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Specialty Lines
We have a wide variety of services we can provide to counties and county related entities which participate in one or more of CCAP's insurance programs. I wanted to remind you of one that we really enjoy doing, and that can be helpful to you and your employees: staff visits for specific discussions, meetings or trainings.
Our risk control, and other staff are available to visit you and meet with you and your employees. Some good examples would be:
Safety committee meetings
- not only to participate in a routine meeting, but also to provide training - let us know if there is some risk control training your safety committee would find helpful.
Department Head meetings
- this is a great way to emphasize to your department heads what to do when a workers' compensation, liability or other claim happens, and to review what insurance coverage the county has in place.
Wellness or Benefit fairs
- our risk control staff is available to attend your fair, and can promote and explain the CCAP insurance programs your county has in place.
Make sure you contact us when you need help with something,
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PComp to Celebrate 25th Anniversary!
Join us at the CCAP Spring Conference, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday night, March 19, for the annual PComp Membership Meeting, which this year will include a 25th anniversary celebration! Our theme is Safety in Numbers, and we will be recognizing PComp's members.
There is no cost to attend the dinner meeting, and your spouse or guest is welcome, too. Please email
us
to let us know who from your county will be attending. A separate personal email will be sent to all commissioners, council members, county executives, chief clerks, solicitors, county administrators and local insurance producers from PComp members.
The CCAP Spring Conference is being held at the Harrisburg Hilton. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Click here to register for the PComp dinner.
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U.S. Communites Can Be a Key Partner in Fighting Opioid Crisis!
Opioid abuse in the United States has reached epidemic proportions, with deaths due to opioid overdose killing Americans every day. There is a broad consensus that increased access to naloxone is a critical component of the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
NARCAN Nasal Spray is the first and only FDA-approved naloxone nasal spray. This medication is used along with emergency medical treatment to reverse the
life-threatening effects of opioid overdose. NARCAN requires no assembly or priming prior to use.
Public Interest Pricing is available to U.S. Communities participating agencies. This discounted program is an effort to provide affordable access to NARCAN for entities that serve the public interest with limited funding.
For more information on NARCAN and U.S. Communities, click
here.
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Hot Topics
Workers' Compensation Payroll Classifications
The dollar is sometimes in the details - and this is a good example. Your workers' compensation insurance costs are determined by several mathematical components, and one that counties should watch carefully is how each employee's payroll is reported. Workers' compensation insurance divides all payroll into what are called Class Codes. Each code consists of employees who are doing similar work, and then claims data is reviewed for each class code to determine the rate for the code. The rate times the payroll reporting in the code is the building block which starts the development of your workers' compensation premiums.
Getting your employees listed in the correct Class Code is important, so you are charged the correct amount. PComp has a detailed listing of the codes, and it explains what types of work is being done and even some job titles which should be included in each class code.
One thing to watch is the 980 Class Code, which is a "catch all" for county government. This tends to be one of the more expensive codes. Make sure you do not include all your employees here - if they can be placed in other codes it may save you some money!
For more information, please contact
Karen Cohen
at CCAP.
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Who is Accountable for Safety?
By: Dennis Cutler, CSHM, Senior Risk Control Specialist
Counties must define accountability for each level of management. By understanding what job tasks each level is responsible for, a county can begin to develop measures to track and quantify specific safety activities.
Likewise, all employees are individually responsible for their own safety and following prescribed safety activities.
If employees and management are not held accountable for safety in the workplace, the results will be increased workers' compensation costs, lowered productivity, and more importantly, seeing a fellow employee suffer from a workplace injury.
Safety activities
Supervisors oversee employees, and they have the most effect on safety within the county. It is very important for supervisors to be consistent in holding employees accountable. They must do it daily, not randomly or once a year during a performance evaluation. Failure to hold someone accountable when you are aware they are not working in a safe manner, is the same thing as telling them that you don't consider safety to be important. Supervisors are responsible for core activities such as:
- Investigating accidents
- Correcting unsafe conditions
- Inspecting and auditing the workplace
- Training employees in safety activities
- Coaching employees on correct behaviors
- Holding meetings and following up on employee safety concerns
- Enforcing rules
- Making observations
- Keeping records
- Acting as a role model
Clearly defined safety responsibilities, and safe work practices should be considered part of every employees' job description. It is important to involve employees in identifying root causes of injuries in their work areas. Management should also allow employees to help establish standards for safe behaviors, activities, rules and work practices. Core safety activities include:
- Wearing protective equipment where necessary
- Participating in safety meetings and discussing safety concerns
- Reporting near-misses and safety hazards
- Assisting in accident analysis
- Assisting with safety inspections
- Following all applicable safety and health guidelines
- Demonstrating safe behaviors while performing their jobs
- Practicing good housekeeping
All employees are responsible for performing each core activity in an acceptable way. Your county should develop standard operating practices for these activities. These should detail specifically why the activity is done, who will do the activity, and in what way the activity is to be performed.
