The recent Supreme Court ruling that barred restrictions put on religious services in New York put in place to combat the spread of coronavirus may effect houses of worship everywhere.
The United States Supreme Court said in this most recent ruling that the Constitution does not take a holiday during the pandemic; in some ways, those rights are more important and more necessary than ever,” said legal analyst Dan Eaton.
This ruling gives new hope to all churches hoping to be able to meet indoors with no limitations. Legal experts say the new ruling doesn’t mean churches can do whatever they want. They will still have to follow local public health guidelines, but it might make politicians ease up on restrictions on houses of worship to avoid legal challenges.
We are not providing any legal opinion; we recommend you work with your attorney before any action is taken. This is to be considered informational only.
2020 and COVID-19 have changed the way we think about remote working. Most businesses are having employees work from home, and even if there is a vaccine, the work from home trend is likely to continue well into 2021. A PWC survey on US remote working found that 55% of executives believe that most of their employees will continue working remotely at least one day a week post-pandemic.
A Remote Work Policy Might Include:
- Work hours
- Equipment used
- Time management
- Define the scope of work
- Designated work area
- Proof of presence in the work area
How Does Worker’ Compensation Apply To Remote Workers?
In general, employees are covered for work-related injuries that occur outside the office or other workplaces. Generally, employers are still responsible for injuries that occur during a detour, such as when an employee physically departs from his or her job duties that is considered minor activity, getting coffee, etc.
Some questions that will determine whether an injury is a work-related include:
- Was the employer benefiting from the employee’s actions when the injury occurred?
- Did the employer require the employee to engage in the injury-causing activity?
- Did the employer approve the off-site activity in advance?
While employers cannot completely eliminate safety hazards in a home office setting, just as they cannot in the traditional office setting, employers should enforce good risk management practices to ensure those home office workplaces are as safe as possible.
Finding and buying the insurance that meets the unique needs of your business can be easy when you work with the experienced team at our agency. We understand that your business is one of a kind and needs specific protection.
Call us to speak with one of our agents or complete our online quote form. Please have your current policies available when you call.
2022 and COVID-19 have changed the way we think about remote working. Most businesses are having employees work from home, and even if there is a vaccine, the work-from-home trend is likely to continue well into 2022. A PWC survey on US remote working found that 55% of executives believe that most of their employees will continue working remotely at least one day a week post-pandemic.
A Remote Work Policy Might Include:
- Work hours
- Equipment used
- Time management
- Define the scope of work
- Designated work area
- Proof of presence in the work area
How Does Worker’s Compensation Apply To Remote Workers?
In general, employees are covered for work-related injuries that occur outside the office or other workplaces. Generally, employers are still responsible for injuries that occur during a detour, such as when an employee physically departs from his or her job duties that are considered minor activity, getting coffee, etc.
Some questions that will determine whether an injury is a work-related include:
- Was the employer benefiting from the employee’s actions when the injury occurred?
- Did the employer require the employee to engage in the injury-causing activity?
- Did the employer approve the off-site activity in advance?
While employers cannot completely eliminate safety hazards in a home office setting, just as they cannot in the traditional office setting, employers should enforce good risk management practices to ensure those home office workplaces are as safe as possible.
Finding and buying the insurance that meets the unique needs of your business can be easy when you work with the experienced team at our agency. We understand that your business is one of a kind and needs specific protection.
Call us to speak with one of our agents or complete our online quote form. Please have your current policies available when you call.
Posted in Church Risk Church Safety by .
Most Churches operate on very tight budgets. One thing nonprofits can’t afford is an unexpected bill from a claim, especially if insurance could have been purchased to cover the expenses. Having the right insurance and agent can be critical to the overall success and health of your ministry.
The primary role of church directors and officers is to maintain financial stability and provide the necessary resources, direction, vision, and environment to accomplish the goals and mission of the organization. The unique nature of nonprofit organizations presents directors and officers with difficult challenges in performing this role.
