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  • Lawley Recognized as “Top Workplace” By Rochester Democrat and Chronicle for the Second Year in a Row

    Lawley Recognized as “Top Workplace” By Rochester Democrat and Chronicle for the Second Year in a Row

    Rochester Branch of Regional Commercial Insurance, Personal Insurance, Employee Benefits and Risk Management Broker Ranked in Top 10 Best Places To Work for Second Year Running

    Rochester, N.Y. (April  19, 2018) – Lawley, one of the largest independent insurance brokers in the United States according to Business Insurance, has been awarded a 2018 Top Workplaces honor by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, capturing a Top 10 position in the small employer category (35 – 124 employees).

    This is the second year Lawley’s Rochester office has entered this program. Recently, Lawley was also recognized by Business Insurance as a Best Places to Work in Insurance. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection, among others.

    “We are excited to be recognized for the second year running! Our Rochester office prioritizes a collaborative and engaging workplace for our growing team. This recognition comes directly from our associates, and means that we are doing things right,” stated Phil Andolina, Lawley Partner. “We will continue to focus on our core values and deliver resources to help our team be the best at what they do while supporting our Rochester customers.”

    “The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest even though people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “To become a Top Workplace, companies must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees.”

    Among the list of employee perks Lawley offers include an Employee Appreciation Week, a wellness program with free yoga classes and healthy snacks developed by the Lawley in-house wellness team, continuing education training, and more. Team Lawley Cares (TLC), an internal committee at Lawley, promotes one of the five core Lawley values of being a community partner by working with community organizations to support Rochester-area charities with volunteer hours from our staff, donations, and more.

    To read about all of the 2018 Top Workplaces, click here.

    About Lawley

    Lawley is a privately-owned, independent regional insurance firm specializing in property, casualty and personal insurance, employee benefits and risk management consulting and ranked among the 100 Largest Insurance Brokers in the U.S., according to Business Insurance magazine.

    For over 60 years, Lawley’s team of more than 400 associates have developed customized property, casualty, surety and benefits insurance programs for businesses and municipalities of all sizes along with personalized protection for individuals and their families. Lawley is recognized as one of the Best Places to Work nationally by Business Insurance and Buffalo Business First.

    Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Lawley has branch offices across New York in Amherst, Batavia, Dunkirk, Mahopac, Plainview, Purchase and Rochester along with Darien, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey. To find out more, visit lawleyinsurance.com.

     

    About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

    Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces™ campaign—a program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States.

    Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

  • Lawley Announces Expansion of Employee Benefits Offerings with Individual Health Insurance Specifically for Seniors

    Lawley Announces Expansion of Employee Benefits Offerings with Individual Health Insurance Specifically for Seniors

    Employee Benefits Division of Lawley Hires Key Consultants to Offer Individual Health Insurance & Medicare Plans

    BUFFALO, NY, April 19, 2018 | Lawley is now able to offer individual health insurance in New York State with their newly acquired team of Individual & Senior Health Insurance Benefits Consultants.

    The key consultants hired to make this move include Craig Colburn, AJ Dolce, and Ben Lindquist all formerly of Arcade Senior Services in Jamestown, NY. All three are licensed and certified insurance agents and brokers, authorized to advise and enroll in both the Medicare and New York State Individual Medical Marketplace. They will be based out of Lawley’s Dunkirk office, but servicing Lawley’s entire footprint across NYS.

    This move means that Lawley can offer individuals aged 65+ the benefits they need as they migrate into retirement and off of their employer’s health insurance. This is a new niche for Lawley that will round out their employee benefits offerings for individuals residing in New York State.

    “This new team was put in place by Lawley to give the senior community and those closing in on retirement age the opportunity to equip themselves with health care coverage that fits their budget and provides proper benefits for their needs. Craig, AJ, and Ben will be able to offer advice and direction to help people make a well-informed choice regarding the future of their health insurance,” says Chuck Allesi, Partner of Lawley Employee Benefits.

