Navigating through a multitude of often conflicting legal requirements is very tricky and can lead to unanticpated financial liabilities for any organization.

Learn how to avoid the obstacles and take the best path when it comes to Wage & Hour questions and related issues.

Join a local panel of specialists, who will discuss the latest legal developments in the area of wage & hour law, including:

·         Meal & rest periods  --- the California Supreme Court Brinker decision

·         Overtime exemptions

·         Handling a claim before the labor commissioner

Where & When:

                Sacramento State Alumni Center

                6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA

                Tuesday May 22, 2012

                7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Who are some of the specialists who will participate in this seminar?

·         Lizbeth West, The Weintraub Law Practice

·         Jordan T. L. Peters, Peters Law, Inc.

·         Mark Janatpour, Sr. Deputy Labor Commissioner

·         Charles Post, The Weintraub Law Practice

This event is sponsored by the Sacramento Employers Advisory Council (SEAC), which is a nonprofit organization in partnership with EDD to inform employers about employment laws

Breakfast is included in this event

Members of SEAC $75.00 in advance (my May 15^th)

Non Members of SEAC $110.00 in advance (my May 15^th)

Parking available adjacent to the alumni center

Register at SEAC Wage & Hour Registration  or copy & paste this link: http://ceac.org/region_3/sacramento_eac/saceac_events/

For more information call Melissa Ford, SEAC Administrator at 916-484-4647 or email admin@saceac.cm

Employers, here is a scary situation and hopefully not a new trend.

In a recent court case that emanated from a workers’ compensation claim, a federal court indicated that carpal tunnel syndrome may fall under the Americans With Disability Act, commonly known as ADA.

This case occurred in Kansas and involved an employee who was  employed part time with a company as a sales and service representative.  Once the employee’s condition became know, the HR manager expressed hostility  towards the employee and made it difficult for the employee to receive accommodations to make her work more comfortable.  The HR manager also stated to the employee that the company was losing money because of her medical condition. The injured employee had successful surgery, returned to work and was later terminated for allegedly violating a company policy that had nothing to do with the carpal tunnel injury.

This termination eventually led to an employment lawsuit by the now former employee against the employer.

You may read more details by going to WorkerCompensation.com.

Certainly, carpal tunnel workers’ comp claims are increasing and many can be avoided. With proper training and appropriate ergonomic workplace setups and procedures, many of these types of injuries will not occur.

It is too early to speculate how, or if at all, this case will affect carpal tunnel work related claims in California.   I will share any new information when it becomes available with you all.

Feel free to reach out to me for an assessment of your organization’s risks & threats. I can be contacted at 916-265-3837 or email tbone@isugroup.com

According to Conning Research & Consulting, insurance companies nationwide are raising rates in most workers’ compensation insurance classifications.  The insurance company underwriters are also taking a more conservative view when considering new customers and when making renewal proposal offers to their current customers.

The rising medical costs & lower returns on investments have caused the insurance industry to enter into a new cycle of passing on their costs through higher rates to employers. 

Many folks may not remember, but employers have enjoyed lower rates for the past few years. It seems that every 5 or so years we all participate in this roller coast rise and fall of rates.  Unfortunately, the rising rates have come at time when most employers continue to struggle financially.

You may go to  Insurance Networking News for more information.

For a detailed assessment of your organization’s situation contact me at 916-265-3837 or email tbone@isugroup.com.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:  This communication and any accompanying
document(s) are confidential and privileged.  They are intended for
the sole use of the addressee.  If you receive this transmission in
error, you are advised that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or
the taking of any action in reliance upon the communication is
strictly prohibited.  Moreover, any such inadvertent disclosure shall
not compromise or waive the attorney-client privilege as to this
communication or otherwise.  If you have received this communication
in error, please contact our IS Department at its Internet email address
(is@downeybrand.com), or by telephone at (916)444-1000 x5325. Thank
you.

Most employers are unaware that their insurance company has a Special Investigation Unit to confirm and investigate questionable claims.  These units help employers and the insurance company to confirm that the reported injuries, or illnesses, are work related and not from events that occur during off work hours.