Your board of directors and officers (many of whom may be volunteers) could be sued for their actions for many reasons. An example might be the mismanagement of the church’s investments. If during an economic downturn investment returns are below expectations, the board could be sued for selection of an investment advisor.
Typically, nonprofit Directors and Officers Liability Insurance will cover; administrative, civil, and regulatory proceedings based on actual or alleged acts, errors, omissions, misstatements, neglect, or breach of duty committed or allegedly committed by a director or officer while acting within the scope of their duties. The policy also reimburses nonprofit corporations for any indemnification that their bylaws or state laws require them to provide to the directors and officers.
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance claim examples:
A discrimination suit was filed against the board of directors of a church-nonprofit rehabilitation center when the claimant requested a transfer within the housing complex and was denied. The claimant alleged discrimination based on national origin, religion, and sex. The claimant was a resident at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The court dismissed the case due to a lack of evidence. $15,000 was paid in defense costs.
A church was sued by an organization for improperly infringing upon the claimant’s intellectual property rights after using logos and images owned by the nonprofit in a fundraising program. The claim settled for over $400,000 including defense costs.
The current market for Directors and Officers Liability Insurance is competitive, and there are many markets writing coverage. Nonprofit Directors and Officers insurance responds to protect the organization and its Directors and should be considered by every nonprofit organization.
Posted in church board Church Insurance Church Risk Church Safety by .
Many ministries now provide college students with the opportunity to work as summer interns. These can be both rewarding for the college student and beneficial to the business. Offering paid or unpaid internships can put your company at risk. We wanted to highlight some of the business risks of having interns. Before you hire that person, make sure your company is well prepared.
- You should have a plan in writing. It should include a job description, working hours, and a chain of command.
- Determine whether any state regulations might be affected.
- If you offer a paid internship, you must treat the intern as you would any other employee. We recommend having a formal agreement that indemnifies the terms of the agreement, including the internship period.
- If the internship is paid, remember to factor in workers’ compensation.
- Ensure that you are in compliance with Healthcare Reform in terms of employee benefits.
- Assure the intern that they are not entitled to “regular” company benefits such as retirement, insurance, vacation, and so on.
- The internship must provide training that is comparable to what would be provided in a classroom setting.
- The intern must receive a “true” benefit.
- The internship must not be solely for the benefit of the company.
- The intern should not take the place of regular employees and should work closely with existing staff.
Unpaid internships for for-profit companies are governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act of the United States Department of Labor. If you provide educational credit, you must follow certain rules. Here’s a link to the United States Department of Labor. We recommend that you consult with the Department of Labor to ensure that your program satisfies all of the requirements. Many businesses have been sued as a result of ineffective internship programs
Apr 22
9
Youth Ministry Risk Management
Risk Management that could have helped Penn State and Syracuse University sports teams.
The awful discovery these past few weeks from prominent Universities and iconic head coaches like Joe Paterno and Jim Boeheim that their immediate staff was potentially abusing children was quite sad. Unfortunately these circumstances are not isolated and could happen to any of us. Hopefully none of us have a friend or associate that is open to this type of offense but do you realize how much you and I have in common with these institutions?
These well known, long standing leaders in their field did not commit the physical crimes against children. However, they are responsible and liable for their own actions when there is even a hint that someone is abusing a child. These terrible events are a reality check for all of us that are involved with youth in a sports, church or ministry setting, that no one is invincible.
Most of my church and ministry clients are involved with teams/leagues/youth programs in one-way or the other. Are you a coach, athletic director, team mom or a church elder or pastor on the side-lines? Whatever your position, today is the day to step back and realize exactly where you fit into the lives of the kids participating in your youth programs. You are there to protect them at all costs.
There is a major article from Sports Illustrated years ago quoting actual predators in youth programs saying “This is how we got away with it …this is how you protect your kids.” (Example from the article, did you know, Studies have found that the average preferential molester victimizes about 120 children before he is caught?