    Click here to learn more about what Lawley can now offer in terms of Medicare, Individual, and Senior Health Insurance.

    ABOUT CRAIG COLBURN
    Craig Colburn was the Director of Individual and Senior Benefits at Arcade Senior Services. He is licensed and authorized to consult and enroll individuals in Medicare Advantage plans as well as supplemental insurance and prescription drug plans. Craig served as the broker of major medical plans with all carriers in New York State, as he is certified in the New York State Individual Exchange. At the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, Craig was the Director of Member Development. Craig managed six local Chautauqua Community Chambers of Commerce and their individual boards as well as being a General Manager at Chautauqua Suites and Expo Center. View his complete bio by clicking here.

    ABOUT AJ DOLCE
    A.J. Dolce specializes in writing Individual Benefits, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplemental and Prescription Drug Plans. After serving as Councilman and Mayor in the City of Dunkirk for 12 years, A.J. returned to the classroom as an Adult Literacy Instructor for Erie 2 BOCES. He also started a consulting business where he was contracted to write grants for municipalities and non-profits, while at the same time also working with JAT Energy as their Regional Sales Manager. View his complete bio by clicking here.

    ABOUT BEN LINDQUIST
    Ben Lindquist spent two years as the Director of Senior Benefits at Arcade Senior Services in Jamestown, NY. He was also the Executive Director at Chautauqua Striders Inc. for two years, a youth-based non-profit in Jamestown, NY. Ben was the Director and Assistant Director of Athletics at Jamestown Community College in Olean and Jamestown, NY for eight years. For six years, Ben was a professional baseball umpire in Minor League Baseball. View his complete bio by clicking here.

    ABOUT LAWLEY
    Lawley is a privately-owned, independent regional insurance firm specializing in property, casualty and personal insurance, employee benefits, and risk management consulting. Lawley is ranked among the 100 Largest Insurance Brokers in the U.S., according to Business Insurance magazine. For over 60 years, Lawley’s team of more than 400 associates have developed customized property, casualty, surety and benefits insurance programs for businesses and municipalities of all sizes along with personalized protection for individuals and their families.

    Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Lawley has branch offices across New York in Amherst, Batavia, Dunkirk, Mahopac, Plainview Long Island, Purchase and Rochester along with Darien, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey. To find out more, visit lawleyinsurance.com.

  • New York State Statutory Disability & Paid Family Leave Online Employee Census Instructions

    New York State Statutory Disability & Paid Family Leave Online Employee Census Instructions

    In order to calculate your premium due for Statutory Disability & NY Paid Family Leave coverage, you are required to complete an online employee census.

    Here are the instructions for completing the online employee census:

     

    statutory disability instructions online census

     

    WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT STATUTORY DISABILITY

    1. Paid Family Leave is a new Statutory Benefit in the state of New York
    2. Due to State requirement changes, you must now provide employee wage census data in order to comply with state requirements
    3. Carriers are required to notify the state if the policy lapses due to lack of receipt of payment
    4. Take action now. Remember, failure of an eligible employer to provide disability benefits & paid family leave benefits required by law will subject the employer to penalties & the cost of any claims associated with the noncompliance. Online payments are now available through your Amtrust online account at: https://amtrustfinancial.com
  • Why Manufacturers Need Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance

    Why Manufacturers Need Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance

    Consider the following scenario: A customer asks your company to manufacture a part according to certain specifications, which were outlined in a contract. He needs to add the part to his product and ship it to his customers by a set deadline.

    Your company creates the part, but due to an error that occurs during the production process, the part isn’t made to the customer’s specifications. He receives the part, realizes he can’t use it in his final product and requests that the part be remade. The delay in production causes him to miss the deadline to ship the final product to his customers, so he files a lawsuit against your company for the financial loss. This scenario could expose your business to significant liability if you don’t carry the right insurance policy.

