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robintek

Oct 04
Love0

Fall Auto Tune-Ups Prolong the Life of Your Vehicle

By Personal Perspective

Whether you drive a vehicle that’s hot off the assembly line or one that’s old enough to be an antique, you want your car to last a long time. A fall tune-up helps you achieve your goal. It also maximizes fuel efficiency, prevents expensive repairs and ensures your vehicle runs properly all winter.

Read the Owner’s Manual

In the back of your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you’ll find a tune-up checklist. Follow it carefully as you ensure you repair and inspect all the essential areas of your vehicle this fall.

Fix the Brakes

Your mechanic should inspect the brakes for wear and ensure the brake lights on your vehicle work properly.

Change the Oil

Your vehicle’s engine requires engine oil as it operates smoothly. Top off the oil this fall or invest in a complete oil change, especially if you’ve driven 15,000 miles since your last oil change.

Check the Battery

Wipe off the terminals and make sure the battery is attached correctly. If it’s older than four years, replace it so that you’re not left stranded.

Inspect Hoses

Soft, leaky or loose hoses seem like a small detail, but they’re important for proper engine performance. Inspect all your engine’s hoses to ensure they’re attached properly and replace any that aren’t in good working order.

Top Off Fluids

Low transmission fluid and coolant affect your vehicle’s performance and could damage the engine. Top off these fluids this fall. You’ll also want to fill your windshield washer fluid and the antifreeze reservoir.

Inflate the Tires

You’ll experience a smoother ride and enjoy increased traction when you inflate the tires to the proper level. Find the recommended tire pressure on your vehicle’s door sticker.

Update Insurance

Now that your car is tuned up, update your auto insurance, too. Make sure you have adequate coverage to handle any repairs or liability that may occur during a winter storm or after an accident. With these tune-up tips, you prolong the life of your vehicle this winter and into next year.

Oct 04
Love0

Does The Type Of Dog You Own Affect Your Home Insurance Price?

By Personal Perspective

October, Adopt a Shelter Dog month, is a great time to add a dog to your family. Be careful which breed you adopt, though. Insurance companies use data from insurance claims and public health studies to create a high risk dog breed list, and your homeowners insurance premiums can increase based on the type of dog you adopt. You can save money when you choose a dog that’s not on the high risk list.

Working Breed Dogs

Agile, powerful and intelligent, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and Siberian Huskies are also fiercely protective. If they’re not trained properly, these breeds could be potentially dangerous, especially to young children and small pets.

Terrier Breeds

Loyal and protective, American Pitbull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers have been bred to hunt. These traits mean they can become aggressive and tenacious if they’re cornered or frightened by one of your family members or guests.

German Shepherds

Police departments, military personnel and ranch hands appreciate this breed because the dogs are intelligent, hard-working and powerful. They’re also suspicious of strangers and won’t back down, which makes them a challenging breed for inexperienced owners to handle.

Chow Chows

Independent and strong Chow Chows are often kept as companions. These fluffy dogs can be aloof and stubborn, though, and should only be adopted by experienced dog owners.

Miscellaneous Breeds

Wolf Hybrid and Presa Canarios dogs exhibit strength and protective characteristics. However, they can also be unpredictable and quick to attack, making them potentially dangerous breeds. Friendly and docile Great Danes are listed on the high risk list, too, because of their size.

A dog adds fun and companionship to your home and family, and adopting a shelter dog is socially responsible. Before you choose a new pet, though, consider whether or not it will increase your homeowners insurance cost. If so, you may choose a different breed or reduce your home insurance premiums by installing a dog fence or raising your deductible.

Oct 04
Love0

Computer Learning Month: Protect Your Electronics From Theft

By Personal Perspective

Whether you’re celebrating Computer Learning Month in October or using your electronic devices for socializing, working or gaming, you want to protect your valuables from theft. Follow six tips as you protect your electronics at home, in your vehicle or at a public location like the library or coffee shop.

1. Invest in LoJack

While LoJack is known for automotive theft protection, it also protects your electronic devices. Use its software to track your devices, lock them and even remotely delete data.