Several useful Risk Management guidelines that can be implemented today in your organization include;
- have all of your staff attend a safe kids training course or reference our children’s worker application form
- never have a child (other then your own) in the room or car alone with you
- while transporting kids, always have another parent or adult in the car
- ask for references when interviewing potential new children Sunday School staff
- ask open ended questions if kids are exhibiting strange, different or fearful behavior in your class
There is no more difficult situation to navigate in a church or ministry setting then knowing the correct thing to do when it comes to children that may have been victimized. A failed reporting to the appropriate authorities opens up your organization to great financial risk. Filing a report against a potentially innocent staff member can be devastating and career ending. But as a staff or volunteer leader you are there to protect the children.
Posted in Church Risk Church Safety Uncategorized by .
When you’re just starting to develop a comprehensive risk management plan, the process can seem daunting. Keep it manageable by breaking the project down into smaller steps. Ask the right people (and enough of them) to complete each one and develop a project plan with firm delivery dates along the way. Call me for help.
- Identify the hazards. Determine what areas of your ministry might pose risks. Consider any hazard that can cause injury, illness, death, loss, or damage to equipment or property. Consider a variety of “what if” scenarios.
- Make risk control decisions. Once you have chosen a strategy, determine the level of risk remaining. Do you still think the remaining risk is acceptable? Or should you modify the plan to develop measures to better control the risk? Capture your decisions in writing.
- Supervise and review. Make sure everyone is playing his or her role appropriately once your plan is in place. As time passes, review the plan periodically to ensure it’s still working. Get feedback from people involved in all aspects of the plan, and use their comments to modify it as needed.
Make sure your church insurance is up to date, call us today!
Christian Ministries Insurance is committed to providing sound advice and insurance products to churches, universities, Bible colleges, private schools, camps, mission organizations and other 501c3 and related ministries.
What Christian Ministries Insurance can do for You
Christian Ministries Insurance will provide sound advice, training and insurance programs designed specifically for your ministry. We provide much of our unique risk management consulting services at no additional cost.
We become part of your ministry team
Apr 22
2
Church Insurance
Property Insurance
When your ministry’s property is damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen, your ministry suffers financially and in other ways. Brotherhood Mutual’s property insurance offers protection for physical items—from songbooks to steeples.
Liability Insurance
Liability insurance fills the gaps and protects your ministry’s people and finances. Brotherhood Mutual offers a wide variety of liability coverage options to help safeguard your organization from the unique risks Christian ministries face.
Excess Liability Insurance
Churches and related ministries aren’t immune to legal action, or the millions of dollars in damages that courts are known to award. That’s why Brotherhood Mutual offers optional excess liability coverage to provide an ‘umbrella’ of protection over your ministry’s primary liability coverages—general, vehicle, and employers’ liability coverage.
Save Money with Deductible Reduction
Get rewarded for ministry safety. If you’ve operated your ministry without a payable claim for two years or more, we reduce your deductible on a future covered claim. The longer the loss-free period, the higher the reduction—up to $500. Ask your agent for details.
Your Brotherhood Mutual agent can walk you through various coverage options and limits, and create the right insurance protection for your ministry.
Disaster Planning for Your Business
- Review your commercial insurance. Being proactive can help in the end. We can help you determine what coverage is best suited for your individual business needs.
- Put together a crisis team and a plan. Design a plan for the kinds of disasters you are likely to have. Have contingency plans for continued operations. This may mean developing agreements with other businesses for use of their facilities or locations for a short term.
- Meet with your insurer as soon as possible. Developing a relationship with your claims adjuster is critical. Be willing to provide all information required.
- Request an upfront partial payment. This will help you fund your recovery.
- Be prepared to document all expenses. It might even help to hire an accountant to help you with post loss expenses and documentation.
Posted in Church Insurance Church Safety by .