    Exclusions in General Liability Insurance

    You might assume that your Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy would cover claims such as the one in the above example. However, in many cases it will not. Most CGL policies contain “damage to impaired property” and “property not physically injured” exclusions. That means that unless the manufacturing error results in bodily injury or property damage, the CGL policy will not cover the loss.

    The customer’s financial loss in the scenario described above would not fall into either of these two categories, so it would not be covered under a typical CGL or products liability policy. In order to protect your business from a product failure resulting in a third party financial loss without bodily injury or property damage, you will need to add Manufacturers Errors & Omissions (E&O) coverage.

    Manufacturers E&O Insurance

    Manufacturers E&O is professional liability insurance that covers a manufacturing mistake or negligent service that results in a third party financial loss without bodily injury or property damage. E&O insurance covers damages that result from the following:

  • Poor, incorrect or faulty products that are manufactured, handled, sold or distributed
  • Errors and omissions caused by material defect, including property damage to the product, property damage to the work and property damage to impaired property
  • Negligence or failure to deliver promised services

    • If customers allege that your product failed or that you were negligent in performing services outlined in a contract, they will likely seek to recoup their financial losses through litigation. You could be saddled with significant legal costs, as well as potential damages if the case is lost. Even if the customer’s lawsuit is found to be frivolous, you could still incur the cost of defending yourself. That’s where Manufacturers E&O insurance can provide significant financial risk mitigation.

    Manufacturers E&O is professional liability insurance that covers a manufacturing mistake or negligent service that results in a third party financial loss without bodily injury or property damage.

    Manufacturers E&O insurance will cover both the customer’s financial loss and your legal costs. Most E&O policies are “claims-made policies,” which means that in order for the claim to be covered, both the work in question must be performed and the claim must be made during the policy period.

    E&O premiums vary based on the type of product or service you need coverage for, your company’s financial stability and the policy’s limits. Contact the Manufacturer Insurance team at Lawley at 716.849.8618 or here to learn more about adding this important coverage to your risk management portfolio.

  • The Heart and Mind Connection

    The Heart and Mind Connection

    Even though the brain and the heart are located far from one another in the body, they are intrinsically connected and have a significant impact on how each other functions.

    The two organs communicate via the muscular walls around the heart, which are connected to the brain in the circulatory system. As the brain releases hormones telling the body what to do, receptor cells in your blood vessels pick up these messages. In addition, there are nerve endings that travel from the brain to the muscular walls of the heart. These nerves send messages to the muscle tissue to either relax or contract.

    Since these two organs communicate, mental health can have a dramatic effect on heart health and vice versa.

    The Heart on Stress

    The mind’s response to a perceived or actual threatening situation is known as stress. The body responds to the stress by increasing:

    • Blood pressure
    • Respiratory rate
    • Heart rate
    • Oxygen consumption
    • Blood flow to skeletal muscles
    • Perspiration
    • Muscle tone

    When you experience these responses on a regular basis as a result of stress, you are putting your body at an increased risk of heart disease.

    Stress-Reducing Meditation

    To combat the potentially life-threatening damage stress could have on your heart, there are several meditation techniques you can try. These techniques aim to achieve a relaxation response to reduce stress and improve the immune system and prepare the body for traumatic situations in the future.

    Here are three ways to meditate:

    • Go into a quiet environment and sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Then, focus your attention on one thing such as a word, phrase or sound. Repeat that one thing over and over again. If you find that your mind wanders, refocus back. Do this exercise for 20 minutes to escape the stressors of your life.
    • Progressive relaxation is another useful exercise. Lie down or sit in a quiet area. Focus your attention on the muscle groups in your feet and slowly move through each group until you reach your head. As you go through each muscle group, try to imagine that you are actually breathing through those organs. As you “exhale”, release the tension from the group. As an alternative, you may tighten the muscles in each group for several seconds and then physically release the tension.
    • A third meditation exercise is to imagine that you are clearing your body of the toxins that you want to get rid of. For instance, visualize that you are ridding your arteries of plaque. Concentrate on releasing that energy, which will ultimately reduce the tension in your mind.
  • What Are the Signs of Someone Suffering From a Stroke?

