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  • Control Your Sneezing This Spring with These Simple Allergy Tips!

    Control Your Sneezing This Spring with These Simple Allergy Tips!

    As spring is in full force and summer is around the corner, so are allergies.

    Hay fever is an allergic disorder characterized by an exaggerated immune response to pollen grains and other substances. Those who suffer from hay fever in the spring are most likely allergic to tree pollen, while grass and weed pollen may cause allergies in the summer.

    Spring
    Mold growth blooms indoors and outdoors with spring rains. As flowers, trees, weeds and grasses begin to blossom, allergies will follow. Spring-cleaning activities can stir up dust mites, so be sure to:

    • Wash your bedding every week in hot water to help keep pollen under control.
    • Wash your hair before going to bed, since pollen can accumulate in your hair.
    • Wear an inexpensive painter’s mask and gloves when cleaning, vacuuming or painting to limit dust and chemical inhalation and skin exposure.
    • Vacuum twice a week.
    • Limit the number of throw rugs in your home to reduce dust and mold.
    • Make sure the rugs you do have are washable.
    • Change air conditioning and heating air filters often.

    Summer
    Warm temperatures and high humidity can put a strain on seasonal allergy and asthma sufferers. Summer is the peak time for some types of pollen, smog and even mold:

    • Stay indoors between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when outdoor pollen counts tend to be highest.
    • Be careful when going from extreme outdoor heat to air conditioning. The temperature change can trigger an asthma attack.
    • Wear a mask when you mow the lawn or when around freshly cut grass. Afterward, take a shower, wash your hair and change clothes.
    • Dry laundry inside instead of on an outside clothesline.
    • Check your yard for allergens, as well as other irritants such as oak, birch, cedar and cottonwood trees; weeds such as nettle or ragweed can also trigger allergies.
    • Wear shoes, long pants and long sleeves if allergic to bee stings.
    • Do not wear scented deodorants, hair products or perfumes when outdoors.
  • Your Cell Phone Can Wait. Avoid Calls Or Texting While Driving

    Your Cell Phone Can Wait. Avoid Calls Or Texting While Driving

    Across the United States, almost 700,000 drivers use their cell phones or other electronic devices while driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to NHTSA reports, an estimated 421,000 people were injured in car accidents in 2012 involving a distracted driver, a 9 percent increase from the prior year. Additionally, 31 percent of American drivers ages 18-64 reported that they had read or sent text messages and engaged in texting while driving at least once within the 30 days prior to the survey.

    Cell phones, and particularly smart phones, are considered one of the leading driver distractions. As a result, more communities are placing restrictions on drivers’ use of cell phones. The following tips are offered to motorists with regard to cell phone use in vehicles:

    • You should wait until the car trip is complete before placing a call. Your cell phone’s voicemail feature should answer a call while you are driving
    • Consider keeping the cell phone completely out of reach in your car to keep the temptations from usage at bay
    • Absolutely essential calls should only be performed while stopped. However, it is not wise to pull over on the side of the road where a rear-end collision is possible. Instead, you should pull into a parking lot to perform this task
    • If you have to make a call, take advantage of speed-dialing capabilities
    • At a minimum, you should never drive and talk on the cell phone during stressful, emotional, or complex discussions since the risk of an accident is heightened during such times
    • You should never text while driving

    Stay safe on the roads for the well-being of you, your family, and the other drives out there.

    Get more personal insurance and risk management tips and ideas from IRMI.
    Copyright 2015 International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

  • Lawley Retirement Advisors Host Webinar with J.P. Morgan’s Chief Global Strategist on How Trump’s Agenda May Affect the Market

    Lawley Retirement Advisors Host Webinar with J.P. Morgan’s Chief Global Strategist on How Trump’s Agenda May Affect the Market

    On May 3rd at 9 am, Lawley Retirement Advisors and J.P. Morgan’s Chief Global Strategist, Dr. David Kelly, will be hosting a webinar entitled “Late-Cycle Investing: A Guide to the Markets.”

    To join the webinar, register here.