2. Use a Kensington Lock

Leave your laptop sitting on the table while you check out books, use the bathroom or refill your coffee, and it will probably be stolen. Take precautions and carry your laptop with you or use a small but powerful Kensington lock to secure your laptop to your office, library or dorm desk.

3. Hide Your Devices

From carrying your computer to class in a nondescript bag to placing your GPS in the trunk after you park your car on campus, hiding your devices goes a long way toward preventing their theft. You’ll also want to throw away the device’s packaging so that no one can snoop around your home and see what you own.

4. Lock the Doors

Keep your home and vehicle doors locked, and you deter thieves from accessing your electronics.

5. Register Your Devices

When you buy electronics, take the time to register then with the manufacturer. Those companies often cooperate with the police to find stolen electronics.

6. Buy Theft Insurance

Adding your electronics to your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy won’t protect them from theft. However, the right insurance could replace stolen electronics. Talk to your agent and ensure you have replacement coverage on everything from your laptop and printer to your tablet and MP3 player. To prove the value of the devices you own, save the purchase receipts and record the serial numbers with your insurance policy in a secure location.

Oct 04
Love0

Starting a Family? Here’s Why It’s Time to Consider Life Insurance

By Life and Health

Having a baby will be one of the most exciting events in your life. It’s life-changing, and you and your partner probably thought long and hard before making the decision. As you plan for the arrival of your baby, go beyond buying clothes and decorating the baby’s new room. It’s equally important to think about practical matters such as preparing for the unthinkable with life insurance.

Time for Life Insurance?

Before starting a family, you may not feel a need for life insurance. You might be single and not have anyone else depending on your income. Or, your spouse might also be a breadwinner and able to fend for him or herself if something happened to you. Once you have a child, the situation changes. Getting life insurance is just one more way in which you’re going to need to be more responsible as you’re a parent.

Secure Your Baby’s Future

First, your baby is depending on you for financial support. It’s going to be a long time until your child grows up and is financially independent. If you’re not around to bring in some money, how would your family survive? Getting a life insurance policy can ensure that there would be enough money coming in even if something happens to you.

Consider Your Household’s Changes in Income

Second, your household may be transitioning if you or your spouse is planning to stop working and stay at home with the baby. You may be getting by on only one income instead of two, making it even more important for the working parent to take out a life insurance policy. If something should happen to the working parent, the surviving parent and your child would still have an income.

Starting a family gives your life a whole new direction. Do your best to be prepared for anything by getting life insurance that’ll protect your child should something happen to you.

Oct 04
Love0

Why It’s Time to Quit Smoking

By Life and Health

Are you among the majority of smokers who’s been thinking about quitting? Maybe you just need a little more motivation before you take that first step. These are some reasons why it’s time to quit.

It’s not cool anymore.

There was a time when smoking was “in.” Hollywood portrayed it as glamorous. It was the thing to do when you hung out with coworkers or friends. That’s not true anymore. Only one in five American adults is a smoker. You can’t have a smoke in most restaurants. In some places, you can’t even smoke within 20 feet of a public building. Being a smoker is like being an outcast.

You can’t afford it.

The cost of a pack of cigarettes varies by state, and can be about $5 to $15. If you’re smoking a pack a day, that’s as much as $5,000 per year on cigarettes. Unless you’re wealthy, you can probably think of a few other uses for $5,000. What about a down payment on a new car? Do you think your family might like to go on vacation?

It’s killing you.

There’s no question about it. Smoking kills. Tobacco is the number one killer in the U.S., leading to one in five American deaths. Nearly a half million people die each year because of tobacco, and millions more are living with tobacco-related health problems, such as the following.

* Emphysema
* Cancer
* Heart disease
* Bronchitis
* Diabetes

Life insurance companies know the cost of smoking.

If you want to know how long you’re likely to live, ask a life insurance company. Providers are experts at managing risk. They charge premiums based on carefully calculations of your chances of surviving the policy until the policy term is over. You can eat right, be at a healthy weight, and be free from chronic conditions, but no matter how healthy you are otherwise, you’re still not eligible for the lowest-cost premiums. You’re won’t be offered “Preferred Plus” or even “Preferred.” The best you can hope for is “Preferred Nicotine.” From the point of view of life insurance companies, you’re just too great of a risk to insure for a low cost.

