Scott Shappee, a Monroe insurance agent, has won the Professional of the Year award from the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents. Shappee is vice president of sales at Insurance Center of Monroe, an agency where his grandfather, dad and uncles all worked. The plan is he’ll be the third generation to run the agency.… Continue reading
News and Information
Hidden danger in the workplace: Employee fatigue
As an employer, one of your biggest safety concerns is ensuring that your workers aren’t fatigued on the job. Employees need to be responsible for their own sleep habits. But employers need to be aware that safety performance decreases as employees become tired. It may not sound like a serious issue, but it is: A… Continue reading
Be sure to classify workers properly
Employers should be aware that the state is starting to crack down on worker misclassification and payroll fraud. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced April 22 that she’s establishing a Payroll Fraud Enforcement Unit to investigate businesses that misclassify full-time workers as independent contractors, underpay workers, refuse to pay overtime and commit other violations of… Continue reading
Congratulations to RIC retirees
Retailers Insurance Co. said good-bye to two retiring employees during summer 2019. In addition, MRA President and CEO James P. Hallan’s retirement was previously announced and will occur on Aug. 26. Some of you may have talked to our retirees over the years: Judy Schafer and Linda Pierce, with Retailers Insurance Co. (RIC). Judy Schafer… Continue reading
Retailers often targets in active shooter tragedies
MIOSHA funding free sessions for training employees to respond in violent situations Would you be surprised to know retail venues are the second most likely scene of an active shooter tragedy after a school campus? There were 34 of these deadly events, between 2000-2016, according to statistics gathered by the FBI and Advanced Law Enforcement… Continue reading
Planning for a disaster: A crucial exercise
Have you reviewed your business disaster plan lately? If not, it’s a good exercise to go through with your designated disaster response team, and even consider drills with your employees. OSHA requires nearly all employers with at least 11 employees to have a written, comprehensive emergency action plan. Employers with 10 or fewer employees are… Continue reading
A tornado is near your business – what to do?
We’re heading into tornado season, which means employees need to be prepared on the protocols in case one hits near your business. Already, a serious tornado damaged 70 buildings in March in the Vernon area, in mid-Michigan. So it’s not too early to start emergency preparedness in the event one hits near you. Seeking shelter… Continue reading
March is Ladder Safety Month; are your employees properly trained?
From Retailers Insurance Company One of the most common workplace accidents involves ladder-related injuries. In the United States, over 500,000 people experience ladder-related injuries each year at work or home, and more than 300 people die from such injuries. In retail, a fall typically involves an employee who’s using a portable ladder, such as step… Continue reading
MIOSHA suspends reporting of some injury and illness forms
MIOSHA is suspending enforcement of the requirement for employers to electronically submit information from the Form 300 “Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses,” and the Form 301 “Injury and Illness Incident Report” to OSHA. The suspension is based on OSHA’s rescission of the federal rules requiring electronic submission of the Forms 300 and 301. In… Continue reading
Should you ban portable space heaters in your workplace?
When temperatures fall, office workers bring out the portable space heaters to keep warm. As an employer, you should make employees aware that that portable electric space heaters can present a “major workplace safety hazard,” according to Electrical Safety Foundation International. “Fires can be caused by space heaters without adequate safety features, space heaters placed… Continue reading