So, the simple answer to the question "Who is Responsible for Safety" is everyone.
For more information on the development of an accountability program, contact the CCAP Risk Control staff
at (800)-895-9039; or email us at:
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New Invoicing System - Sage Email
Effective January 1, 2018 all CCAP Insurance Program invoices will be sent out via email instead of by mail. This email invoicing will be sent for PCoRP and PComp members for their premiums, PIMCC membership billing, PACAH Bonds, Public Official Bonds, Tax Collectors and Volunteers.
The screenshot below is how the email will appear in your inbox. Please note that the invoice email will be sent from "Sage Email" and if you receive this email, it is safe to open. Also, be sure to make sure that this email is not sent to your junk folder.
If you have any questions about this new process, please contact Sara Hazleton.
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Nationwide 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan
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The County Financial Management Workshop
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) and the CCAP Academy for Excellence in County Government is pleased to offer the County Financial Management workshop at the CCAP Office in Harrisburg on Thursday, April 19 for county elected officials and staff.
Join us as professionals from Maher Duessel, CPAs present on current financial topics including: basics of governmental accounting and budgeting; update on GASB Statement of Impact and county financial statements; pension and post-employee benefit accounting; auditing basics and goals of the audit process; and, fraud and internal controls.
The workshop is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch included. Participants in the CCAP Academy for Excellence in County Government attend at no cost and will earn credit for the County Financial Management core course upon their full participation at the event.
The workshop is open to all county officials and staff. Associate members and other CCAP vendors are also invited to attend. Registered Academy participants may attend at no cost. The costs for non-Academy participants (CCAP members) vary. Other fees may apply for Academy graduates, associate members and vendors. The workshop fee includes refreshments, lunch and session materials.
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New Associate Members
Cafardi Ferguson Wyrick Weis + Stotler LLC www.cfwws.com
Consulting, Law
Employees are your most important asset, as well as the most difficult and costly part of your operation. We act as trusted advisors to counties on effective personnel management and employment issues from recruitment to separation, labor negotiations, grievance and interest arbitration, employment litigation and training. We represent so many counties because we have the best, most experienced lawyers. We are The Leader in the Public Sector, and we look forward to partnering with you. Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC www.cohenmilstein.com
Law Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, is a plaintiffs class action law firm with more than 90 lawyers in diverse practice areas whose underlying mission is to protect those harmed by illegal corporate behavior. Cohen Milstein's Securities Litigation & Investor Protection practice has developed extensive expertise from its experience as counsel for investors in some of the most significant securities fraud cases over the past 40 plus years, recovering billions of dollars in assets for investors. ConstituentON Back Office
www.constituenton.com
Technology ConstituentON™ Back Office is a lead-component of ConstituentON™ Technology (COT). COT was founded in 2010. ConstituentON™ Back Office was developed specifically for elected officials, staff, governmental departments and legislative bodies. ConstituentON™ Back Office web-based solutions meet the demands of elected officials and their staff to provide their constituents the most effective and efficient response and communication software in the industry. Unlimited users and departments. Election Systems & Software www.essvote.com Elections, Technology Election Systems & Software's visionary approach to election equipment, software and solutions has helped improve the voting experience throughout North America for nearly 40 years. We are committed to developing integrated voting solutions that improve the marketplace and are flexible enough to meet multiple jurisdictions' needs and voter preferences. Provident Energy Consulting, LLC www.providentenergy.com Consulting, Energy
Provident Energy Consulting assists governmental energy consumers in identifying and implementing approaches to reduce and control energy costs, as well as to better understand the issues in the deregulated energy marketplace. A PA PUC Licensed Energy Supplier, Provident provides full consulting services toward analyzing energy needs; evaluating proposals from reputable suppliers; assisting in contract execution; and preparing annual budgets. Call us!
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Upcoming Events
March 18-20, 2018
CCAP Spring Conference
Hilton Harrisburg, PA
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Quote of the Month
"I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter's tough, but spring's coming. I believe that there's a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better."
- Ovid
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