In honor of America's birthday, we will be closed Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4th 2023. Our regular schedule will resume on Wednesday.
We hope you have a safe, happy, and enjoyable holiday!
In honor of America's birthday, we will be closed Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4th 2023. Our regular schedule will resume on Wednesday.
We hope you have a safe, happy, and enjoyable holiday!
New guidance from OSHA will change the way that citations are issued. Starting March 25, 2023, the new policy will give area administrators and regional directors the ability to issue citations for each instance of a violation. OSHA’s previous enforcement policy allowed several “serious” or “other than serious” violations to be grouped together under a single citation. Let’s review exactly what all of this means for your business.
Certain factors must be taken into consideration when issuing these citations, including:
Instance-by-instance violations can be issued per machine, location, entry, or employee, or when the violation instances can’t be stopped by a single method. For example, if three different machines were seen to be unguarded and are considered a “serious violation” the area administrator or regional director has the authority to split all three machines into three separate violations with penalty amounts at their discretion.
As a reminder, maximum penalty amounts by violation type:
The scope of this expanded guidance is limited to high-gravity serious violations specific to:
The expansion will generally apply to General Industry, Agriculture, Maritime, and Construction industries, although isn’t limited to them.
OSHA stated that instance-by-instance citations should be used to deter employers from continued violations of a standard, particularly for repeat offenders and organizations that clearly aren’t committed to protecting their workers from hazards.
Comply with all OSHA regulations and strive to keep your safety program up-to-date, employees trained, and address hazards and issues as quickly as possible whenever they arise.
Organizations that have past histories of citations should take particular note of this new guidance and review their program, training, and any other policies and procedures.
For any organizations not currently using software like KPA EHS or Vera Suite, KPA is here to help. Contact us today.
Author: Emily Hartman / February 06, 2023
This article and many more resources are available to our clients through the Tedrick Group's Risk Management Center.
Reporting season is here, have you posted your OSHA 300A Log? Do you need to electronically file Form 300A to OSHA? If you have access to our Risk Management Center, be sure to watch this 14-minute video explaining OSHA reporting essentials and how to use Incident Track and the Risk Management Center to fill out your reports. Or be sure to check out this more detailed recorded webinar about OSHA Reporting & You.
If you would like to have access to our Risk Management Center, contact someone at the Tedrick Group for login credentials. The Risk Management Center has many very useful toos that can be available to you at no additional cost..
https://www.kpa.io/blog/osha-reporting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-to-make-reporting-easy
When someone is killed or seriously injured in the workplace, the incident must be reported to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
Most employers know this. And yet OSHA reporting requirements are sometimes ignored as other, more urgent matters take precedence. In the immediate aftermath of a workplace safety or health incident, rarely is anyone’s first thought, “we need to report this to OSHA.” Reporting, along with recordkeeping, can seem like an unimportant step or unnecessary paperwork—and get delayed or overlooked entirely as a result.
This is a grievous and costly mistake. If you don’t record and report incidents to OSHA on time, you could face significant expenses and penalties. The minimum fine for a single late or missing report is $5,000.
Moreover, if you neglect your OSHA reporting and recordkeeping duties, you put your workforce and bottom line at risk. Reporting to OSHA keeps your organization in compliance and gives you the information and visibility you need to improve workplace safety and minimize incidents.
Here’s what you need to know about OSHA reporting and OSHA recordkeeping: including what needs to be reported, the difference between OSHA reportable and OSHA recordable, exemptions from reporting and recordkeeping, and more.
Read up on all of the deadlines and best practices in the
OSHA Reporting Resource Hub
Employers with more than ten employees in most industries are required to keep records of occupational injuries and illnesses at their establishments. These records include…
OSHA’s reporting requirements have recently changed and now entail electronic reporting. Establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, as well as establishments with 20–249 employees that are classified in certain industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses, must electronically submit some information on an annual basis to OSHA. Moreover, organizations in regulated industries must submit 300A forms through OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application.
February 1: Workplace Posting Deadline
According to OSHA, “Each February through April, employers must post a summary of the injuries and illnesses recorded the previous year. Also, if requested, copies of the records must be provided to current and former employees, or their representatives. It must be posted in a location that is clearly visible to all employees and new applicants, and it must be kept posted until April 30. In addition, employees have the right to request a copy of the records at any time.”
March 2: Form 300A Data Electronic Submission Deadline
Submitted through the Injury Tracking Application. You don’t have to wait until the 2nd to submit your data. Collection begins on January 2nd.
KPA makes OSHA electronic reporting—and all elements of OSHA compliance and workforce health and safety—as easy as possible. Complete and file OSHA Forms 301, 300, and 300A quickly and accurately with KPA EHS Software.