Quitting smoking it tough, but it’s worth it and you can get help. Ask your doctor about strategies and resources, and surround yourself with people to support your efforts.

Oct 04
Love0

Healthy Eating: It’s Cheaper Than You Think!

By Life and Health

“I want to eat better, but I just can’t afford it.” Does that sound like something you’ve said or thought recently? Healthy eating can seem more expensive, but in the long term, it’s not. Good nutrition at any point in your life can help keep you healthy so you don’t need to pay as much for medical care or life insurance.

It Starts with “Eating for Two”

You probably already know the value of nutrition if you’re pregnant. You want to make sure your baby has all of the necessary nutrients for growth and development.

Maintaining a normal weight before conception and gaining the right amount of weight during pregnancy is another component.

Eating well can save money because it reduces the risk of premature delivery, low birth weight, and health conditions that require expensive care for your baby. It also reduces your risk of having complications. If you’re a father, eating right and staying healthy can keep you active and able to support your family whether you’re at home or working.

Likely Long-Term Cost Savings from Healthy Eating

Nutrition affects your risk for all kinds of chronic diseases. When you get the nutrients you need and avoid gaining extra pounds, you’re at lower risk for chronic conditions. These are some of the costs that many people can avoid by eating healthy.

* Prescription medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
* Trips to the hospital and recovery time for bone fractures from osteoporosis.
* Blood sugar monitoring devices and medications for diabetes.

Lower Life Insurance Premiums

Being healthy is also going to save you when you’re looking for health insurance. Health insurance rates are based on the likelihood that something will happen to you. Many health conditions can bump up your premiums. These are some of the conditions that increase your risk of dying and that you can help prevent with a healthy diet.

* Heart disease and risk factors such as high cholesterol.
* Diabetes.
* Obesity.
* High blood pressure.

Fresh, nutritious foods may be more costly than junk foods, but they’ll save you money in the long run. They help you manage your weight and get the nutrients you need so that you can avoid expensive medical care and keep your life insurance costs down.

Oct 04
Love0

Work With Your Doctor to Take Charge of Your Health

By Life and Health

You’re not alone if you shy away from the doctor’s office, but you’re not doing yourself any favors by avoiding the doctor. Working with a trustworthy doctor can help you follow better health behaviors. It can also help you detect and treat health conditions early instead of suffering serious consequences later.

Why You Should Find a Good Doctor When You’re Healthy

You may think that you don’t need to worry about finding a good primary doctor if you don’t have any current health concerns now. In reality, that’s the best time to find a doctor because you’re not in a rush. Make an appointment with a primary care physician.

When you meet your doctor, think about whether you feel comfortable talking to him or her. Developing a communicative relationship with your doctor when you’re healthy can make the process easier for both of you should you get sick. It’s also a good time to ask whether you can make any lifestyle changes to improve your health.

Regular Physical Exams Can Prevent Major Problems

Your age, gender, and health history affect recommendations for how often you should have a physical and get routine tests done. These health screenings can identify minor concerns so you can treat them before they turn into serious medical conditions.

For example, changes in your diet and exercise patterns may be able to treat unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar if you catch them early. If you wait, you might be stuck with medications and progression to diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. Regular cancer screenings, such as prostate for men and breast for women, are another example.

Positive Effects on Life Insurance

Life insurance premium depend on your risk of dying before the policy term is over. When you stay healthy, your rates are lower. Simple steps such as keeping your cholesterol levels and blood pressure in check help you stay in the lower-risk, lower-rate categories. You can do this by going to your doctor and following orders. Not everyone goes to the doctor as often as recommended, but it’s a good idea.

Finding a doctor that you trust and getting a regular physical can go a long way towards staying healthy and fighting disease if it comes.