    What Are the Signs of Someone Suffering From a Stroke?

    About 700,000 Americans will have a new or recurrent stroke this year. Many people mistakenly think of strokes as only affecting the elderly, but 25 percent of all strokes occur in those under age 65. Not only is stroke the third-leading cause of death among Americans, it is also a leading cause of serious, long-term disabilities.

    What is a Stroke?

    Also called a brain attack, a stroke is as serious as a heart attack. It most often occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked by a clot. The brain cells in the immediate area begin to die because they are prevented from receiving the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. There are two kinds of stroke, each with a different cause. In an ischemic stroke, the most common type, a clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain.

    Risk Factors

    Some risk factors are genetically determined, while others are the result of certain lifestyle choices. The most common risk factors include:

    • High blood pressure
    • High cholesterol
    • Smoking
    • Diabetes
    • Increasing age
    • Being overweight

    Signs and Symptoms

    One or more of the following symptoms may signal a stroke:
    • Numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg (usually on one side of body)
    • Confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding
    • Blurred, double or decreased vision
    • Dizziness and/or loss of balance
    • Sudden severe headache with no known cause
    • TIA, or transient ischemic attack (a temporary loss of blood to the brain which lasts no more than 24 hours; it indicates a serious underlying risk that a full-blown stroke may follow.)

    Diagnosis

    It is important to recognize that there are other conditions that may imitate a stroke, such as brain tumors, brain abscesses, migraines, meningitis, an overdose of certain medicines or an imbalance of sodium, calcium and/or glucose in the body. Only a medical professional can properly diagnose a stroke. To do so, he or she will likely perform an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) along with monitoring vital signs and taking blood. Other procedures such as CT scans, MRIs or angiograms may also be utilized.

    Treatment

    The most common forms of stroke treatment include a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), an intravenous drug that dissolves blood clots; blood-thinning drugs such as heparin and aspirin; and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and/or diabetes under control. If the stroke was serious, a patient may need to undergo rehabilitation to re-learn how to speak and walk.

    Prevention

    • Maintain a healthy weight
    • Watch your diet (limit sodium and saturated fats)
    • Exercise regularly
    • Do not use tobacco products
    • Drink alcohol in moderation
    • Avoid using illegal drugs
    • Always take prescribed medications as directed
    • If you’ve never had a stroke but are at high risk for developing one, your doctor can start prevention treatment, such as aspirin therapy
  • Initiatives for Heart Health

    Initiatives for Heart Health

    Heart disease, which includes strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, is a pervasive problem in the United States. In fact, more than 12 million people visit their physicians each year for heart disease-related reasons. Individuals diagnosed with heart disease may suffer from the following symptoms:

    • Fatigue
    • Stress, anxiety and depression
    • Difficulty focusing on tasks

    Of those diagnosed with heart disease, nearly 600,000 die each year—roughly 1 out of 4. Treatment and the indirect costs related to heart disease, such as missed days of work, add up to nearly $313 billion each year. Fortunately, there are activities and programs your business can promote to encourage heart health and wellness in your employees.

    Activities and Programs

    Improving heart health can be as simple as regular exercise (like taking a daily walk) and eating heart-healthy foods. However, finding the motivation for these activities can be challenging. Here are three programs and activities you can implement to help your employees make healthier decisions.