Learn how we can save you time and money. Take a Test Drive >>
Written by Toby Graham/January 04, 2023 Access the original article here.
FROM LEFT, Andrew Verderber of Springfield Electric; Gener Eyre of Springfield Electric; Roger Tedrick, owner of the Tedrick Group; Chad Brandon, President and Certified Risk Architect of the Tedrick Group; Pam Allen, president of Clinton Electric and Owen Allen, vice president of Clinton Electric.
A ceremony was held Wednesday, February 27, 2019 to recognize the Tedrick Group for being the first commercial solar array system installed within the city.
Pam Allen, president of Clinton Electric based in Ina, said that February 4th was the date where the system got energized at the Tedrick Group.
"We are really recognizing two things today: the solar array being energized and the fact that the Tedrick Group is the first commercial solar array in the city of Mt. Vernon," Allen said, "That is really no surprise to me at all. We are a customer of theirs and we have been with them for many years for our insurance."
Roger Tedrick, owner of the Tedrick Group, discussed the decision to have the solar array installed.
"We like to be on the cutting edge and the first one in the community to have solar on our building," Tedrick said. "We think it is the right thing to do. When we first approached it with Clinton Electric, we had that discussion and cost was a factor of course, there are tax credits."
"It's still a leap of faith. You still have to feel like it is the right thing to do," Tedrick said. "I hope it is a catalyst for other people to look into it and go down this path."
The total cost of the system was $70,369, with some tax credits helping to offset the cost.
Darren Volle, energy team leader of Springfield Electric, which has a branch office in Mt. Vernon, discussed their involvement with this project.
"Springfield Electric is a distributor of electrical equipment. We have a team that Andrew [Verderber] is a part of and he designed and engineered it," Velle said. "That team goes around and puts together all of the bills and materials, the design of the system, consults with structural engineer on the roof to make sure it is structurally sound to hold the array.
"Then we go in and we apply for all the rebates, speak with the customer about the tax credits, what the payback is going to be," Volle said. "That is what our team focuses on for the solar. Then we partner with Clinton Electric, who does all the installation and who has the relationships with the customers."
The new system will require minimal maintenance, as Verderber shared some of the specifications of the panels that were installed on the roof of the Tedrick Group Building. The size of their solar array is a 22.7-kilowatt system.
“They are 360-watt panels and there are 63 of them,” Verderber said. “They are American made from Mission Solar out of Texas. So that was something that Tedrick and Clinton really liked about that panel, just the American made aspect.”
Allen commented on Clinton Electric’s relationship with the Tedrick Group.
“They are a leader in the insurance industry,” Allen said. “They are on the cutting edge of what is going on in the insurance world. They are a leader. They are not catching up, they are leading the way and it is not surprising that they are doing that with the solar array as well.”
Allen gave her reaction to Clinton Electric being the installer for the system for the Tedrick Group.
“We are really proud that we got to be the installer on their solar array, and as soon as we get some nice weather it will really start producing energy,” Allen said. “You will have about 62 percent of your energy needs supplied by this array. That is the estimate with the type of system that was put in. Over 25 to 30 years, the projection is that you will save a little over $100,000 on your electric bills.”
A plaque was presented to the Tedrick Group recognizing them for being the first commercial system array in the city, along with the date the system was energized.
Written by Josh Jones, Sentinel News Staff and published in the February 28, 2019 edition of the Mt. Vernon Sentinel
Latest COVID Relief Package: What Businesses Need to Know
Emily Hartman / March 15, 2021
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act to support the American economy and provide $1.9 trillion in relief funds. We dug into the COVID relief bill and what businesses need to know and do.
The Families First Coronavirus Rescue Plan Act (FFCRA) and the requirement employers provide emergency paid sick leave and emergency family and medical leave expired at the end of 2020. Around the same time the FFCRA ended, Congress passed an extension of the tax credit for employers who volunteered to provide emergency leave through March 31, 2021.
The American Response Act extends that tax credit to employers who opt to continue providing FFCRA leave from the end of March to September 30, 2021.
As a refresher, FFCRA-related emergency paid sick leave, and emergency paid family, and medical leave is provided for reasons including:
Additionally, there is a non-discrimination rule to ensure that employers consistently implement the leave.
Employers should also note that if they voluntarily provide sick leave, the American Rescue Act allows employers to voluntarily provide an additional ten days of FFCRA paid sick leave, starting April 1, 2021. This is not a requirement.