Sep 05
Love0

Executive Physicals

By Your Employee Matters

The question “Can we still provide executive physicals or is that now considered discriminatory?” was posed to the ThinkHR Hotline team recently. Here is the answer provided:

There are existing regulations under the Internal Revenue Code Section 105(h) nondiscrimination rules that allow benefits for “medical diagnostic procedures” to be paid to highly compensated employees without giving the same benefit to the non-highly compensated employee group. Under 26 CFR 1.105-11 (g) – SELF-INSURED MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT PLAN., the rules allow that distinction for an employee class if the procedures are:

  • Performed at a facility that only provides medical or “ancillary services”;
  • For routine medical examination, blood tests, X-rays and similar tests; and
  • Do not include treatment, cure, or testing of a known illness or disability, or treatment or testing for a physical injury or specific symptoms.

Most benefits experts believe that this section of the Code allows for executive physicals that feature routine medical exams, blood and other diagnostic tests, and as long as no treatment is provided, then the nondiscrimination rules will not apply. The Affordable Care Act contains provisions to extend nondiscrimination requirements to fully insured plans, but that portion of the regulation has been delayed until further notice.

Don Phin, Esq. is VP of Strategic Business Solutions at ThinkHR, which helps companies resolve urgent workforce issues, mitigate risk and ensure HR compliance. Phin has more than three decades of experience as an HR expert, published author and speaker, and spent 17 years in employment practices litigation. For more information, visit www.ThinkHR.com.

Sep 05
Love0

Making Ethics a Cornerstone of Your Company Culture

By Your Employee Matters

Ethical workplaces start with the leadership of a company. Leaders play a critical role in creating and maintaining a company culture and fostering an environment that supports ethical practices.

In small businesses, leaders are typically more visible to employees, and the manner in which they model the organization’s ethics and values is readily observable to all. Whom the leader hires, what programs and activities he or she supports, what behaviors he or she exhibits personally, and the rewards or criticisms given to others are signals to the rest of the organization of what’s really important in terms of company culture, values, and ethics.

Leaders must “walk the talk” and lead by example to create and foster an environment that embeds ethics into the company’s culture and includes integrity, honesty, and doing the right things right when getting work done within the company.

Don Phin, Esq. is VP of Strategic Business Solutions at ThinkHR, which helps companies resolve urgent workforce issues, mitigate risk and ensure HR compliance. Phin has more than three decades of experience as an HR expert, published author and speaker, and spent 17 years in employment practices litigation. For more information, visit www.ThinkHR.com.

Sep 05
Love0

Handling Suspected Employee Drug Use

By Your Employee Matters

How does an employer handle a potential issue where an employee is suspected to be using illegal drugs?

While you would want to have “just cause” or reasonable suspicion prior to “accusing” an employee in this case, nothing bars you from having a conversation about observed behavior in the work place. Exercise caution as to the business necessity, in the event a prescription medication may be at cause, as this can be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Reasonable suspicion is not merely rumor or speculation but rather based on specific, objective facts and rational inferences from observing an employee’s behavior. Specific objective facts and rational inferences drawn from those facts must justify reasonable suspicion. Evidence sufficient to justify reasonable suspicion does not need to rise to the level of full probable cause. This may include alcohol on the breath, lapses in performance, inability to appropriately respond to questions, and physical symptoms of alcohol or drug influence.

According to various sources, examples of drug and/or alcohol abuse include, but are not limited to, the following signs:

  • Odor of alcohol
  • Odor of marijuana
  • Slurred speech
  • Fast speaking out of the ordinary
  • Flushed, swollen face
  • Red or runny eyes or nose
  • Pupils dilated or constricted, or unusual eye movement
  • Lack of coordination
  • Tremors or sweats
  • Weariness, exhaustion
  • Sleepiness, or unusual hyper action

In reference to testing for substances based upon this, even with an accumulation of facts and rational implications to be used for conducting a “reasonable suspicion” test, it can be dangerous for the employer to order an employee to submit to drug testing. It is wise to have two separate witnesses to the behavior, including a supervisor; to have all supervisors trained to detect signs of usage (this does not have to be a certified training); and to escort the employee to and from the lab involved. Important to note, is that the employer must have a substance abuse plan and policy in place before taking any such action related to testing.

Don Phin, Esq. is VP of Strategic Business Solutions at ThinkHR, which helps companies resolve urgent workforce issues, mitigate risk and ensure HR compliance. Phin has more than three decades of experience as an HR expert, published author and speaker, and spent 17 years in employment practices litigation. For more information, visit www.ThinkHR.com.

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