THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
COVID-19 and Employer Unemployment Compensation (UC)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As of: March 17, 2020
PENNSYLVANIA EMPLOYERS
Governor Tom Wolf's updated guidance for Pennsylvania businesses (as of 3/17)Opens In A New Window
The Department of Community and Economic Development has a resource account for businesses to reach out to directly with questions and concerns about operations. Email ra-dcedcs@pa.gov with your name, business, contact information, and concern, and someone will be in contact to assist you.
Employees affected by a business closure, reduction in hours, or a medically or government directed quarantine or isolation should be encouraged to file for unemployment compensation (UC) benefits if no other compensation, such as paid leave, is available to them.
Employees should be aware that they cannot receive both UC benefits and paid leave, as it may result in an "overpayment" that requires them to return benefits.
FAQs
- Can my employees file for UC benefits if my business is closed (temporarily or otherwise) because of COVID-19?
- Can my employees file for UC benefits if I tell them to stay home because I think they are a risk of spreading or at risk of contracting COVID-19?
- Can my employees file a claim if they have COVID-19 and cannot come to work?
- Can my employees file for UC benefits if I reduce their hours because of COVID-19?
- Can my employees file for UC benefits if they are told to isolate or quarantine?
- Are there any programs to support employers experiencing financial difficulties or business downturn due to COVID-19? (Shared-Work?)
- If I am a small business owner, am I eligible for unemployment benefits if I need to close or temporarily shut down my business because of COVID-19?
- Will my UC tax rate increase if my employees file for benefits?
1. Can my employees file for UC benefits if my business is closed (temporarily or otherwise) because of COVID-19?
Yes, if your employees are temporarily laid off due to a business downturn or closure as a result of COVID-19, they may be eligible for UC benefits.
If you are experiencing a business downturn, you can use L&I's Shared-Work program to avoid employee lay-offs. Additional resources for businesses are available through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.
2. Can my employees file for UC benefits if I tell them to stay home because I think they are a risk of spreading or at risk of contracting COVID-19?
Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off; however, if they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.
3. Can my employees file a claim if they have COVID-19 and cannot come to work?
Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off. However, if they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.
4. Can my employees file for UC benefits if I reduce their hours because of COVID-19?
Yes.
5. Can my employees file for UC benefits if they are told to isolate or quarantine?
Your employees should first use paid sick leave or paid time off. However, if they are not receiving paid time off, they may be eligible for UC benefits.
6. Are there any programs to support employers experiencing financial difficulties or business downturn due to COVID-19? (Shared-Work?)
The Shared-Work program can help keep employees attached to your workplace. Additional resources for businesses are available through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.
7. If I am a small business owner, am I eligible for unemployment benefits if I need to close or temporarily shut down my business because of COVID-19?
No. However, you may qualify for a small business loan through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, or for other programs available through the Small Business AdministrationOpens In A New Window.
8. Will my UC tax rate increase if my employees file for benefits?
No, businesses who are temporarily closed due to COVID-19 will be granted Relief From Charges, and your tax rate will not be increased because of COVID-19-related claims.
Reposted from: https://www.uc.pa.gov/COVID-19/Pages/Employer-COVID19-FAQs.aspx
Posted 1:38 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2020
 Are you stuck at home wondering what to do with all of your free time? Can You Name Every Item in Your Home?
Most people don't think about the many items they have collected over the years. Items are used every day, but often never thought about. Many items are replaced throughout the years, but no thought is given to the increased value of inventory. Creating and maintaining an inventory of items in your home can help ensure you have purchased the right insurance coverage. In the event of a loss, it can help you settle a claim faster, and put less strain on your brain in an already stressful situation.
How do You Create Your Home Inventory?
Creating and maintaining your home inventory is easy with available software. Now you can download apps right on your phone to create, maintain, and update your inventory. Having online storage will allow you to access your inventory anywhere, any time. You never know when a claim may happen, but you can be prepared with an up-to-date online home inventory.
What Should You Include in Your Home Inventory?
You should take inventory of everything of value in your home, and update the list as you acquire new items. Here is a list of some of the most common items:
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Electronics (TV, Gaming Console, Computer)
- Kitchen and Household Appliances (Washer/Dryer, Microwave, Oven, Refrigerator)
- Furniture
- Clothing
- Jewelry
- China
- Silverware
- Artwork
- Antiques
- Linens
- Books
- Guns
- Sporting Equipment
Some items like jewelry, antiques, and other special items, may need to be insured separately. Talk to one of the specially trained independent agents at Rutt Insurance to make sure you have the coverage that you need.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
 In the new sharing economy, ridesharing allows vehicle owners to transport passengers in their own cars for a fee or a donation. Drivers sign up with a service that charges a fee to connect passengers with drivers via a website or smartphone app. Passengers arrange rides and pay with a credit card using the app.
Ridesharing is becoming more common around the state and the nation, particularly in large cities. Capitalizing on the new sharing economy and to a certain extent the coolness factor, this simple concept is thriving. Passengers and drivers for Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) alike are generally little informed of the fact that under a personal auto policy, they may not be covered under a number of circumstances.
What Drivers Need to Know
Why is ridesharing an issue for drivers?
Most standard personal auto policies exclude coverage for “public or livery conveyance;” in other words, the use of the vehicle to transport passengers for a fee. Some policies have even stronger exclusions that exclude any coverage when the driver is available for hire.
Other restrictions could apply, so even if you don’t see a specific exclusion, you should not assume that there is coverage under the personal auto policy. Regulators in many states have been issuing consumer alerts to warn the public about possible implications when signing up as a driver – or as a passenger – with the ridesharing apps.
