are called to 360,900 fires, resulting in “2,495 deaths, 13,250 injuries and $7 billion in property losses.” This research also found that residential building fires peaked between 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., typically while people are cooking dinner. What can be done to reduce the likelihood of a death, injury or property loss as a result of a residential fire?