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... x No Thanks Loading.. Be Aware! Avoid Danger On Public Transportation 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Bill Kliewer This content has not been rated yet. BE AWARE! AVOID DANGER ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION &# 160by Bill Kliewer Bill Kliewer explains how situational awareness and a personal contingency plan can enhance your chance of avoiding or surviving a terrorist attack. &# 160 On July 26, 2005, New York City police began conducting random searches of subway passengers' bags amid security concerns raised by the July 7 London bombings. Officials from the Washington, D.C., transit system went to New York on July 28 to evaluate the new measures for possible use in the capital's metro. Considering the difficulties in securing public transportation (the New York City subway carries an estimated 4.5 million riders a day; Washington's carries about 700,000) the government can provide an overall level of security, while local law enforcement agencies can enhance security with increased vigilance. Ultimately, however, you need to take some responsibility for your own personal security. The best way is to maintain a heightened level of situational awareness. Being observant of surroundings and people in your vicinity is essential to identifying potential threats and dangerous situations. Although daily commuters will find it tempting to immerse themselves in a book or newspaper to pass the time, it's a good idea at least to pause long enough to evaluate people as they board at each stop. &# 160 While maintaining good situational awareness, you also need to trust your own instincts. On a primal level, people are aware of potential dangers ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Stratch Their I.T.C.H. – Watch People Beat A Path To Your Door!4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Mitch Axelrod This content has not been rated yet. What business are you in? Today, you, I, and everyone else is in the I.T.C.H. business! Information - to help make good choices and decisions. Transportation - to get people from point A to point B. Communication - to send clear messages that attract resources and relationships. Help - to serve, and improve the lives of others. The more people who's I.T.C.H. you scratch, the more success you'll have. The more ways you scratch a buyer's I.T.C.H., the more business you'll get. Information Everyone needs sound information to make good decisions. In his terrific book, Creating a New Civilization, Alvin Toffler says, "development and distribution of information is the central productivity and power activity of the human race." We organize information into knowledge, and draw upon our experience and wisdom. All these weigh heavily in the choices and decisions we make. You can provide useful information in many forms: Newsletters, special reports, bulletins, audio magazines, online E-zines, etc. If you don't write or can't create one of these in-house, joint venture with someone who does, provided it offers value your audience will appreciate. Your readers (customers, buyers, or prospects) don't really care who writes the information. They care that it has value to them. The three keys to communication are Impact, Frequency, and Medium. Send ...

... driver safety program with the following rules. Use of Personal Vehicles Before employees can use their personal vehicles for company business, they are required to provide proof that they own the vehicle or have authorization from the registered owner to drive the vehicle for their work. A copy of the vehicle registration or a letter or other document must be supplied to the employee's supervisor and will be kept on file. Before employees can use their personal vehicles for company business, they are required to provide proof that they have auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employees current policy must be given to the employee's supervisor and will be kept in the personnel files. A new copy must be provided at the time the current policy expires to show that the insurance has been renewed. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven. The transporting vehicles must be equipped with adequate seats. Vehicles must be equipped with lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals in good repair. Vehicles must be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load which can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments they must be placed in closed boxes or containers which cannot shift, topple or become unstable. Employee transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition ...

... these formal guidelines that were integrated into the Vehicle Safety Program to reduce vehicle accidents and limit the company's liability resulting from driver negligence. Use of Personal Vehicles Before employees can use their personal vehicles for company business, they are required to provide proof that they own the vehicle or have authorization from the registered owner to drive the vehicle for their work. A copy of the vehicle registration or a letter or other document must be supplied to the employee's supervisor and will be kept on file. Employees using personal vehicles for work must also provide proof of Auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employee's current policy must be kept on file with the employee's supervisor. After a policy expires, a copy of the renewed policy must be provided to prove continuation of coverage. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus or truck, the operator must have a license to drive the class of vehicle driven by the employee. All vehicles must be equipped with adequate seats and working lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals. Vehicles must be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load which can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are placed in the passenger space, they must be enclosed in closed boxes or containers which cannot shift, topple, or become unstable. Vehicles must carry at least two reflective type flares and a fully charged fire extinguisher maintained in working condition. Vehicle Safety Rules Do ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Dot Drug And Alcohol Testing Regulations: Are You Ready?4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Karen Herson This content has not been rated yet. DOT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING REGULATIONS: ARE YOU READY? by Karen Herson and Bill Current Do you know that if you employ anyone who must, in the course of his or her job, possess a commercial driver's license (CDL) and perform safety-sensitive' functions as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), you are required to conduct drug and alcohol testing? Although drug testing had long been mandated by DOT, the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 goes further by also requiring alcohol testing and extends coverage to intrastate drivers and all CDL holders. This legislation greatly increased the number of workers covered. DOT estimates that nearly 8 million workers across the country are now affected by the requirements of the Act, which also applies to the aviation, railway, marine, and pipeline industries. The DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations unquestionably represent one of the most complex and costly federal regulations in existence today. Most of the requirements are beyond the capabilities of many small business owners. However, the drug-free workplace consulting firm of Robert Stutman & Associates has developed a product that literally takes the hassle and the exorbitant expense out of complying with the regulations. We'll discuss this in greater depth later in this article. For now, let's examine exactly what the regulations require of you. WHO IS COVERED? The DOT's explanation of safety-sensitive' functions in the motor carrier industry is simply ...