    • Create opportunities at your business for your employees to participate in physical activities and good nutrition:
      • Promote healthy alternatives in cafeterias and vending machines. You can achieve this by contacting your food distributor and requesting healthier options—such as nuts, fresh and dried fruits, whole grains, and fewer microwavable meals
      • Encourage some type of exercise. Your company does not need a gym or designated walking trails to help your employees stay healthy. Instead, you can encourage them to take a walk around the building during their breaks. By walking at least 6,000 steps every day, your employees can improve their health
      • Place signs by elevators encouraging people to use the stairs. By taking the stairs each day, your employees can cut their risk of heart attacks in half
    • Consider supporting your employees’ healthy choices by providing or reimbursing them for gym memberships. Your business may be unable to install a gym or walking trails near your office, so providing a discount for gym memberships may a good alternative
    • Educate your employees on steps they can take to boost their heart health. You can do this by providing health risk assessments, medical screening and effective follow-up education and counseling. This may help employees better control their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and it could help them quit smoking

    Healthier Employees Are More Productive Employees

    Heart disease contributes to absences from work, poor performance and death. By motivating and empowering your employees to make smart health and wellness decisions, you can keep your health care costs low while also increasing productivity. Simple and straightforward initiatives, such as providing healthier vending machine options and health education, can make an impressive impact.

  • OSHA 300A – Employers Must Post Injury/Illness Summary Beginning February 1st, 2018

    OSHA 300A – Employers Must Post Injury/Illness Summary Beginning February 1st, 2018

    OSHA is requiring employers to post a copy of OSHA’s Form 300A, which summarizes job-related injuries and illnesses logged during 2017.

    Each year, between Feb. 1st and April 30th, the summary must be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted. Businesses with 10 or fewer employees and those in certain low-hazard industries are exempt from OSHA recordkeeping and posting requirements.

    Visit OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule webpage for more information on recordkeeping requirements.

    If you need any assistance with the form, please don’t hesitate to contact Lawley’s Loss Control and Safety professionals.

  • Convince Your Boss to Send you to the Corporate Wellness Summit in March 2018

    Convince Your Boss to Send you to the Corporate Wellness Summit in March 2018

    Are you interested in attending the Corporate Wellness Summit? Use these facts when you request permission from your leadership to attend! And when you get permission, click here to register.

    Healthy employees are more productive

    A recent study by the University of California Riverside found that companies offering employee wellness programs saw a significant gain in productivity among workers. Researchers studied a wellness program and found that all employees who participated improved productivity an average of one full workday per month.

    Healthy employees take fewer sick days

    Research from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), Brigham Young University and the Center for Health Research at Healthways shows, healthy employees take fewer sick days. Absenteeism is 27 percent lower for those workers who eat healthy and regularly exercise.

    Wellness programs improve job satisfaction

    Based on the Aflac Workforces report, wellness programs improve employee job satisfaction (as reported by 60% of the 5000 employees surveyed) and happiness. This resulted in increased productivity and decreased healthcare costs and absenteeism. A company’s bottom lines improve when sick pay decreases.

  • 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Corporate Wellness Summit This March

    5 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Corporate Wellness Summit This March

    Lawley’s Corporate Wellness Team, in partnership with the American Heart Association, is excited to bring a wellness developmental opportunity to program coordinators in the Western New York area. Click here to register or read below to find out why you should attend!

    Learn from others.

    Bringing together like-minded individuals provides you with an opportunity to network and meet others in WNY working toward similar goals.

     

    Access to insightful speakers.

    Larry Chapman M.P.H., president and CEO of the Chapman Institute, will be our keynote speaker at the conference. Larry has spent more than 40 years working with 1000+ clients implementing employee wellness programs. In addition to Larry’s keynote, we will feature other local experts and leadership providing advice on how to engage your population and sustain a culture of health!

     

    Stay up to date on the latest trends.

    The wellness industry is an ever changing environment. Speakers at the summit will discuss and offer information on latest trends to keep you ahead of the curve.

     

    Get inspired.

    Attending the summit helps expose you to thoughts and ideas you would not have otherwise considered. It’s also a great opportunity to validate components of your own program when you learn about what other best-in-class employers are doing in the area. It can be inspiring to go back and implement what you have learned to take your program to the next level!

     

    Wellness programs offer a competitive advantage.

    Employees are a company’s greatest asset! Wellness programs can positively impact an organization from attracting and retaining talent, boosting employee morale and productivity and as a cost-containment strategy for mitigating the rising cost of healthcare.

     

    Reserve your spot today!