Apr 23, 2014 | News
If a manager or supervisor is told that one employee is bullying another, they must address the issue. But before company leaders can confront the person responsible, they need to identify that bullying has indeed taken place and confirm the facts. The following is a basic three-step plan of action:
Step 1: Identify what is considered bullying in the workplace. Workplace bullying can be described as repetitive, deliberate verbal, non-verbal and even physical actions directed against a co-worker or subordinate for the sole purpose of dominating and controlling. Such behaviour is damaging and can result in severe psychological or physical harm to the victim.
Step 2: Confirm the facts and develop a plan to confront the bully. Once bullying has been identified, it is the supervisor/manager’s responsibility to confirm the facts, prepare documentation, and develop a plan to confront the bully. Confirming facts will help you understand the extent of damage that may have been done to the victim. If there are enough facts to confront the bully, prepare a plan.
Consult any appropriate partners such as human resources personnel and determine what consequences – anything from written discipline to termination – may be considered. The plan must be sensitive to the needs of the victim, who may need support through an employee assistance program.
Step 3: Schedule a meeting to confront the bully. Determine the time and location of the meeting, as well as who will be involved, and prepare a script. In a private space, facilitate the following conversation:
- Explain the purpose of the meeting. In a clear and assertive tone, explain that the employee has been linked to bullying and that this conversation is to address that. For example: “John, I have asked to meet with you to discuss the following facts … and our position on this matter. Do you understand why you’re here?”
- Verify with the employee why they are there. This gives the individual time to understand the seriousness of the conversation and allows the leader to evaluate how the employee is going to manage their emotions. If the employee or leader becomes overly emotional, stop the conversation and start again only when everyone is calm.
- Present the facts and concerns, and outline the consequences. This is to ensure that the employee understands that this is not a negotiation; it’s a reporting of the facts. The ultimate goal is for the employee to accept responsibility for his or her actions. Facts: “John, you were observed … ” (Share the facts, history, evidence and the organization’s position.) Concerns: “John, bullying behaviour is not acceptable in this organization and it will not be tolerated. Do you understand the concern and expectation to stop any behaviours that could be perceived as bullying?” Employee’s response: Give the employee a chance to admit responsibility, ask questions about what they need to do, show remorse, apologize and commit to changing their behaviour. Consequences: Inform the employee how the matter will be dealt with. A union representative may need to be involved.
- Frame an action plan. Outline the steps the employee must comply with to continue their employment. “John, the first step is to stop bullying X immediately. You will be expected to …” Leave nothing to assumption. Get the employee to agree to those expectations.
- Review the plan. Review the expected behaviour, how the plan will be monitored, any disciplinary action, the impact on the employee’s record, future consequences if there is a relapse, and the frequency of follow-up. A written plan may help the employee follow the guidelines.
Effective leaders must embrace the challenge of making sure their workplace is free of bullying. ILScorp offers additional resources to help both employers and employees prevent and manage bullying in the workplace, and ensure compliance with workplace legislation.
Ontario, Manitoba, Québec and Saskatchewan have already introduced legislation against bullying and B.C. recently enacted Bill 14 [Workers Compensation Amendment Act] to address the effects of bullying at work. Become compliant with existing laws. Complete ILScorp’s “Understanding Workplace Bullying & Tools for Safeguarding an Organization from Bullying Behaviour” courses.
This course is included free of charge as part of ILScorp your group subscription. This course is General and Adjuster CE accredited, however ILScorp recommends that all employees receive this training for law compliance.
Excerpted from the Globe and Mail, written by Bill Howatt, the president of Howatt HR Consulting and founder of TalOp, in Kentville, N.S.
Apr 22, 2014 | News
Flooding worries are on many minds following the dramatic events in Sherbrooke, Quebec last week and as rain starts to fall in Alberta this spring. But homeowners looking to insulate themselves from flood damage can’t look to Canadian insurance companies for help.
According to the Insurance Board of Canada, 61 per cent of Canadians think their home insurance covers them in case of overland flooding. Sixty one per cent of Canadians are wrong.
The IBC’s Pierre Babinksy says insurers in Canada don’t offer protection against flooding because they think floods, unlike fires, earthquakes or hurricanes, are what he calls “certainties.”
“It’s very difficult to assess the risk in order to quantify it and in order to capitalize accordingly cover any damages that would be incurred,” he says.
However, flooded homeowners can usually seek assistance from their municipalities, which are in charge of distributing federal and provincial flood aid. Babinsky does encourage homeowners to contact their insurers in all cases of water damage in order to see if they are eligible for reimbursement.
Excerpted from CJAD News
ILScorp has partnered with the Restoration Industry Association to provide a Basic Water Loss Training Course. This entry-level online training program addresses basic, broad knowledge for those interested in the practice of water damage restoration. One of the main goals of a water loss restorer is to return safe indoor environments to buildings that have been affected by a water intrusion. This online course is excellent training for new water loss field staff, administrative, HR, marketing staff and restoration professionals.
Visit us at www.ilscorp.com or call us a 1-800-404-2211 to join the more than 23,000 other Canadian insurance professionals who are learning with ILScorp every year.
