Blog

Restaurant workers accounted for 6.1 percent of all California job injury claims, but only 4.1 percent of the state’s workers’ compensation benefit payments from 2000 to 2008, the California Workers’ Compensation Institute reported. In its latest “Industry Scorecard,” which provides detailed data on claims filed by restaurant workers in California for job injuries that occurred between January 2000 through the end of 2008, CWCI analyzed 137,339 restaurant sector claims. The report noted more than 90 percent of claims were filed by employees working in restaurants and taverns, although other food and beverage service workers employed in facilities such as wineries,… Read More »California Restaurant Work Injury Claims Report

Workers’ compensation premium is assessed on gross wages and other compensation as defined by law. The table below identifies whether or not a specific form of compensation is considered as payroll for premium calculation. Included as Payroll Not Included as Payroll Sick, vacation, and holiday pay Tips Bonuses and commissions Reward for discovery or invention Automobile allowances Auto value; auto expense reimbursement Regular overtime pay “Overtime Excess” pay* Shift differential pay Severance pay Idle time or standby/on-call pay Health and welfare paid by employer Meals and lodging in lieu of wages Meals and lodging expenses Certain pension/retirement plans: Employee’s voluntary… Read More »Wondering What to Classify as Payroll? Look Here

If you are a construction employer, you know that California’s dual-wage classification system may entitle you to lower premium rates for employees whose hourly wages are above certain thresholds. To qualify for these higher-wage, low-rate classes, you must follow a strict record-keeping standard: Keep daily time cards or time sheets and document start and stop times for all your employees. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) requires construction employers with dual-wage classifications to maintain records that show daily start and stop times, hours worked, job duties and type of work performed, and wage rates or salary earned. If you… Read More »Attention, California Construction Employers: Keep Rigorous Records

Save the date. An insurance company audits policies according to the guidelines of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB). If your policy requires an audit, the auditor will contact you in writing to schedule an appointment at your location. Remember that an audit is routine and presents an opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns you have about workers’ compensation or your policy. After you set up an appointment, you should prepare your payroll records for the completed policy year. Face to face. At the time of your audit appointment, the auditor will review your payroll records, your employees’… Read More »Your Workers Comp. Audit in Four Easy Steps

Keep Good Records, and Keep in Touch You can help reduce the amount of time and material required during an audit by implementing a few basic organizational and communication practices. Submit accurate payroll reports throughout the policy year, using correct figures and classifications. Inform us during the policy year if your operations change or if you hire new employees who perform different tasks. Keep clear, accessible records, especially for payroll earned in dual-wage construction classifications and third-party projects involving a waiver of subrogation or Owner Controlled Insurance Policy (OCIP). Get Your Ducks (and Docs) in a Row We typically request… Read More »How to Prepare for an Audit

A payroll audit is a routine, yet essential event in the life of your workers’ compensation insurance policy. All insurers are required to audit their policyholders. Some policies are audited every year, while smaller employers may be audited at less frequent intervals. To understand what an audit is all about, let’s take a look at the considerations that determine the premium you pay. California’s workers’ compensation system categorizes employees into more than 500 job-specific classifications.  Insurance Company assigns each classification a rate reflecting the risk for that type of work. Your premium—the price of your policy—depends on three main factors:… Read More »Understanding Your Audit: Why It’s Important, How It Helps

This classification is for employees whose time is spent exclusively on clerical duties. Clerical employees must have no exposure to nonclerical business operations (that is, no handling of products or industrial equipment). Their work area must be physically separate from all nonclerical workspace. Their payroll may not be divided between Clerical and any other classification.

Through the Travelers Indemnity Company and its property casualty affiliates and CoverX, a recognized industry leader and specialist within the Security marketplace, Paperless Insurance Services provides coverage for Workers Compensation, Property and Automobile, in support of the General Liability and Excess/Umbrella coverage they offer through their affiliated carrier, First Mercury Insurance. Contact us to request a quote for business located in the states of CA, CO, GA, FL or TX. The policy provides nationwide coverage.

Effective February 14, 2010, Travelers is changing the web log-on site insureds (policyholders) use to access Travelers e-Pay for Business Insurance to https://logon.travelers.com. This site provides enhanced password security and is part of our on-going effort to protect our insureds business information, while providing easy to use tools.

A new insurance industry study has found that state laws banning the use of handheld devices to make calls or send text messages while driving have not resulted in fewer vehicle crashes.