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Success in this market is all about partnering with the right broker. Your preferred partner for Garage Liability, Garage Keepers and/or Dealers' Open Lot is Midlands where you have direct access to a skilled and responsive underwriting team with decades of combined experience. Partner with us for expert assistance tailoring coverages for the, complex needs of your client’s unique risk.

Given the ever expanded concept of what constitutes a disability, employers will continue to face an ever growing compliance challenge. Here are some basics to be remembered: Knowledge of the need to accommodate an employee can come from numerous sources including a work comp claims manager, a company supervisor or manager, HR, the employee themselves, a union rep, a doctor, poor performance, simple observation, or some kind of hotline call. To have a good process, it must be laid out step-by-step with supporting documentation. Be interactive. Remember the rule that the first to give up on the dialogue process generally loses. Have appropriate education and training. For example, HR could create a simple video to help employees with the accommodation process. Allow managers to engage in simple, easy and quick accommodations. Proper documentation of all steps in the process. Ongoing communication, monitoring, feedback, and improvement. The accommodation process begins with a needs assessment. This means a thorough review of the job description and duties and a clear understanding of the employee's limitations including potential absences etc. Remember you can accommodate an employee by the following means: Changing facilities or equipment Job restrictions Modifying schedules Modifying a test, training, or policies Offering vacant positions within their skill range Offering temporary positions (the ADA does not require you to create a new position for an employee) Support including readers, interpreters, or even dogs A leave of absence Any other idea that would generate a reasonable accommodation Proper documentation of any undue burden One of the biggest mistakes an employer makes is to assume in advance that an accommodation would create an undue burden. If the request is reasonable, the best approach is to let them try it and to be clear about performance standards. Document any shortcomings their accommodations may be causing and continue to communicate about ways to elevate them. There is extensive material on the ADA on HR That Works including flow charts, checklists, forms, and policies to use. There is also training you can provide your managers (a good idea). Also remember if you have over 50 employees the FMLA may allow an employee who has serious medical condition up to 12 weeks of leave which they may use instead of accepting an accommodation.

As with any business, agricultural producers face risks of all kinds. However, the two most important risks facing farmers are yield and price. Fortunately, producers can buy insurance that reduces their exposure to low yields or low prices. Unavoidable risks protected by crop insurance include: * Heat * Hail * Drought * Frost * Freeze * Pests * Excess Moisture Since the 1930s, crop insurance has been available to agricultural producers in the United States. However, it was in the 1990s that the United States government promoted crop insurance by offering new products and more insurance premium subsidies. The Risk Management Agency (RMA), is part of the United States Department of Agriculture is the governing authority for the crop insurance program and is in charge of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). Private insurance companies contract with RMA to service crop insurance sold through independent insurance agencies. As with other disaster insurance programs, such as the National Flood Insurance Program, the private sector sells crop insurance, as the private sector is more efficient and rapidly adjudicates claims. Crop insurance is unique in that companies selling Federal Crop insurance have a mandate to sell to any farmer, even those who are at high risk, at the same premium set in advance by the Federal government. Even farmers in high-risk drought areas such as California get policies without special underwriting standards or higher premium rates. Without crop insurance, agricultural producers would have difficulty in achieving financial stability, a more difficult time in getting and repaying loans. Crop insurance allows agricultural producers to help forward marketing. Essential facts about United States Crop Insurance * Farmers share in the cost of the program * Agricultural producers are personally responsible for managing risk * Under the program, the producer gets tailored risk management solutions * Quick indemnity pay outs * The crop insurance program is dynamic; it can quickly adjust and self-correct * Payments to producers never exceed actual insured losses * Insurance is allowable collateral for loans * Growers have no payment limits that cut protection from losses * Insured growers have the benefit of private sector efficiency * The program has the flexibility to meet World Trade Organization support limits The United States crop insurance program provides so much more than just protection from risk. It plays a vital role in keeping the agriculture industry functioning. Contact our office to make sure you are completely covered. Content provided by Transformer Marketing. Sources: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/cmspubsclass/files/cgwalters/Understanding%20Crop%20Insurance.pdf, http://www2.ca.uky.edu/cmspubsclass/files/cgwalters/Understanding%20Crop%20Insurance.pdf, http://www.cropinsuranceinamerica.org/just-the-facts/is-crop-insurance-like-other-forms-of-insurance/, https://www.cropinsurers.com/images/pdf/focus-on-congress/Importance_of_Crop_Insurance_in_the_US.pdf

Employees who don't learn the safe way to work are accidents waiting to happen -- and that means that workplace safety training should play an integral role in your company's risk management program. Repetition is essential to this process. Make sure that your trainers repeat essential work safety concepts, information, and terms several times. Look at it this way: At any moment during a training session, some trainees probably aren't going to be paying full attention -- and if they don't hear something, they're not going to do it when they get back on the job. What's more, many people might need to hear, see, or experience things at least twice before they understand. Repetition is also important when it comes to practical applications of safety information. Employees need the opportunity to practice what they've learned until it's locked into their heads and their performance is flawless. So when a safety procedure involves a practical act, be sure that the trainers give a demonstration, repeat it a few times until everybody catches on, and provide feedback while trainees practice. You'll also need repetition to make sure that workers don't forget what they're supposed to have learned. Training industry leader Bob Pike says that people can remember 90% of what they've learned one hour after training, 50% after a day, 25% after two days, and only 10% 30 days later. According to Pike, full retention of subject matter requires no fewer than six repetitions! That means plenty of follow-up and refresher training -- especially for more complex material. Other experts recommend spacing safety reinforcement training so that employees can practice new procedures and skills or use new information on the job supported by coaching before they go back to the classroom for review and additional training.

...d." Contact Scurich Insurance Services today to get a review of your agricu...

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SALINAS, Calif. —Wednesday update for DISH satellite subscribers: Hearst Television Inc. announced that it has reached a retransmission consent agreement with Dish Network covering carriage of Hearst Television stations in the 25 Hearst Television markets. In a statement released Wednesday morning the company said: "We appreciate the support and patience of our viewers, advertisers and local communities served by our stations. We regret the inconvenience they’ve experienced over the past several hours. We are pleased the interruption was brief and that our stations have been restored on DISH Network systems." Hearst Television, a national multi-media company, owns and operates 29 local television stations and two local radio stations reaching approximately 18% of U.S. television households. The TV stations broadcast 60 video channels, featuring local and national news, weather, information, sports and entertainment programming, and local community service-oriented programs. The stations also host and operate digital on-line and mobile platforms that extend the company’s brands and content to local, national and international audiences. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies, and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Corporation. The Company’s Web address is www.hearsttelevision.com. Content provided by: http://www.ksbw.com/news/central-california/salinas/ksbw-notice-to-dish-satellite-subscribers/25332500#ixzz2yQgl3PGh