Apr 21, 2014 | News
Spring brings the approach of several CE deadlines for insurance agents across Canada. Now is the time to get working on your mandatory CE hours and avoid the last minute rush.
The Continuing Education deadline for insurance agents in BC and Manitoba is May 31, and Alberta’s requirements must be met by June 30 this year. In Saskatchewan, your deadline varies based on your license renewal date.
ILScorp is ready to help, with continuing education catalogues feature hundreds of hours of accredited courses that you can complete anywhere you have an internet connection.
The ILScorp general insurance catalogue offers more than 300 hours (160 courses) of accredited Continuing Education training, so you’ll find courses that are of interest and relevance to you and your business. More than 50 courses have recently been updated and re-accredited. Six-month subscriptions, which provide access to the entire general insurance catalogue are only $185. Discounts for groups of five or more are available.
ILScorp’s Life / A&S course catalogue includes more than 75 CE courses (185 hours). A new online Professional Liability course: Introduction to Errors and Omissions Exposures Insurance for Life / A&S Agents, which is also included in the subscription option. Individual Courses start at $85. Six month subscriptions to the entire Life/A&S CE course catalogue are $260.
Advantages of the ILS continuing education course subscriptions:
- Once you purchase your subscription, you can begin taking your courses immediately! If you are a new subscriber, you will receive an automated username and password by email.
- Access more than 180 accredited general insurance training courses in both text and streaming video formats, including personal lines, commercial lines, auto, farm, professional management and personal skills courses.
- Access more than 75 accredited life/A&S insurance training courses in both text and streaming video formats including errors & omissions insurance, money management planning process and insurance and estate planning.
- Have a digital record of your completed course work, which we keep on file for up to seven years.
- Save time by completing your general insurance continuing education requirements entirely online, no paperwork or commute.
- Courses can be accessed any time and you can log in and log out as many times as you wish during the course period.
- Quizzes and Final exams are offered in most of our courses to help you retain the information.
- Should you require any assistance at any time during your course work, we are here to support you 5 days a week, 0800 – 1700 PST.
Join the more than 22,000 Canadian insurance professionals who develop their skills with ILScorp each year! Visit ILScorp.com today to get started, or call 1-800-404-2211.
CE with ILS – Fast, Easy, Done!
Apr 16, 2014 | News
BC Insurance agents – your CE deadline is coming up on May 31, and the BC Insurance Council wants to make you aware of a number of key points about your continuing education requirements.
In an email sent out last Friday, the council strongly recommends that you review the CE section on Council’s website to ensure you are aware of your responsibilities, as it appears there are common misconceptions on the CE requirements.
Some key points from their email:
- Your licence year runs from June 1 to May 31.
- You must complete CE for each year licensed, including your first year, regardless of when you obtained your licence. The CE for your first year must be completed at the time of your first annual filing. As an example, if your first licence was effective March 15, 2013, the next filing date is June 1, 2014. For your June 1, 2014 filing you will be required to have two full years of CE credits; one for your March 15, 2013 to May 31, 2013 licence year and one for your June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014 licence year.
- If you have been licensed for any part of a licence year (active or inactive), you must complete the full CE requirement for that year.
- There is no carry-forward of credits.
- The LLQP course and exam taken to qualify for your life licence do not qualify for CE.
- Courses taken prior to obtaining your licence do not qualify for CE.
This is not all of the information you require to meet your CE obligations. The insurance council urges you to read the entire section on your CE responsibilities, including how to determine if a course qualifies, the number of hours needed, and what information you need to maintain on file for a CE audit.
ILScorp is here to help if you still need to complete your CE hours. Subscribe today to our General Insurance Course Catalog and enjoy these benefits:
- access to over 180 accredited general insurance training courses in both text and streaming video formats, including personal lines, commercial lines, auto, farm, professional management and personal skills courses.
- save money compared to purchasing individual courses.
- have a digital record of your completed course work, which we keep on file for up to seven years.
- save time by completing your general insurance continuing education requirements entirely online, no paperwork or commute.
Enjoy the same benefits with our Life/A&S course subscriptions, which offers more than 75 courses.
Buy online today or call us at 1-800-404-2211 with any questions!
According to the email from the insurance council, Council has increased the number of CE audits it conducts and has been disciplining licensees found to be in breach of this licence condition. In its reviews, Council has typically not accepted a licensee’s lack of knowledge regarding their responsibilities as a defence. Remember it is your responsibility to understand and meet your responsibilities as a licensee.
Apr 15, 2014 | News
ILScorp is proud to have partnered with Stephanie Hendrie for our new online course: Secrets for Exceptional Speaking. Ms. Hendrie is teaching her techniques to business leaders and students around the world. Most recently, she taught a lesson from the Secrets Course to students at the Tsinghua University Graduate Program (the Harvard of Beijing) via Skype. The Secrets Course may soon expand to high schools and universities in China!
ILScorp produced an online version of “Secrets for Exceptional Speaking” to meet the growing need among professionals in all industries to develop better communication skills. This online video course teaches an innovative approach to public speaking, presentations, and communication skills, using the trade-marked Hendrie Method.
