Smart solutions to help you be better prepared today so you’re more secure tomorrow.
Prepared by Dennis J. Murphy, Distinguished Professor, Pennsylvania State University Few farming operations provide as many different opportunities for accidents to happen as filling the silo. High powered equipment, working in close quarters, and the potential of silo gas formation combine to produce numerous injury incidents throughout the late summer and fall. Read safety information here >>>
From the July 2018 Farm Link newsletter… Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today urged farmers and pet owners, particularly in central Pennsylvania, to prepare for the potential of flooding due to recent heavy rains. “It is critical that Pennsylvanians protect their animals, property, and assets against flooding, and many steps can be taken now to prevent future damage,” Redding said. Redding offered the following tips to help agricultural producers minimize damage caused by floodwaters: Ensure manure storage area has sufficient capacity, as rains can add to depth. Relocate livestock and animals from low-lying, flood-prone areas. Move machinery, feed, grain, pesticides, herbicides, forage bales and nursery stock to higher elevation. Store enough livestock feed and water for 72 hours. Fill generators with …
The federal government revised a number of required employment laws and regulations, e.g. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If you haven’t yet done so, it’s time to update your federal and state employment law postings. Physical and relevant employment law posters are required in order to meet state and federal posting requirements. Employers must post these notices in a common area that will be frequented by all employees, which depending on your location, may be a lunch room, break room, conference room, or kitchen, near a time clock or any location employees frequent daily. Did you know Pennsylvania requires employers must fill …
On Apr. 15, 2015, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which will significantly change Medicare coverage in 2020. For anyone enrolling in Medicare after Jan. 1, 2020, they will not long be able to purchase a Medigap Plan C or Plan F. However, if you have purchased one of these supplemental plans by Dec. 31, 2019, the coverage will still be guaranteed renewable. It is important to note though that premiums could be subject to increase, which could make both Medigap plans cost prohibitive. The legislation The goal of the legislation is to revamp doctor reimbursement under Medicare, which is projected to cost up to $200 billion over the next decade, Elder Law Answers reported. …
This article is by Adam R. Long, McNees Wallace & Nurick, LLC Back in January, Governor Wolf announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) would propose new regulations under the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act (PMWA) that would increase the minimum salary requirement for the white-collar overtime exemptions under this law. The PMWA is the state-law equivalent of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The PMWA and FLSA both place minimum wage and overtime pay obligations for Pennsylvania employers. While the laws’ requirements are similar, they are not identical. Employers in Pennsylvania must meet the requirements of both laws to ensure compliance. In areas where one law is more favorable to employees than the other, Pennsylvania employers must …
If you are turning 65 in the near future and considering enrollment in Social Security and Medicare, you should be aware of their distinct age differences. There is a lot of confusion now between the enrollment ages for both programs, and it has left many people wondering what they should do with Medicare. In fact, “Time Magazine” reported Social Security experts are still unclear about the new law. Social Security age changes The Social Security landscape has changed significantly in recent years. According to the National Academy of Social Science, the full benefit age for Social Security eligibility is now 66 for people born between 1943 to 1954. However, the age will eventually increase to 67 for people born after …
The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act was signed by Governor Wolf on April 17, 2016, leaving employers with more questions than answers about employee use of medical marijuana. Key points of the Act note that those who are prescribed medical marijuana must have one of 17 designated “serious medical conditions” as diagnosed by a Department of Health (DOH) registered physician. First, the patient must obtain a certificate from a DOH-registered physician. They then receive an ID card from the DOH, and their name is placed in the state database. The patient is then able to get medical marijuana from a designated dispensary in their area. There are several forms of medical marijuana for patient use. These includes pill, oil, tincture or …
Farmers and ranchers are well-aware markets ebb and flow, but the tariff tit-for-tat between the U.S. and China is testing both the patience and optimism of families who are facing the worst agricultural economy in 16 years, cautioned American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. Read more >>>
Suffocation from engulfment is a leading cause of death in grain bins. Engulfment is one of the leading types of fatalities inside a grain bin; however, there are numerous OSHA and industry resources available to assist in preventing future incidents. Stand-Up for Grain Engulfment Prevention is a way of reaching out to employers and workers to get them involved in improving worker protection, reducing injuries, and preventing fatalities from engulfment. Check out “What is a Safety Stand-Down” for more information.
The IRS issued a new revenue procedure regarding health savings account (HSA) limits. The new tax laws had a provision in it which was not formally enacted until just recently. The new revenue procedure now puts the change into effect. Basically the ruling reduces the HSA family maximum contribution for 2018 from $6,900 to $6,850 retroactive to January 1, 2018. Employers with HSAs will need to check to see if employees elected the $6,900 maximum for 2018, and in effect cut that back to $6,850. The new $6,850 max is a combination of any employee and employer contributions into the employee’s HSA for 2018. You can read more about the change below. Questons can be directed to Matt Pfeiffenberger, Vice President, …
