Workman's Comp Bull ####

[alpineman]

Do you guys have workman's comp and do you hate it like I do? Ever since I started paying for workman's comp, every ground man with any little ache and pain is always going to the doctor and racking up bills. I don't even know if it is worth it any more to have!! Anyone feel my pain....

 

[jefflovstrom]

What are your rates. Here is about 50%.
Jeff

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Nope...if I need extra help, I get temp grunts and all the bws is SEP. In addition, if they piss me off, I call and bring in the next guy. Works perfect.

I wouldn't mind carrying it for the right crew, cause they would feel the same way I do about it....and it would be there for them when it is absolutely needed, and not abused.

 

[ducaticorse]

What are your rates. Here is about 50%.
Jeff

By 50% do you mean if a guy on your crew earns $100, you pay $50 in WC premium? Oh F--k That.

In MA I pay 14.5% on every $100

 

[jefflovstrom]

By 50% do you mean if a guy on your crew earns $100, you pay $50 in WC premium? Oh F--k That.

In MA I pay 14.5% on every $100

You are correct. If a job has about say, 150 trees under 14' for structure prune, then it goes under landscape which is 14%.
Jeff

 

[ducaticorse]

You are correct. If a job has about say, 150 trees under 14' for structure prune, then it goes under landscape which is 14%.
Jeff

So in effect, tree work in CA goes for about 40% higher than it does around here. If you could scale your op down to 3 full time guys on books, a chip truck, log truck, chipper and a 60ft bucket truck all paid for, what would you charge for a 10 hour day out there?

 

[trimmmed]

Do you guys have workman's comp and do you hate it like I do? Ever since I started paying for workman's comp, every ground man with any little ache and pain is always going to the doctor and racking up bills. I don't even know if it is worth it any more to have!! Anyone feel my pain....

This sounds like bs actually. Workman's comp is for work related injuries. If your guys are getting hurt on your job, then they are rightfully making claims for the doctor bills. Workmans comp won't pay for frivolous aches and pains. I actually doubt you even have a policy based on your post.

 

[ducaticorse]

This sounds like bs actually. Workman's comp is for work related injuries. If your guys are getting hurt on your job, then they are rightfully making claims for the doctor bills. Workmans comp won't pay for frivolous aches and pains. I actually doubt you even have a policy based on your post.

Oh snap!

 

[ducaticorse]

This sounds like bs actually. Workman's comp is for work related injuries. If your guys are getting hurt on your job, then they are rightfully making claims for the doctor bills. Workmans comp won't pay for frivolous aches and pains. I actually doubt you even have a policy based on your post.

Not to mention if he's bouncing numerous claims off of his policy on a regular basis, the policy would become financially unmanagable.

 

[alpineman]

This sounds like bs actually. Workman's comp is for work related injuries. If your guys are getting hurt on your job, then they are rightfully making claims for the doctor bills. Workmans comp won't pay for frivolous aches and pains. I actually doubt you even have a policy based on your post.

Well then you would be wrong....do you have one!!?? Costs me just over $700 a month, and thats just to cover 2 ground guys. Frivolous is a very subjective word. I grew up working and sucking it up if you had a minor injury.....NOT THESE DAYS! Is it legal for me to threaten to fire them if they make a stupid claim? Obviously not, but I can make their life miserable until they quite!!!

 

[ducaticorse]

Well then you would be wrong....do you have one!!?? Costs me just over $700 a month, and thats just to cover 2 ground guys. Frivolous is a very subjective word. I grew up working and sucking it up if you had a minor injury.....NOT THESE DAYS! Is it legal for me to threaten to fire them if they make a stupid claim? Obviously not, but I can make their life miserable until they quite!!!

