Diversity in the workplace

Denise GillinInsurance, News

By Andrea Wells for InsuranceJournal.com Insurance industry leaders have renewed their focus on recruiting, hiring and promoting not just to fill a crucial talent gap with quality candidates, but also to intentionally diversify their workforce. The civil unrest nationwide last summer, the Black Lives Matter movement and calls for police and judicial reforms have contributed to the unprecedented attention given to the cause of diversity and inclusion in the industry. “There’s never been a moment like this. I think most people would agree with that. And so what we do at this moment is yet to be seen,” Margaret Redd, executive director of the National African American Insurance Association, told Insurance Journal, last fall. Diversity and inclusion conversations are about …

Six Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Denise GillinBusiness Insurance, Home and Auto Insurance, Risk Management

By Eric Rosenberg for Westfield Insurance Car accidents happen—and sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it. These accidents are far more common than you might think. Data from the last U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration survey in 2018 showed there were over 6.7 million car crashes in the U.S. that year. Of those accidents, nearly 1.9 million resulted in injuries and over 4.8 million of these accidents involved property damage. But while getting into an accident can shake you up, there are important steps to take after one occurs. These measures can help ensure everyone is safe, that the law is being followed and that the car accident claim process is as streamlined as possible. Stay calm …

10 Reasons Healthcare Entities Need Cyber Coverage

Denise GillinInsurance, News

Ransomware attempts jumped 50% in the first half of 2020; hospitals and health care organizations were the hardest hit. Why? Because with your focus on caring for your residents through the COVID crisis, hackers figured out that you were the easiest prey. They think you’re desperate and willing to pay to prevent the harm they will cause to you and your residents. Well, we think you’re smart enough to protect your residents and your business. Need more reasons to purchase or increase your cyber insurance coverage? Click here for 10 Reasons Healthcare Entities Need Cyber Coverage and give us a call at 717.397.9600. We would love to help!

New Chrome Browser 0-day Under Active Attack

Denise GillinInsurance, Risk Management

By Ravie Lakshmanan for The Hacker News Google has patched a zero-day vulnerability in Chrome web browser for desktop that it says is being actively exploited in the wild. The company released 88.0.4324.150 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, with a fix for a heap buffer overflow flaw (CVE-2021-21148) in its V8 JavaScript rendering engine. “Google is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2021-21148 exists in the wild,” the company said in a statement. The security flaw was reported to Google by Mattias Buelens on January 24. Read more here >>>  

OSHA Recommends Employers Cover COVID-19 Vaccination Costs

Denise GillinBusiness Insurance, Risk Management

Following OSHA guidelines can often be a challenge. Compound them with a global pandemic and an  employer’s job gets that much harder. This article by By Louise Esola for Business Insurance elaborates: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued workplace safety guidance for employers that includes a recommendation that they cover COVID-19 vaccination costs. OSHA issued the new guidelines following an executive order by President Joe Biden on January 21 to do so. The new guidelines, which in general mirror existing U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, call for face coverings, social distancing and contact-tracing. They also call for employers to implement COVID-19 prevention programs, separate and send home sick workers, improve safety communication with workers, install …

Secure Your Farm

Denise GillinAgribusiness, Risk Management

By Timothy M. Murray, GSP, Risk Control Consultant All industries need security and farming is no exception. In addition to fire and safety, identifying vulnerable property and assets, and keeping online confidential information secure as outlined by Rural Security Planning (Purdue), make sure you have physical protection in place. Below are some suggested steps taken from the American Dairy Association North East for those in the agricultural industry to consider to make their property and operations more secure: Take basic steps to secure your farm and facility, making it more difficult to access by intruders. These include no trespassing signage, motion-sensor lighting, security cameras, gates, fencing, etc. Consider what is visible from the road. Consider the “curb appeal” of your …