“My performance as a speaker greatly improved. I felt I could be me, at last, and know that my talks will be effective, that my audience will be attentive and retain the key message,” said John Westman, Former President, Bank One, Arizona & CFO Bank One Corp. “I have referred this course to many of my colleagues and they too have experienced extraordinary results. The Hendrie Method has my highest recommendation. Its simplicity and profound impact are astounding.”
With this online course, exclusive to ILScorp subscribers, students will:
- discover techniques to apply to different communication and interpersonal situations
- know how to bring your words to life with appropriate emotion
- sound conversational and connected in several different styles
- be able to communicate any information and connect with any listener
- enhance your reputation, improve your self-confidence and advance your career!
After completing the Secrets for Exceptional Speaking online course, which includes practice exercises and worksheets, students will be confident speaking to large and small audiences on a variety of topics.
Whether it’s speaking at your brother’s wedding, presenting to the board of directors, addressing a lecture hall, or your coworkers at a weekly meeting, the Secrets course will help you share information confidently and communicate effectively.
This course will give you techniques that you can apply to different communication and interpersonal situations. By the end of the course, you will be able to communicate any information, know how to bring your words to life with appropriate emotion, and sound conversational and connected in several different styles.
“Let me take a moment to describe my delight with your class and process, the Hendrie Method,” said Bruce Sparks, Area Sales Manager, Hewlett-Packard Company after completing the live version of the course. “A colleague and I took the class. Then I sent my entire staff. I’ve found immediate improvements impacting my ability to connect with people in any setting, to large groups and small one-on-ones. I watched my colleagues give the best presentation ever just a month after our session.”
This course is used by executives from Fortune 500 companies to train themselves and their employees, and is now available to you, online, to work through at your convenience.
Purchase the Secrets of Exceptional Speaking course from ILScorp today for only $309. This includes unlimited access for three months! Purchase online or call us at 1-800-404-2211 for more information.
Apr 14, 2014 | News
Some Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) customers have overpaid their optional insurance for the past six years, putting an extra $36 million into ICBC coffers, the corporation has announced. However the same system of errors cost ICBC about $71 million from customers who were undercharged an average of $34 per year. The BC Transportation Minister has ordered that all affected customers be refunded the overpayment, which averaged $21 per year, per customer.
An incorrect vehicle description, is to blame says ICBC. The errors were discovered as part of the move to a new computer system, ICBC said in a press release.
Based on analysis to date, ICBC estimates on average 1.8 per cent or 40,000 optional insurance customers per year had an incorrect vehicle description which resulted in an overpayment on a portion of their optional insurance. The average overpayment per year was $21. ICBC also estimates on average 2.7 per cent or 58,000 optional insurance customers underpaid on a portion of their optional insurance per year. The average underpayment per year was $34.
“We are going to ensure all of our customers who overpaid on their optional insurance over the last six years receive full refunds with interest,” said Mark Blucher, president and CEO. “The modernization of our systems will ensure this doesn’t happen in the future and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our customers.”
ICBC is working on the five principles outlined by Transportation Minister Todd Stone including:
- the error will not result in higher premiums;
- all overpayments will be repaid with interest;
- customers who were undercharged are not to be billed retroactively;
- the problem will be fixed; and
- the board will appoint an outside auditor to review this issue.
ICBC is committed to having this issue resolved within 90 days. Updates to vehicle descriptions will be made in the coming months. New technology will use the vehicle identification number (VIN) provided by the vehicle’s manufacturer to automatically capture the vehicle description (make/model/type). Today, this process is done manually.
ICBC is working to update vehicle descriptions for affected customers, including looking back over the last six years to July 1, 2008, to refund customers who paid too much for their optional insurance. Customers who underpaid will not be charged the difference for prior years. ICBC is going as far back as its insurance system is able to accurately recalculate historical premiums for our customers.
New Driver Examinations for Class 5 Re-exams in BC
Also changing at ICBC is the new class 5 road test protocol for driver re-examinations. ICBC will apply the new standard to drivers who are already fully licensed but are having their current capabilities tested.
The new protocol allows for more time prior to and following the test for questions and concerns, to allow the driver to settle their nerves and clarify what is required of them, as well as to understand the outcome of the test and prepare for a subsequent test if they do not pass.
Also, in comparison to tests taken by new drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), the re-examination will require fewer repetitions of driving skills, to more closely matches an older driver’s situation.
Finally, the test marking form has been simplified to be easier to understand. The standards that drivers are expected to meet during the tests have not changed.
Want to increase your ICBC Autoplan knowledge?
ILScorp offers two new courses for Autoplan agents. The introductory course provides new orientation training for those wanting to learn more about ICBC’s Autoplan insurance in BC. The coverages and exclusions course provides in-depth insurance training on ICBC’s Autoplan insurance coverage and exclusions.
Both courses are now included as part of your subscription to either the ILScorp General Insurance CE Courses or Adjuster CE Courses, or for individual purchase. Each course offers one continuing education credit hour for BC.
