June 2017
President's Message
A couple of months ago I received a flyer in the mail notifying me that my 40th high school reunion will be held this summer. Those of you that are "of age" will understand when I tell you that it seems like only perhaps a decade ago that I walked off the campus of Mt. Whitney High School. That "decade" has morphed into 40 years.
 
I mention this because this is the time of year when seniors from across the country are graduating from high school. They will go forward seeking their path - a fresh new journey - and someday will also be surprised by how fast time passes. For now they are mostly concerned about the next step, which is where we all were at their point in life.
 
Every year Buckman-Mitchell provides a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior at each high school in Tulare County. The awarding of the scholarships will be followed in the months ahead by thank you notes from the recipients. I enjoy these notes from our students very much. They remind me of the talent and the quality of young people we have in our County.
 
We also realize that while some will continue their education, many will not.
 
I had lunch recently with a young lady from our office that graduated from Cal Poly. She mentioned to me that there were "so many" young people from her high school that for various reasons did not further their education. "They are really smart people and would do really well at Buckman-Mitchell," she said. "They just don't know about insurance."
 
Her words ring true. Our industry - insurance - needs to do a better job of connecting with our young people and enlightening them as to the opportunities available. I'm sure the same is true of many other industries in our area and our Valley.
 
The Class of 2017 will provide many of those opportunities. I would hope our willingness to enlighten meets up with their willingness to explore.
         
 
Brent Swanson
President / Chief Operating Officer

BMI News
July 4:
Office will be Closed in observance of Independence Day.

Save the Date:
Saturday, July 29: Cars and Coffee at BMI. Please click here for flyer with details.  
We love to support our community! Below are some upcoming events BMI has sponsored:
 
June 16, 2017 - Sequoia Chapter Triple X Fraternity Public Safety Appreciation Banquet
June 17, 2017 - Family Services of Tulare County's Guest Chef Fundraiser
June 21, 2017 - VEDC Annual Meeting
July 7, 2017 - Blues, Brews and BBQ  
Every year one deserving student from each Tulare County High School receives the Buckman-Mitchell, Inc. Scholarship.

From Golden West High School, Outstanding student, Josh Gonzales, received this years scholarship. Congratulations Josh!

Click here to read at letter written by Josh.
Property and Casualty Trends

How well do you know your business' privacy breach/cyber exposures?

 

Does your business retain physical or electronic records of employees of other third parties with any of the following?
  1. Social security numbers
  2. Drivers' license information
  3. Tax identification numbers
  4. Birth dates
  5. Medical/health records
  6. Court records
  7. Police records
  8. Banking information (checking/savings accounts)
  9. Email addresses or home addresses

Please click here to learn more.

Life & Health Insurance Updates
Planning a trip out of country this summer?

Do you know if your existing medical plan covers you or your family while traveling abroad? Some plans do offer some sort of limited coverage, but not all do. Buckman-Mitchell offers Travel Insurance. In addition to medical coverage, many policies also include coverage for lost baggage and medical evacuation should you need to head back home for continued medical care. Premiums are based on the cost of the trip and the number of days you will be travelling. We encourage you to call us for a quote if you plan on traveling out of the country. The cost is less than you would think!
 
Happy family with children at the airport. Parents and their children look out the window at the plane.
 
Please click here to continue reading the article.
 
Have you heard about our Benefits HRIS System?
Buckman-Mitchell, Inc. offers a Human Resource Information System, or HRIS, to all clients, regardless of size. This system empowers employers with technology that relieves the employer of administrative burdens associated with offering employee benefits while simultaneously simplifying the new hire and benefit elections process for employees.
  Click here to learn more.
 
Human Resource News
Work week upheld by California Supreme Court


California Supreme court voted 7-0 in favor of the seven days in the same  work week interpretation.  This means that, if you define your work week, as long as an employee has one day off in that workweek, they are not eligible for premium over-time payments.  They rejected the interpretation that employees should only work 6 days and affirmed the wording that employees may only work 6 days in the same work week.

Please click here to continue reading the article.
Visit www.hrmobileservices.com for more helpful information.

Loss Control Bulletin
Safety: Motivation

Businesses attract and retain the best Human Resources when there is motivation for them in the company. Job motivating factors tend to be things like interesting work, appreciation for work done, promotion and growth opportunities, feeling of being in on things, and good working conditions.
 
Interests that lead to job motivation change over time. Think of how someone in the "Millennial" generation differs from someone in the "Baby Boomer" generation. What motivates the former (i.e., choose work for satisfaction and lifestyle support it offers) differs from what motivates the latter (i.e., dedication to getting the job well done at "any" cost).
 
Please click here to continue reading the article.
Visit www.borettinc.com for more helpful information. 
       
A Word from Workers' Comp Department




Please click here for a printer-friendly version.     
Claims Department Report
Who is liable when a tree falls on a neighbor's property?
1
Many people have one or more types of trees on their property. Trees provide shade and complement landscaping nicely, but they can also cause major disputes when they fall over. A tree may fall over if it is not properly maintained and diseased, or it may fall over during a wind storm. When a tree falls over onto a neighbor's property, most people assume that they are liable since it is their tree. However, this is not always true.

Please click here to continue reading the article.     
Personal Lines Note
Summertime - It's almost here!! Swimming Pool Safety

It's that time of year again, pool time!! Pools are fun, refreshing, places to gather with family and friends. With the hot weather here in the valley, swimming pools are definitely popular and desirable. Swimming Pools can also be extremely dangerous.

 

Please click here to continue reading the article.  

June Employee Spotlight
License #0011334, #0A96361     |   (559) 733-1181   |   www.bminc.com
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