What if my Transportation Network Company tells me I’m covered when I drive for them?
An increasing number of TNCs are indicating that they are going to cover the driver’s commercial exposure for liability and collision coverage. Some may also offer Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage, something that can protect you when you are involved in an accident with an at-fault driver who had insufficient coverage or no coverage at all (which happens all too frequently). You should ask your TNC:
- What they would provide, and
- Whether their coverage would be primary.
How do I know if I’m covered as a driver?
If you are considering becoming a driver for a TNC, you should:
- Find out what the TNC will cover for your commercial exposure, including when coverage starts and when it ends, and
- Talk to your agent about what your personal auto policy may cover if you are involved in an accident.
Although insurance issues are often downplayed by TNCs, the coordination between the commercial and the personal auto policies can pose challenges. The timing and circumstances of the accident will have a bearing on whether coverage is afforded or not. At this time, coverage gaps still exist in a number of circumstances.
Can you give an example?
Examples are a great way to get a better understanding between you and the TNC and/or the insurer and to identify potential gaps. At the minimum, you should find out how the TNC will cover you when:
- You are available for hire (logged into the app) but not transporting a passenger.
- You are logged in and transporting a passenger.
- You are logged out and not transporting a passenger.
- You are logged out after dropping off your last passenger, and heading home.
Is this issue settled?
No. Between challenges from Public Utility Commissions, restrictions on licenses to operate, and the Legislature contemplating new laws to address proper insurance coverage, among other things, the issue is not settled.
What Passengers Need to Know
Why is ridesharing an issue for passengers?
Ridesharing is not the same as riding in a taxi or limousine. Taxis are licensed by the state or a local authority and subject to strict standards, from vehicle inspection and driver licensing to insurance that protects passengers and others who could be hurt in an accident.
Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) such as Uber or Lyft are not subject to the same requirements. However, they have drawn increasing attention from state regulators and legislators concerned that the public may not be properly protected. In fact, various state regulators have issued consumer alerts to warn the public about possible risks of using a ridesharing app when riding as a passenger.
How is the ridesharing company insured?
Insurance is the crux of the issue. Drivers are using their personal vehicles. Personal auto insurance generally excludes coverage when transporting passengers for a fee.
An increasing number of TNCs are indicating that they are going to provide some protection by covering the driver’s commercial exposure for liability and collision coverage. The nature and scope of coverage provided by the TNC varies from company to company, and its coordination with the driver’s personal auto policy can leave uninsured gaps, in some cases significant.
How do I know if I’m covered as a passenger?
If you are considering using a ridesharing service, you should:
- Research the companies that operate in your city
- Find out how these companies protect their drivers and passengers, including their liability limits
If you have a personal auto policy yourself, you may be able to claim some coverage under your policy if you are hurt in an accident as a passenger. If you do not own a car, you will not have that option, unless you purchased a “named non-owner” policy. Your agent can advise you about coverages.
Why should I worry? How likely is it that a bad claim will occur?
There is no way of knowing what kind of accident will occur. Hopefully, none. However, many of the insurance issues that have come to light have stemmed from catastrophic claims: one in California in which a six-year-old girl was killed in a collision with a rideshare car.
While often downplayed by those who have an interest in the ridesharing business, coordination between the commercial and personal auto policies can pose challenges. The timing and circumstances of any accident will have a bearing on whether coverage extends to the driver and the passenger. At this time, coverage gaps still exist in a number of circumstances.
Is this insurance issue settled?
No. Between challenges from Public Utility Commissions, restrictions on licenses to operate, and the Legislature contemplating new laws to address proper insurance coverage, among other things, the issue is not settled.
- Content used in this post is used with permission and was originally published by Insurance Agents and Brokers.
Posted 3:00 AM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019
Posted 2:07 PM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2019
From Everyone at Rutt Insurance: We want to wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!
Late fall and winter are the most prevalent seasons for house fires, and knowing the facts and implementing safety tips can make this time of year and the holidays more enjoyable and safer for friends and family. Additionally, Thanksgiving can signal the start of a peak time for home fires due to cooking accidents, electrical failures, dry trees, space heaters, fireplaces, candles, fireworks, and holiday lights, plus residents and visitors who choose to smoke in the home, to name a few.
- Trees: Water holiday trees often, ensure there are no faulty lights, and keep the trees away from heat sources like fireplaces and space heaters. Consider a fire-resistant artificial tree instead.
- Holiday Lights: Check for melted or damaged wires/plugs on holiday light strands and turn all lights off while away from home.
- Cooking: Turn pot handles inwards to prevent accidents in the kitchen. Avoid wearing loose clothing which can ignite easily. Don’t store items on the stove. The leading cause of home structure fires is from cooking and accounts for two out of every five house fires.
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- Fireplace: Hanging stockings in front of the fireplace is a common practice. Be sure stockings are hung elsewhere while the fireplace is in use. Fireplace screens or glass doors are good investments, especially when children are in the house.
- Candles: Keep candles out of the reach of children and blow each candle out before exiting home. Electrical candles are great alternatives and give a similar effect.
- Fire Escape Plan: Know escape routes and practice with family members. Purchase fire extinguishers for every floor of the home and test smoke detectors.
Emergency Preparedness Kit: Keep contact numbers handy for first responders, doctors, and insurance carriers. In case of destruction to home or office, contact a licensed, emergency services and property damage restoration company at PDR-PA.com.
For more information and a fire safety tip sheet, among others, visit the NFPA safety website.
Originally published by Paul Davis Restoration, Inc.
Posted 1:53 PM
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