It seems that the insurance buying process often sets up the perfect storm of comparing coverage, pricing, and service, but it ends up with low-cost winning in the short term and then losing when a claim occurs. How can we help change our understanding of this process so that everyone gets a win? Here are some thoughts.
Agents Should
Be prepared, educate yourself on insurance and risk management. Coming to consultations well-versed in the needs of the other person also assures them that you as the agent will go the extra mile on their behalf.
Listen, ultimately, you’re here to help your customers. If they believe your plan takes precedence over theirs, your business relationship will not last long. You can only meet someone else’s needs if you listen to what those needs are, so always be ready to listen as well as speak.
Try to sell rather than teach, here is what we like to do before we even say the word insurance. We ask questions to understand your needs better. We share our knowledge about your risks, and we help identify the individual risks you face and start the process of putting together a plan to protect you with a combination of insurance, risk transfer, and avoidance techniques.
Our clients routinely tell us that “this is the first time someone took the time to explain this to them. They feel empowered to control and have ownership of their insurance program.
Insurance Buyers Should
Shopping for insurance based solely on price. Comparing insurance policies can be perplexing, but resist the temptation to simply select the policy with the lowest premium. Consider the agent’s qualification, experience, and the company’s reputation, as well as the coverage you’d receive for the premium.
Understand what you are buying, make sure you understand what your insurance policy covers and does not cover.
Not updating your coverage, how long has your family or company had the same insurance policy or policies? You could be making a costly mistake if you simply renew your policy year after year. Consider how much your family or business has changed in the last year.
Mar 22
12
Church Risk Issues
Every ministry faces risks of various kinds. If you have employees you have the risk of employee injury. You most likely buy workers’ compensation to protect yourself from this risk. No owner or manager wants to believe that their business is exposed to great risks; however, many situations may expose your company to lawsuits, liability, and substantial expenses. An unfortunate number of these situations go unnoticed by many business owners until it is too late.
Comprehensive risk management is important to the overall success of your business. Unaddressed risks may result in uninsured losses that could potentially cost your business thousands of dollars.
A good risk management plan starts with reviewing your potential risks then developing a plan to treat or manage these risks. Commercial insurance is a good tool that can address many of your business risks. However, many business owners often don’t consider the following risks.
Some Important Business Risks to Consider
The risk of being sued by employees – There are many state and federal laws that protect worker’s rights. These include harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and civil rights. We can provide you with a quote for employment practices liability insurance that will address many of your employment risks.
The risk of lost income – If you have a loss or damage to your building you may not be able to resume operations for a period of time. Your business is at risk for lost revenues. Business income insurance can offer protection.
Cyber liability risk – If your business accepts electronic payments, handles sensitive customer information or stores key information on the internet, you are at risk. Cyber liability insurance protects against these risks, and is an important coverage option to explore for many businesses.
We Offer a Fresh Perspective to Your Church Risks
As part of our service we can review and examine your operations and help you identify the important risks. Then we will design a risk and insurance program tailored to meet your needs. The goal of risk management is to protect your church from being vulnerable. Many church risk management and insurance programs focus on keeping the company viable and reducing financial risks.
Posted in church board Church Insurance Church Risk Church Safety Missions by .
A Guide to Employment Practices for Ministries
Employment practices liability can be a costly concern for churches and related ministries. Many find themselves defending against claims of wrongdoing in such areas as sexual harassment, discrimination, or wrongful dismissal.
Guidelines for Creating an Employee Handbook
One way to prevent such claims or defend against them is to develop an employee handbook. To help you in this area, Brotherhood Mutual has published Working Together: A Guide to Employment Practices for Ministries. The 76-page manual contains:
- Relevant federal laws
- Helpful risk management techniques
- Advice on how to prepare an employee handbook
- Guides for monitoring the policies and practices within a handbook
- Sample policies on CD—attached inside the cover
Click here for more information.
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