Learn how employers can benefit from knowing about the internal workings of this group of professional investigators by tuning to “Insurance Matters” when Dalene Bartholomew of Probe Information Services will be my guest.

Dalene manages the Special Investigation Unit for this private investigation company that provides claims investigation services to insurance companies and self-insured groups.

She has extensive experience in workers’ comp claims investigations and has many, many stories to share about how some folks attempt to game the system and take money out of our pockets that does not belong to them. 

Join me at a special time of “Insurance Matters” Monday, April 9^th, 8 a.m. Pacific Time, on Sacramento’s Money 105.5 FM or Online at www.smallbiztalkradio.com . 

A podcast of this show will be posted at www.tomboneinsurancematters.com after this live and local broadcast.

If a visitor from another planet landed on Earth today and listened, watched and read what was presented in our media, they would conclude that our society has an obsession with negativity  -- they may even pass on our planet and look for another to visit.

The acknowledgment of success in our society continues to go to the “back papers” and never seems to hit the “headlines.”  We get bombarded with lots of negative news…who was not politically correct in their comments…who made an error in judgment or had some tragedy in their life.

Well, there is success all around us and many times is it not hard to find.  Here is one in our own Sacramento backyard and I wish to acknowledge and celebrate it --this is about a young man named Andrew.  He came from difficult circumstances, went through a process of change from the love, kindness and direction of others, and now he has a better life.

Tune in to a special edition of “Insurance Matters” this Tuesday, April 3^rd, 8 a.m. Pacific Time, on Sacramento’s Money 105.5 FM or Online at www.smallbiztalkradio.com

Thanks to Joti Bolina, Executive Director of A Brighter Childhood, who will join me as we chat with Andrew and learn how his life transitioned into a happier one.  A Brighter Childhood is a Sacramento Area foster care agency.

“Insurance Matters” is a live and local broadcast on Tuesdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Time, on Sacramento’s Money 105.5 FM or Online at www.smallbiztalkradio.com.  A podcast is available for later listening at www.tomboneinsurancematters.com

Do you have a boat?

Do you own a jet ski?

Have you ever been tempted to rent a jet ski on vacation? Or what about renting a boat?

If you injury someone or if you damage the boat or Jet Ski, who pays the bills?

When was the last time you called your independent insurance agent to chat about these toys and the risks they pose to others?

Tune in to “Insurance Matters” this Tuesday, March 27^th, 8 a.m. Pacific Time to Sacramento’s Money 105.5 FM, or Online to www.smallbiztalkradio.com  My guest will be Michael “The Claims Guy” returning  to share stories about how you can properly protect yourself from your adult outside toys. 

This live and local broadcast is sponsored by Safeco Insurance and you may go to their website for more information – www.safeco.com

For your convenience, a podcast of this show will be at www.tomboneinsurancematters.com after the broadcast.

Here is the audio recording of Peter Arnold's interview with me about protecting the breadwinner -- Why is problem? What programs are available to help families?  What employers to do to help their employees?

Peter can be reached by calling 916-300-3380 or email ptarnold59@yahoo.com.

Tune in to "Insurance Matters" Tuesdays, 8 a.m. Pacific Time, on Sacramento's Money 105.5 FM or Online at www.smallbiztalkradio.com. 

Insurance_Matters_03-20-12_Peter_Arnold.mp3

(download)

Click here to download:

Insurance_Matters_03-20-12_Peter_Arnold.mp3 (27.58 MB)

In a recent survey of employers about workers’ compensation insurance, 59 percent of the employers expressed their concern about controlling costs.  They also shared their concern about exposures increasing, rates going up and fraud.

This survey consisted of over 3,500 employers nationwide in a variety of industries.

Majority of employers experienced payroll increases in 2011 and 48 percent reported premium increases this last year.

According to the Insurance Journal who provided a summary of this survey, this survey was conducted by Zywave, a software provider to the insurance and financial services industry. It was conducted January 6 to February 24, 2012.

Sacramento employers, how do you feel about controlling your workers’ comp costs?

What areas concern you?  Rate increases? Fraud?

Let me hear from you?

You may read this review by clicking here: Insurance Journal

For more information as to how an WorkComp Advisor can help employers, go to www.insurancematters.biz