    Topics discussed will include:

    • There are fiscal, economic and political roadblocks to the Trump agenda. While we expect an eventual cut in corporate taxes and fiscal stimulus, both may be much more modest than analysts expect.
    • Future U.S. earnings growth won’t be as strong as analysts currently estimate thanks to a strong dollar and some potential challenges from energy. Although stock valuations now look somewhat expensive, there remain opportunities within the asset class.
    • The Fed has been very cautious in raising interest rates in recent years, but thanks to improving economic data in the U.S. and abroad we expect a modestly more aggressive pace of tightening going forward, leading to negative real returns in many fixed income markets.
    • With U.S. valuations looking expensive and economic growth prospects unimpressive, it might be time to look for alpha abroad, particularly in a rebounding Europe and more-promising emerging markets.

    ABOUT DR. KELLY

    Dr. David Kelly is the Chief Global Strategist and Head of the Global Market Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. With over 20 years of experience, David provides valuable insight and perspective on the economy and markets to thousands of financial advisors and their clients.

    Throughout his career, David has developed a unique ability to explain complex economic and market issues in a language that financial advisors can use to communicate to their clients. He is a keynote speaker at many national investment conferences. David is also a frequent guest on CNBC, and other financial news outlets and is widely quoted in the financial press.

    Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management, David served as Economic Advisor to Putnam Investments. He has also served as a senior strategist/economist at SPP Investment Management, Primark Decision Economics, Lehman Brothers and DRI/McGraw-Hill.

    David is a CFA® charterholder. He also has an Ph.D and M.A. in Economics from Michigan State University and a B.A. in Economics from University College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.

    ABOUT LAWLEY RETIREMENT ADVISORS

    Lawley Retirement Advisors provides consistent enrollment and educational meetings and materials for you and your employees. We’ll help you implement and manage the program, and promote the benefits of employee participation.

    Our investment programs for retirement plans are designed to be diversified, not complex. We create model portfolios with access to some of the top-performing fund managers available without causing an overload of investment choices.

     

    To join the webinar, register here.

  • Lawley Recognized as “Top Workplace” By Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

    Lawley Recognized as “Top Workplace” By Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

    Regional Commercial Insurance, Personal Insurance, Employee Benefits and Risk Management Broker Ranked in Top 10 Best Place To Work In Small Employer Category For Rochester Branch

    Rochester, N.Y. (April  20, 2017) – Lawley, one of the largest independent insurance brokers in the United States according to Business Insurance, has been awarded a 2017 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 first 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.

    “Our Rochester office prioritizes a collaborative and engaging workplace for our growing team. This recognition comes directly from our associates, which means a great deal to all the partners 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) 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 2017 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 350 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, Fredonia, Melville, 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.

  • Tool Box Talk: The Importance of Safe Lifting

    Tool Box Talk: The Importance of Safe Lifting

    Lower back injuries frequently plague construction sites. Most of the time, however, they can be avoided if safe lifting techniques are implemented. Safe lifting keeps your back healthy and allows you to avoid common workplace injuries, such as lower back pain. Here are some simple tips regarding safe lifting and how to make sure they are part of your safety procedures:

    1. Inspect the Load: Evaluating what you are about to lift is very important. Do you need more than one set of hands? What is it made of? These are all questions you must ask before you pick up something. Knowing the strength you will need to lift an object BEFORE you lift it can help prevent many lower back injuries.
    2. Clear Obstacles: Look over the path you will be walking while carrying the object. Make sure all is clear and any obstacles are moved out of the way before you lift an object.
    3. Center of Gravity: When you are holding a heavy object, your regular sense of balance will be compromised. In order to remedy this, always hold the object close to your body and at the center of your person (between shoulders and legs).
    4. Foot Position: Always place your feet shoulder width apart, with one foot on each side of the object. By doing this, you will have all of the strength of your leg muscles to use as you hoist the object to the position where you will carry it.
    5. Bend Your Knees: A common mistake is to bend over from your waist and lift straight up. Instead, you want to bend your knees to lower yourself to the object. This way, when you rise up with the object, you are lifting with your legs instead of your lower back muscles.
    6. Tuck in Arms and Elbows: Keeping your arms and elbows close to your body instead of extending them helps you to balance and carry the load properly. If you have to extend your arms to carry an object, always ask for help.
    7. Carefully Change Direction: Twisting your body to change direction while carrying a heavy load will hurt your back. Instead, use your feet to change direction. Or, set down the object, change direction, and then pick it up again to move forward down the new path.
    8. Place the Object: Set down the object the same way that you picked it up, by bending at your knees. If you need to place the object on the top of a shelf or other elevated surface, put the edge of the load on the surface and slide it into position.

