Key Points To Consider When Selecting Drivers For A Non Emergency Transportation Company

A common point of frustration I hear from owners of Non Emergency Transportation companies is that they put the safety and wellness of their clients in the hands of drivers for whom they have virtually no direct oversight when they are on the road. Oftentimes, owners have no idea that they have a bad driver working for them until something terrible happens, by which time it's too late.
Even good drivers can get into trouble if they don't have any industry experience. Consider the fact that drivers are required to move swiftly through congested areas, oftentimes with deadlines that, if missed, can result in fines.
Their passengers are medically fragile, and just one small fender-bender can be enough to cause significant trauma, or even death. Wheelchairs, are notoriously unstable, especially if they are not properly weighted, and significant injury can occur if they fall over.
For these reasons, many insurance carriers have established minimum eligibility criteria for drivers. These guidelines, although by no means fool proof, do help to eliminate some potentially costly drivers from your hiring pool. Here they are.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Age- No less than 25 years of age
• Experience - A minimum of 5 years US driving experience as well as 2 years of industry experience.
• 12-Month MVR- No more than 2 moving violations in the last twelve months and no more than one preventable DOT recordable loss.
• 36 Month MVR- No more than 2 moving violations and one at-fault accident.

Generally Prohibited Violations
As a general rule, drivers with any of the following violations within the past 36 months will not be considered acceptable by insurance companies and will be excluded. Insurance companies may even non-renew your whole insurance policy if you have drivers with such violations as:

• Driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
• Possession of alcohol or drugs in a motor vehicle
• Refusal to submit under implied consent
• Suspended license (current)
• Operating while suspended
• Felony using a motor vehicle
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer
• Reckless Driving

While these guidelines will not guarantee any degree of success with your drivers, they will certainly help. Not many Non Emergency Transportation companies I know have a a group of drivers with perfect driving records. At the very least, these guidelines will help you sleep a little easier at night knowing you've done your best to select a more solid crew of drivers.

Tips on Finding Effective Slip and Fall Lawyers

There will always be moments when you are just walking and you suddenly slipped and fell. Most of these events are just ignored. However, there are rare cases when you are seriously injured. When this happens, you have no choice but to undergo medical treatment and that can make you spend a lot of money. That is why it is important to request for compensation from the owners of the property where you experienced your accident.
Slip and fall accidents may be a common occurrence but some individuals are really injured that they are forced to find slip and fall lawyers to help them process for the compensation. But finding these professionals are not really that arduous as long as you know how to follow the appropriate steps.
1.) Slip and fall attorneys can be located anywhere. Perhaps the simplest way to find them is by asking your friends, relatives and colleagues if they can provide leads on where to locate credible lawyers specializing in this kind of accident.
2.) If any of your relatives and friends cannot help you find one slip and fall counsel, you move along to the next method. There are certain attorneys advertised by some group of people. This is your opportunity to research more on those lawyers and assess if someone is suitable for your needs. Furthermore, it is also possible to look for a list of licensed lawyers near your area by getting in contact with the state bar association or you can search for them online. Procure all the important information about all the lawyers that you can see on the website or on the list. Luckily, there are certain attorneys who will give a general biography about themselves as well as their credentials. Most importantly, never forget to confirm if the lawyer you want to choose has a specialization in slim and fall claims as well as in any personal injuries.
3.) The moment you've collected a list of slip and fall lawyers, you can use the best methods in determining which one of them can give you the best kind of services. You can ask the attorney's previous clients and make them provide some feedback about that particular counsel and use it as your reference in choosing the right lawyer. Furthermore, you can also ask the clients if they are satisfied with the services given to them.
4.) If the lawyer that you want to help you is not listed on the state bar association online site or from the mailed list, you have to contact the attorney through a website where they are listed. Moreover, the most important thing to do is to make sure that this lawyer has a license to practice his or her profession in your state.
Majority of slip and fall attorneys provide a free conference meeting where you would be explaining every detail of your case. This is also the moment where they will tell you what they can do for you. As the consultation continues, you can both establish rapport and in the end, you can make a decision if this counsel is suitable for your case.
Now that you know the tips of finding effective slip and fall lawyers, you must never forget that the attorney you've chosen to assist you can guarantee you the right compensation for your injuries.