... handle. The attorneys and investigators are consumed with other cases. It shouldn't come as any surprise that 80% of all litigated Workers Compensation claims get to that stage because nobody has communicated with the employee, who is scared, confused, and frustrated by the system. If you run a business, you can reduce malingering significantly if you attend to it at its beginning. The best defense against malingering is active involvement in the employee's claim, starting the minute you receive notice of a claim. Someone in your organization (let's call him or her the firm's rep) should be responsible for ensuring that any employee making a Workers Compensation claim is promptly taken to a doctor, and for immediately informing the Workers Compensation claims department of your insurance company in writing and by telephone. The rep should transport the employee to the physician directly (unless, of course, it's a serious situation that requires the services of an emergency medical transport), and should stay at the doctor's office until any necessary examination and treatment are completed. The rep should then take the applicant home or back to work, as directed by the physician. While at the doctor's office, the firm's rep should ask the physician about the status of the claimed medical condition, what the recommended treatment is, and what might be a reasonable return-to-work date-all in the presence of the employee. If the employee or physician objects to the disclosure of such information, advise them that you are ensuring Workers Compensation compliance, that you need to make sure the employer has sufficient resources to cover for the lost manpower, and that you'll ...

... vehicle accidents and limit your liability resulting from driver negligence, you may want to adopt a driver safety program. Use of Personal Vehicles Before employees can use their personal vehicles for company business, they should provide proof that they own the vehicle or have authorization from the registered owner to drive it for their work. Make sure a copy of the vehicle's registration, a letter, or similar document has been supplied to the employee's supervisor and kept on file. When using their own personal vehicles for company business, employees must show proof that they have Auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employee's current policy must be given to his or her supervisor and kept in the personnel files. When an insurance policy expires, a copy of the renewal must be supplied. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate for the class of vehicle being driven, and the vehicle must be equipped with adequate seats. Lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals should be in good repair. The vehicles must also be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups, or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load that can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments, they must be placed in closed boxes or containers that cannot shift or topple. Employee-transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective-type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition should also be kept ...

... . Sometimes, insurance companies can help students achieve those health and wellness goals by giving them discounts or special offers on such services. For instance, students may receive special gym membership deals, annual free dental and vision consultations/treatment, free or cheaper vitamin prescriptions, etc. Making the health and wellness industry more available to students is a powerful move to enhancing young people's well-being. Special school plans Each insurance can be tailored according to the main needs of each client. Thus, customized student plans deliver essential services and care based on research and common requests. Such plans include preventative care, doctor visits, hospitalization, injury treatment, drug prescription, etc. Students won't have to overpay for services that aren't their priorities. Yet, they will have it covered in all other dimensions. Transportation (for international students) Finally, international students or even students from out of state can count on transportation help in case of a health emergency. In some cases, a student may not be able to take care of all the booking and other travel details on their own. Here, students can count on assistance from the insurance company. In other cases, insurance can cover the already paid expenses after the fact of travel. Both options help students avoid unexpected expenses due to a medical emergency like operations, accidents, or else. Bottom line Most young people in college still believe in being invincible. They are yet to learn to care about their physical and mental health. Yet, having insurance in college can be the difference between debt and no financial burden, timely preventative care ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. What's My Agency Worth?4/30/2013 by Al Diamond , CompleteMarkets Editor This content has not been rated yet. Why is an agency worth different amounts in different valuation scenarios? The value of a business (including an insurance agency) depends on the condition and needs of the buyer, not just the needs of the seller. When is a $1 retail priced bottle of water worth $100? When is a $1 retail priced bottle of water worth nothing? If a water bottler defines a $1 price for a bottle of water, they're considering the cost of the water itself, the cost of bottling and transporting it, the cost of labor, and a profit margin. The end result is that $1 becomes the retail price of the water. But what if the water was transported to the edge of a desert in which there were no other source of water? That bottle could easily be worth $100 to a parched buyer. On the other hand, if the water were offered next to the source at which it was bottled, a clean spring that also provides the water supply to a community, the bottle might be correctly priced at $1 to cover the seller's costs and profit — but who needs to buy it at all? The value of the water, like the value of a business (including an insurance agency), depends on the condition and needs of the buyer, not just the needs of the seller. If an insurance agency is a corporation and its owners take all available ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Recent Cases Clarify Employer Liabilities 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , David DePaolo This content has not been rated yet. Several recent cases issued from the appellate courts and the California Supreme Court are of interest to employers providing their Workers Compensation coverage. Although the cases are unrelated in subject matter for the most part, they have one universal theme: In attempting to balance benefits in a reminder, the application of disability laws must be done with some reasonableness. AVALON BAY FOODS V. WCAB The 1998 California Supreme Court case of Avalon Bay Foods v. WCAB addressed two issues: whether the penalty for unreasonable delay in payment of medical treatment transportation expenses properly applies to the full amount of the award for medical treatment expenses whether the employer or its insurer has to reimburse the injured worker for medical treatment transportation costs within 60 days of receiving documentation, pursuant to Labor Code section 4603.2, subdivision (b ) This case is significant because the applicant's bar has recently been having a field day asserting penalties and collecting ridiculous amounts of money against insurers for what seem to be minor offenses. The court held that medical mileage reimbursement is an element of medical treatment under the definition of the Labor Code-and thus if the insurer fails to pay the medical mileage reimbursement request on time it's subject to a penalty on the entire value of medical treatment expenses. However, the court also found that since the reimbursement request is the same as a medical treatment expense, the insurer has 60 days to pay or otherwise object to it. Thus, the result of this case is ...