Workers Comp Safety Groups

NYSpeed Automotive NYSpeed Off Topic
1

Hey guys.

Does anyone work for a small company where employees can be both an engineer AND a machinist (“legally”)? How do they handle the safety group they prescribe to?

I’m the second employee so my boss is looking into workers comp safety groups and it’s sort of a shit show. I’ll be doing only 30% machining/building/etc that warrants the higher percentage so it doesn’t make any sense to pay the machinists premium when that is not my main job function.

Any leads would be appreciated. I overheard my boss talking to a few different people today and it seems like we are stuck paying the higher premium but I can’t imagine that we are the only business that faces this predicament.

Thanks!!!

      • Updated - - -

from the suggested thread I’m tagging @justa4door and @nappy1380

2

Generally, if you do any work in higher rated group, they will put all of it in that group. It’s all payroll based, so if you can somehow show that a portion of your payroll is being directly towards the machining/building, they could make that work, but probably won’t. I’ve had a low success rate in battling with the worker’s comp rating board. They just won’t budge, especially when it’s costing them money.

I can say that the advantage of the safety group is that you get a dividend at the end of the year, if everyone is clean all year, so it is def. something to look into.

I will say though, the State Fund usually has a minimum premium and if it is just the 2 of you on payroll, a standard carrier might be a better option. Have you looked into this route at all?

Do you guys have a broker that you’ve been working with? I can assist in this if need be. Feel to pm me or call/txt. 716-604-5862 -Rob

3

It’s carrier and/or risk group dependent. Some will allow your to cost account against different classes, some won’t.

In addition to a dividend, you typically get a decent mod compared to the state fund rates in a safety group as well.

4

I had my comp policy and the rep told me as long as I can document (time sheets) work based on classification / type, they could charge based on that. Just sayin.

5

Could you get some contact info for that rep? No one is saying they can charge separate rates.

6

I closed by business over a year ago so I can’t help with the contact info as it’s long gone, but I did have my policy through the NYSIF directly and that was one thing I remember the rep telling me. At the time, it was kind of hard for me to be able to keep track of that those hours because I was a small company and had a lot on my plate. What I do remember is that we sometimes did framing for additions but most of the time it was kitchens and baths and the categories for each of those operations had obvious rate differences based on their possibility of serious injury. By some miracle, I was never unlucky enough to have anyone hurt of need to file a claim.