    Remember that training and practice are needed when it comes to safely lifting heavy objects. It is important to work with your team to make sure the understand how to avoid lower back injuries by safely lifting loads that could otherwise hurt them. Additionally, encourage team lifting if one person is unable to move something by themselves.

  • Fitbit Tidbits – Tips On Getting the Most Use Out of Your Fitbit

    Fitbit Tidbits – Tips On Getting the Most Use Out of Your Fitbit

    If you are one of the 23 million active Fitbit users you might not know or be aware of all the great tools and features your wearable device has to offer!

    • Create goals – St and adjust your daily goal, such as activity, exercise, weight, hydration, food, and sleep targets, at any time straight from your app. With certain devices, you can also set a “main goal”, which programs your tracker to alert you via lights and/or vibrations when you hit it.
    • Manually log activities – a great option on a day you might forget to wear your Fitbit
    • Have some friendly competition – choose from your friend list who to include in your Work Week Hustle or Weekend Warrior Challenge
    • Dive deeper into your data – on the detailed screen you see when you click on a dashboard tile, scroll through the top panel to see more data analysis and get one-week, one-month, three-month, or one-year averages
    • Log a nap – If you have a tracker that automatically detects sleep (all wrist-based trackers do) then any nap your take that is longer than an hour is saved in your sleep history.
    • Wake up gently – set an alarm with your Fitbit to wake you up with a vibration on your wrist instead of a loud buzzing noise
    • Request a weekly progress report – You can opt into getting a weekly summary—that includes weekly totals, daily averages, badges earned, comparisons with friends, and more—within your notifications
  • Diabetes Prevention: Step Up Your Game to Fight Diabetes

    Diabetes Prevention: Step Up Your Game to Fight Diabetes

    According to the Cleveland Clinic, More than 28 million Americans have prediabetes, and another 86 are teetering on the edge of this chronic disease. But here’s the kicker: Research indicates that by the time most people get diagnosed with diabetes, they already have about ten years of damage to their blood vessels! In other words, classic symptoms like frequent urination and unquenchable thirst arrive ten years after the disease begins, according to Cleveland Clinic’s Medical Director, Roxanne Sukol. So there’s no time like the present to shift any habits that put you at risk. What can you do you might be wondering?

    1. Walk it Out. Five or 10 minutes is a lot more than nothing, and new research shows that even modest physical activity is linked to an improvement in insulin resistance, which precedes diabetes.
    2. Write it Down. Take some time to keep a food diary for 2-3 days. When you’re done, highlight foods and drinks that are high in carbohydrates (sugar, white flour, and corn starch) or manufactured, processed oils. Begin to transform your meals by making whole plant foods like vegetables, lentils, whole grains, and fruit the foundation of each meal and snack. Make sure to get some good quality protein and nourishing fat with each meal, and minimize added sugar.
    3. Relax. Since chronic stress can increase blood sugar and body weight, find ways to be kind to yourself, make peace with your mind, and relax,” says Sukol. Take a yoga class, mediate, or spend a weekend afternoon laying on the couch and reading a novel.
  • April is Stress Awareness Month – Start Spring Stress Free!

    April is Stress Awareness Month – Start Spring Stress Free!

    It’s very simple that eating nutritious foods and being physically active on a regular basis are the foundation for living a healthy lifestyle, but effectively managing stress is also essential for avoiding chronic illness. According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress may change the way your body processes certain fats.