How Your Business Can Handle Workers Compensation

If an employee is injured at your workplace then you may have to handle a workers compensation claim. Your workers safety should be one of the most important parts of your companies policy. Every state and territory in Australia has legislation concerning Occupational Health and Safety, and by law businesses needs to adhere to these legislations. Your company may want to seek advice from Safety Management Consulting groups to ensure that your business is taking all the necessary steps to protect the safety of your employees. As an employer there are a few things you should do in regards to workers compensation.
Report claims
It is important that as soon as there is a workplace injury and a claim made as a result that you report this claim to your insurance company as soon as possible. Your company needs to be covered financially against any claims and you need to make sure you report the incident to all the right people. The employee also needs to see that you are making steps towards resolving the issue as well, and to stop it from escalating you need to get on top of it right away.
Be involved
You need to make sure that your company stays as involved with the claims process as possible to avoid the situation getting out of control. As an employer you need to pay close attention to any open claims that are made and your goal should be trying to sort out the situation and close the claim as soon as you can. For a genuine claim you need to help your employees as much as you can. If they are badly injured and can not work for a while they are going to need financial assistance to help them with living expenses until they can return to work. You need to continue to support your staff, even if they make a claim, as you do want them returning to work as soon as they are able to. It is also your responsibility as an employer to firstly keep your employees safe at work, and if something does go wrong, make sure they get back on their feet.
Help your employees
The best way to help employees is to avoid injury in the first place. Make sure that your workplace is safe by adhering to all safety standards within your industry. There are Occupational Health and Safety professionals that can come out to your workplace and make sure that your safety procedures are up to date. They can also consult with you as to how you can improve your safety procedures, with the first step being to write an Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems document. If an injury does occur in your workplace, which it does happen even with the strictest safety standards in place, much sure that you do all you can to help your employees with their compensation claim. Approach it in a 'human' manner and be understand towards the fact they need to support themselves and their families while they are unable to work.

Truck Drivers Learn The Twists And Turns Of Worker's Comp Insurance

Transportation businesses in New York State have to deal with many moving challenges. A truck driver may face a bridge closure in Staten Island, pot holes in Brooklyn, and a parade in Manhatten. By the time he leaves the five boroughs he may be hit with a blizzard in Westchester Country or a hail storm in Rockland County.
A one day trip can be hectic, but maybe not as stressful as the paperwork his employer must face on a regular basis. New York State employers must travel along another type of highway filled with regulations, fees, and taxes. Employers often have little or no control over the costs of some mandatory requirements, but when it comes to workers compensation insurance, businesses may be able to put the brakes on some costs.
Every business with one employee or more must pay for workers compensation insurance. Rates vary with different types of industries and jobs depending on the level of risk any given job entails. Companies are divided into five categories; contractors, retailers and wholesalers, manufacturers, restaurants and bakeries, and transportation enterprises. The transportation category includes truckers and various other types of drivers.
Workers for each industry are then divided into sub categories and given individual code numbers. The categories and classifications are determined by the New York compensation Insurance Rating Board, NYCIRB. Jobs which face a greater risk of injury are given higher code numbers which are then applied during audits to determine worker's compensation insurance premiums.
A driver who faces New York City traffic will probably require a higher premium then a store clerk. That seems simple enough; however, let's say the driver spends 20 hours a week on the road, and 20 hours a week working on inventory. Half of the time our driver is not on the road and might have a lower risk of injury than when he's on the highway. If the driver is classified only as a driver his employer may pay a higher premium, but if he is rated as a driver half of the time, and a warehouse worker the other part of the time, the fees may be considerably less. This is just one example of how expertise and a complete understanding of the worker's comp system can make a big difference.
New York State is full of lots of road hazards truckers and drivers must avoid. Learning about the NYCIRB codes and how to find the best route to competitive rates won't make the tolls go away, but they will be easier to pay.

What Is Required For Worker Compensation Audits?

New York State requires almost all businesses with 1 employee or more to have of workers compensation insurance. The employer pays an estimated amount which is adjusted through an audit at the end of each official policy period.Being organized before the audit is essential in preventing costly errors and receiving the best possible rates.
Let's take a look at how premiums are determined and what paperwork is required for a NYS work comp audit. The price of every company's workers compensation insurance is based on the payroll and a set of classification codes set by the state of New York. The payroll number is based on the GROSS PAYROLL which includes salaries, bonuses, commissions, and all vacation, holiday and sick pay.
CLASSIFICATION CODES are determined by the New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board, also known as the NYCIRB. The codes are divided into 5 groups; truckers, contractors, retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers. Each group is then divided into dozens of sub groups. There are 35 pages of codes.
It is important to take the time needed to properly classify each worker before the audit begins. If you rely on the auditor to assign categories, your premium might be much higher than it needs to be.
Let's say you have an employee who drives for ten hours, unloads and stocks shelves for 5 hours and works the cash register for 20 hours. His three different tasks may all be under three different classification codes, and proper bookkeeping will produce a lower rate.
However, if the auditor assigns codes, that worker may be put under the single highest category. The key to a successful audit almost always is connected to organization. Businesses that keep their books in order, and all the required paperwork when the audit begins usually have successful audits that often result in the best possible premium rates. The state requires lots of documentation. You will need several tax records including your 941, NYS45, business tax returns, and your 1099s. You'll also be asked to have your Payroll book, sales records, general ledger, checkbook, and cash disbursement book available during the audit. Many businesses in New York State over pay for premiums.
The classification codes can be confusing and a bit overwhelming. There are experts who help businesses untangle the code and so they can get the best rates possible and stay in compliance of state laws. Other businesses become confused by the paperwork and end up paying more than necessary. Organization and a complete understanding of classification codes will result in the best possible rates.