Food and Beverage Businesses. The American Rescue Plan provides $25 billion to the Small Business Administration for a program targeted to support restaurants and other food and beverage businesses. The grants are available for up to $10 million and can be applied to payroll, mortgage, rent, utilities, and food and beverage expenses.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Act provides $7 billion to the PPP to help small businesses with the possibility of 100% loan forgiveness. The bill also provides an expansion to certain nonprofit organizations, and some businesses may be eligible for a second loan from this program.
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance Program. Businesses with less than 10 employees will be given priority. $15 billion in funds will be distributed to the EIDL Advance program to help businesses experiencing revenue losses resulting from COVID-19. Businesses could receive assistance to help cover financial and operating costs that would otherwise have been if not for the pandemic.
Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) Program. This assistance program, which will receive $15 billion in funding, is geared for businesses like live venues, theaters, performing arts centers, museums, etc. Those businesses that qualify for SVOG could also qualify for loans under the PPP.
The American Rescue Plan Act extends and increases the previous unemployment benefits that were provided under the CARES Act and the previous stimulus package (expiring this month). There are a few provisions to note:
Under the American Rescue Plan Act, there are no surcharges for employer contributions, no employer PBGC premiums, and withdrawal penalties. Those multiemployer plans that are categorized as “critical and declining” will be given a lump sum by the U.S. Treasury to pay benefits through 2051. There are restrictions on how this money can be used, and the rules around this provision are subject to change.
The ERC has been extended through December 31, 2021, and expanded to include some start-up businesses that might not have previously qualified. Those particular businesses have an ERC capped at $50,000/quarter.
Individuals who earn more than $75,000 or joint returns of $150,000 or more are phased out of the law’s child tax credit. The credits are fully refundable, so those individuals or families who pay little to no tax can still take advantage of this credit either through monthly payment or lump sum.
The bill also temporarily increases the credit amount as follows:
The Act provides a 100% COBRA premium subsidy starting April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021, for employees that have been involuntarily terminated. Employers must send the subsidy along to the individual to pay for COBRA during this time.
There is a provision under the American Rescue Plan Act where terminated employees who doesn’t elect COBRA coverage by April 1, or elected for it and then discontinued it, may elect it again during a special enrollment period that starts on April 1 and ends 60 days after the COBRA notification date was sent.
The coverage could also end early for these individuals if they reach their maximum coverage period before September 2021 or become eligible for another group health plan or Medicare.
The Department of Labor will be publishing model notices within 30 days after the American Rescue Plan Act was enacted.
What Should Employers Do?
Over $15 billion in the American Rescue Plan Act will go towards improving and expanding the distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine across the county. Initiatives to promote vaccination, increase access, development, manufacturing and more also fall within this effort.
What Should Employers Do?
The federal government will be sending up to $1,400 in stimulus checks to individuals making less than $75,000 (or $150,000 for those filing jointly).
During much debate, a few provisions were eliminated from the final version of the legislation. It is worth noting what items don’t make the cut so that employers aren’t surprised if these issues come back to the forefront in future legislation.
Emily Hartman, Marketing Manger at KPA
Latest COVID Relief Package: What Businesses Need to Know (kpa.io)
The Tedrick Group office was closed October 1st from 12:00PM to 1:30PM in order to honor Lisa Kay Champlin and her 20 year anniversary with the Tedrick Group with a staff luncheon. Congratulations and Thank You to Lisa for her long time of service!
Policy Wording Critical As Businesses Assess Coronavirus Claims
Source: Insurance Business Magazine
Insurance Coverage for Losses Stemming from the Coronavirus
Source: Insurance Journal
Would Insurance Policies Cover Losses Related To Coronavirus?
Source: Willis Towers Watson
U.S. Businesses Gear Up for Legal Disputes With Insurers Over Coronavirus Claims
Source: Wall Street Journal
Will Business Interruption Insurance Provide Coverage for Coronavirus Losses?
Source: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Time for a Policy Checkup: Maximizing Insurance Coverage for Coronavirus Losses
Source: Jones Day
Coronavirus Work-from-Home Response May Expand Cyber Risk
Source: Insurance Journal
New Law Prohibits Employers from Asking for Wage History
Pursuant to Public Act 101-0177 the Illinois Equal Pay Act now bans employers and employment agencies from asking about applicants’ past wage and compensation histories. This law takes effect on September 29, 2019. Employers can be penalized for asking the applicant or the applicant’s current or former employers for wage or salary history. If they have not yet done so, employers should review their employment applications to make sure they do not ask for salary and wage history. They should also train those involved in hiring on the new law. For more information you may contact the Illinois Department of Labor at the Equal Pay Hotline 866-372-4365.
Frequently Asked Questions on Wage History Ban
https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/News/Documents/DOL%20Wage%20History%20Release.pdf