    In a recent study, researchers looked at the immediate health effects of eating a meal high in saturated fat (the type found in four-legged-animal-based foods) and of eating a meal high in monounsaturated fat (the type found in walnuts and avocado). Not surprisingly, the saturated-fat group fared worse in blood tests for four separate disease markers than the monounsaturated-fat group. But when people had experienced a moderately stressful event the day before, the differences disappeared. In other words, your responses to stress may diminish the protective effects of good-for-you fats!

    Easy tips to help you stay stress-free at home include:

    • Taking the time for daily stress-management practice, like mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, reading or yoga
    • Now that the weather is starting to get nicer, try taking walk or jog, or if playing golf or tennis helps alleviate stress, go for it! Start with 20 minutes, or even just a few minutes, a day and build up your practice from there.
    • Visit with four-legged friends (cats or dogs) to help you relax and produce oxytocin (the happiness hormone!)
    • Get out in the garden! Being around nature and growing your own food can help alleviate stress and allow you to better provide a nutritious diet for you and your family

    Managing Job Stress:

    • The good news is that it’s possible to manage job stress by becoming aware of what increases or decreases your stress levels. The following are six methods to help you manage your stress at work.
    • Plan and prioritize: Do not panic, make a list to prioritize your work, set realistic deadlines, do not rush into the first idea you have and always have an alternative plan.
    • Focus on what you can control: You know what your job tasks are. Break the larger tasks into smaller, more doable steps.
    • Slow down: Think things through before you act, and begin with a result in mind.
    • Limit interruptions: Use your voicemail to your advantage and only take calls that are a priority when you are on a tight deadline. Set aside designated times throughout the day to respond to e-mails and phone calls.
    • Use all of your resources: If things do not go exactly as planned, do not solely rely on yourself. Ask for help when you need it.
    • Take a break: To release stress, make time to take a short break. Taking a walk or discussing your work situation with another person may help you gain a fresh perspective.
  • Lawley Hosts a Job Shadow Day for the Lancaster High School Academy of Finance

    Lawley Hosts a Job Shadow Day for the Lancaster High School Academy of Finance

    Local businesses ensure high-school students are Future Ready by hosting job-shadows for The Academy of Finance at Lancaster High School

    Buffalo, NY April  6th, 2017 – Lawley, one of the largest independent insurance brokers in the United States according to Business Insurance, has partnered with the Lancaster High School Academy of Finance to provide fourteen sophomores a snapshot into a variety of careers by hosting a job-shadow day on Tuesday April 4th, 2017.

    A job-shadow day is a four-hour opportunity for students to learn about a variety of career choices at a local business as they engage in Lancaster’s nationally recognized work-based-learning program. Work-based learning connects what students are learning in class with the working world. It’s a continuum of activities that begin with awareness, goes on to exploration and finally transitions to preparation.

    Students enrolled in the Academy of Finance spend time with professional mentors, engage in mock-interviews, spend time researching a variety of careers and then explore those careers through job shadows. Each of these activities is designed to prepare students for a high quality 120-hour paid internship before high school graduation, dramatically increasing their college and career readiness, leading to better decision-making about their futures and an average of 11-17 percent higher earnings than their non-academy peers.

    Local, regional and national partners work together in support of students enrolled in Lancaster’s Academy of Finance by sitting on our local advisory board to ensure the classroom matches the needs of today’s workforce while providing students with opportunities and resources necessary to be successful for college and career.

    “When companies take time to provide students with opportunities such as job-shadows they have taken a shared responsibility to ensure our youth has a realistic view of the workplace. Each student is then able to envision him or herself in that workplace. says Scott Dixon, Academy of Finance director at Lancaster High School.

    “It’s great to see students mature into young adults as these work-based-learning experiences are a vital part of understanding what to expect after high-school graduation and yet cannot be provided within the classroom. Our board works to ensure those experiences happen.” says Marc Rachiele of Crossfuze, the president of Lancaster’s Advisory Board.