Don't take it too seriously. But you're right. Too many ways to take advantage of the situation, and you can't just fire without good cause, otherwise unemployment kicks in. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

 

[capecodtree]

wc

i got audited this year and between wc and liability i had to pay out 30k. no merry christmas here. i pay 17/100 for wc, how do get away with 14? help!
we have had no claims, ever. i preach safety before anything else. my son is the safety officer (instructor) a newly formed position for us, we are trying to conform with safety training and a safety plan (tailgate meetings). How are you dealing with the new mass dot regs? i've got my dot number but am having trouble understanding what else is required of us. i do know that in mass any truck over 10,000 gvw needs a dot # and drivers must have med card. truck daily inspection and trip record? what do you do? trying to play by the rules. thanks, jim

 

[jefflovstrom]

So in effect, tree work in CA goes for about 40% higher than it does around here. If you could scale your op down to 3 full time guys on books, a chip truck, log truck, chipper and a 60ft bucket truck all paid for, what would you charge for a 10 hour day out there?

Well, I run three crews, 4 guys per crew or a big job maybe 2 crews of 6 guys or 1 crew of 12 guys. We have all the equiptment and are TCIA Accredited and our day is 8 hours from the yard and back. I am ok with $5000 a day or $60 bucks a man hour in this economy. BTW, we don't do residential.
Jeff
www.urbantreecare.com

 

[ducaticorse]

i got audited this year and between wc and liability i had to pay out 30k. no merry christmas here. i pay 17/100 for wc, how do get away with 14? help!
we have had no claims, ever. i preach safety before anything else. my son is the safety officer (instructor) a newly formed position for us, we are trying to conform with safety training and a safety plan (tailgate meetings). How are you dealing with the new mass dot regs? i've got my dot number but am having trouble understanding what else is required of us. i do know that in mass any truck over 10,000 gvw needs a dot # and drivers must have med card. truck daily inspection and trip record? what do you do? trying to play by the rules. thanks, jim

I'm suprised you even get hassled by truck team down there. Around Boston, they nail everyone. As far as getting by them, looks are everything. Clean equipment, with halfway sane looking employees. You DON'T need DOT letters for in state commerce. Drivers DO need avalid med card. All vehicles require first aid, chalks, fire extinquisher, road flares/triangles.

As far as your WC is concerned, it sounds like you are still in the assigned risk pool. (highest rates are usually found there) If you have no safety violations, or claims on your ploicy, then your WC should be lower if you filled out the forms right.

Audits suck, but they do happen. You did't hear it from me, but "cash" at end of week to offset some on book hours works wonders I heard. While at the same time making your op kosher regrding OSHA and DIA. As long as you can trust your people that is.

 

[cjnspecial]

I've underwritten comp policies in all but 4 states and california is bar none, the most expensive state to write in. The insurance can easily cost the employer double what insurance costs in most other states and that is mainly due to the insane cost of claims. Claims cost more in CA because the liberal claims laws...such as there is no cap on attorneys fees where most states limit it to 25%-33% of the total award. There is a lot of abuse too but I digress.
Your guys sound like they are using comp in place of having health insurance or just getting some paid time off and pain pills courtesy of you and your insurance company. I'd talk with your insurance company for ideas or if you are fed up, just get your workers through an insured temp labor company.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[jefflovstrom]

You DON'T need DOT letters for in state commerce.

You do in California.
Jeff

 

[ducaticorse]

You do in California.
Jeff

Yeah, most states required them before every state was under the same fed regulation.

 

[Shaun Bowler]

What most companies do to lower WC costs is keep records of time spent on work sites- tree worker hours
-groundworker hours
Ground workers are classified as landscape maintenance employees.
That will put you in an entirely different bracket.
It makes a big difference.

 

[ATH]

I've underwritten comp policies in all but 4 states...

Let me guess: Ohio, Wyoming, North Dakota, Washington? Gotta love government monopolies

 

[MillerTreeMN]

im glad you guys have this thread going.

i will need to figure out a plan here.

in MN, i think W/c is 30-40 % so 30-40 bucks per 100 bucks the employee makes.

a guy i know pays his ground guys through a temp agency which charges $30 bucks per $100 he pays the ground guys. with that $30 bucks, the temp agency covers ALL The expenses and paperwork, w/c and taxes also i believe.

this seems like the best route.

another friend says his lawnmower guys cost him 4 or 7 bucks per 100.

i should put "lawn care" in my business name !