    “We enjoy taking the time to teach these students about opportunities that can happen after they graduate. We speak to them about Lawley and what we do here, but also, how we’ve accomplished our goals, what skills we’ve needed to succeed, and we give them tips about interviewing and being professional” says Beth Bauman, Lawley’s Controller, who organized the visit on behalf of Lawley.

    About NAF and the Academy of Finance at Lancaster High School

    • The Academy of Finance at Lancaster High School is part of NAF a national network of career academies that are part of large, public high schools serving nearly 100,000 students in 675 academies. Lancaster’s Academy of Finance has been awarded NAF’s distinguished status recognition for each of the past 6 years in a row. This designation is given to a select few who have exhibited fidelity to an educational design that prepares students for success in college and careers.
    • Mission: NAF solves some of the biggest challenges facing education and the economy by bringing education, business, and community leaders together to transform the high school experience.
    • Vision: NAF envisions a world in which all young people have equal opportunity for successful futures.
    • History & Heritage: Since 1982, NAF has been partnering with existing high schools in high-need communities to enhance school systems at a low cost. Lancaster High School has been part of NAF since 2004 having graduated nearly 500 students.

    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 350 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, Fredonia, Melville, Purchase and Rochester along with Darien, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey. To find out more, visit lawleyinsurance.com.

  • What is Group Umbrella Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

    What is Group Umbrella Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

    Now more than ever before, Americans are confronted by multiple risks that threaten financial assets and lifestyles. Personal liability lawsuits can run in the multi-million dollar range, and in such cases, personal liability insurance alone may not be enough. Group Personal Excess Liability Insurance, or Group Umbrella Insurance, from Lawley and Chubb offers an attractive, group solution for helping preserve your assets in the face of an ever-increasing array of financial loss exposures.

    Who Can Benefit From Group Umbrella Insurance

    The recognized financial success of executives, lawyers, doctors, accountants, and business owners make them especially vulnerable to lawsuits. A Group Umbrella policy is designed to protect the personal assets and future income of professionals.

    These benefits are most often leveraged by professional service organizations, as their key personnel and staff are targets for litigation. Law firms, with their knowledge and experience of liability lawsuits and uninsured motorists claims, should be especially cognizant of the need for adequate liability coverage. Medical practices and accounting firms can also benefit significantly from this kind of coverage but, any privately owned company with 10 or more executives or high-ranking leaders can find value in a group umbrella policy.

    Benefits of a Group Umbrella Policy With Lawley and Chubb

    Experts agree that business owners and executives should have no less than $5,000,000 in personal liability insurance and at least $1,000,000 for uninsured and underinsured motorists. Lawley and Chubb offer higher limits for both personal liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, more than many other insurance agencies, providing up to $50,000,000 limits.

    Beyond these basics, Lawley and Chubb also include the following additional coverages:

    • $25,000 for reputational injury
    • $25,000 for loss of earnings
    • $25,000 for identity fraud
    • $100,000 for kidnapping expenses
    • Unlimited defense costs

    Since coverage is purchased on a group basis, premiums are considerably lower than they would be for individuals buying their own umbrella policy. These lower costs are directly attributed to the limited underwriting of the policy. This means that the subjective factors that usually go into an insurance underwriting decision, such as driving records, prior legal issues, past insurance claims and the value of personal assets, may not be subject to review.

    The Recruiting and Retention Advantage of a Group Umbrella Policy

    Compensation and benefits are two of the most important aspects of an executive’s decision to work with a firm. In addition to the practical advantages of offering a group umbrella policy, organizations can capitalize on this valuable coverage to secure and retain leadership and staff. These high-value benefits can be incorporated into an executive compensation package at low-cost to the company, creating a win-win scenario.

    Once they’ve been hired, corporate heads can focus on doing the best work for the enterprise instead of worrying about how a lawsuit may affect their personal assets. In short, group personal excess policies provide peace of mind for individuals while highlighting the firm’s commitment to their staff’s financial stability. To see if a group umbrella policy is right for your organization, talk with our personal insurance team.