Employer/Employee Archives

As weather patterns continue to evolve, it is crucial for housing corporations to update their chapter house roofs to withstand the increasing intensity of wind and hail events. Convective storms in particular are a major cause for concern. Convective storms are extremely severe storms with defining characteristics of high winds, sudden temperature changes, and severe thunder and lightning.

In light of these more severe weather conditions across the country, carriers are isolating geographic areas at greater risk to weather perils and are requiring additional measures be taken to update roofs. It is imperative to consider retrofitting affected chapter house roofs to mitigate risk.

Also at issue are state building codes. Many states have not updated their building codes to prepare for more severe weather, leaving existing and new structures vulnerable to sever weather damage. Building codes set the minimum standards for construction, however these standards may not always align with insurance requirements, leaving sorority houses vulnerable to potential coverage gaps. Furthermore, in many states and municipalities, building codes are not adequately enforced.

It is crucial for chapter houses in areas with inferior building codes to exceed minimum building code specifications to meet insurance expectations. This reduces the risk of roof damage and associated expenses if a convective storm hits a property. Housing corporations should be particularly wary of properties in the west and mid-west, where predictive modeling has determined a sharp increase in the frequency and severity of wind and hailstorms. Fortunately, universities are rarely near coastal areas, so that minimizes some of the increased risk of severe hurricanes.

MJ Sorority has consulted extensively with industry experts to create a list of recommendations for your chapters as they consider updating or replacing their chapter house roofs. At a minimum, we recommend that all of your chapter houses do an intake on the age and condition of their roof, which many roofing companies will do free of charge!

When it comes to fortifying your existing roof or installing a new one, MJ Sorority recommends the following:

Stronger Edges: strengthening the edges of your roof can help prevent wind uplift during storms, which can lead to roof edge failure. By reinforcing the edges with hurricane straps (not just for hurricanes!) or other secure attachments, the edges of a roof can withstand far greater wind speeds.
Sealed Roof Deck: adding a layer of protection against water helps minimize the risk of leaks and water damage during heavy rainfall, snow, and hailstorms. Sealing your roof deck not only strengthens your roof but protects the attic and building more generally from potential water damage caused by storms.
Better Attachment: improving attachment is the best defense for preventing wind and wind-driven debris from breaking your roof loose from the rest of the structure.
Impact-Resistant Shingles: investing in stronger shingles provides an additional layer of defense against hail and wind-driven debris impact. Designed to withstand high velocity impacts, these shingles reduce the likelihood of damage and the frequency of repairs.
Wind and Rain Resistant Attic Vents: upgrading attic vents maintains stable ventilation to the home’s interior, while simultaneously protecting against water and debris that may damage your roof and attic during a storm.
Impact Protection for Windows and Doors: the use of impact resistant materials to reinforce windows and doors mitigates the risk of them breaking or coming lose, leaving your property vulnerable to water and debris. An additional benefit to impact protection is security, making it nearly impossible to break through a window, even when the top layers of glass have shattered.

Given the heightened risk of volatile weather, it is imperative that organizations do an intake and analysis of the health of chapter house roofs. Taking proactive measures to update and fortify roofs and bridging the gap between building codes and insurance requirements can mitigate the risk of roof damage and will maintain the safety and longevity of your properties. Prioritizing the fortification via the recommendations above will not only enhance the overall structural integrity of the properties in question but will also undoubtably contribute to the long-term sustainability of these important spaces for members.

Further Reading:

In this issue of our monthly newsletter, we cover the increasing likelihood of convective storms, share updates to the Important Terms for Housing Agreements, the recent increase in risky activities, an FAQ about money transfer apps like Venmo and Zelle, managing the risk of phishing scams, and more.

Click here for printable PDF version.

When winter weather strikes, drivers face out-of-the-ordinary challenges when they get behind the wheel. Snow, slush or icy roads are involved in nearly one in four weather-related vehicle crashes. These conditions can make it harder for drivers to see, slow down and stop – all factors that can increase the chances of an accident.

If you must travel during winter weather, preparing your car in advance, knowing the forecast and driving based on road conditions are three key ways to help you drive more safely. Following are some winter driving safety tips to help you prepare for the elements – before you face them – on the road.

Preparing Your Vehicle
As temperatures start to drop, it’s time to make sure your car is stocked with a winter driving survival kit, including an ice scraper, a snow shovel and sand or road salt. This way, you’ll be prepared if winter weather arrives while you’re away from home. It’s also a good time to check your tires to determine whether it’s time to replace them or whether you need snow tires.

A few habits to adopt regularly during the winter months can also help prepare you for a wintry drive. Keep your windshield wipers in good condition and your windshield fluid reservoir filled so you can clear snow and ice from your windshield. Make it a practice to keep your gas tank full so you can run your engine and stay warm if you get stuck or stranded.

Keeping your gas tank full in extended cold weather can also help minimize the amount of water vapor in your tank, which can freeze when temperatures drop. In addition to keeping the tank full, consider keeping your vehicle in a garage and using fuel additives such as dry gas to help eliminate water vapor that could freeze in your gas lines. You should also either drive or run your car in a well-ventilated area at least every few days to help avoid a dead battery, another cold weather concern.

Watching the Weather
If you plan to travel when inclement weather looms, monitor road and weather conditions by checking local news stations or Internet traffic and weather sites. You can sign up for weather alerts to receive text messages and optional alerts for your area. Do not check your phone while driving and avoid all unnecessary distractions when you’re behind the wheel.

Driving for Winter Conditions
Before you leave the driveway or parking lot, take time to clear snow and ice off your car, including your windows, mirrors, lights, reflectors, hood, roof and trunk. Drive with your headlights on and be sure to keep them clean to improve visibility. Use caution when snow banks limit your view of oncoming traffic.

As you get on the road, remember that speed limits are meant for dry roads, not roads covered in snow and ice. You should reduce your speed and increase your following distance as road conditions and visibility worsen. Avoid using cruise control in snowy or icy conditions – you want to have as much control over your car as possible. Be cautious on bridges and overpasses as they are commonly the first areas to become icy. Avoid passing snow plows and sand trucks because the drivers may have limited visibility and the road in front of them could be worse than the road behind.

Breaking Down or Getting Stuck
If you are unexpectedly caught in a snowstorm and are stranded or get stuck in snow, if your car is safely out of harm’s way, stay in your car and wait for help. You can run the car heater to stay warm for 10 minutes every hour, but first, make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow. There is a danger of carbon monoxide poisoning if snow blocks the pipe and enables the deadly gas to build up in your car. Open your window slightly to help prevent any buildup.

Remember, driving in winter weather can be challenging, even for experienced drivers. Slowing down, allowing increased time to come to a stop, wearing your seatbelt, devoting your full attention to the road and being aware of changing conditions can help you drive more safely. If your travel route takes you into remote areas with limited cell phone coverage, consider informing a third party of your travel plans and share with them your route and when you plan to arrive. This way, if you are overdue, first responders will know where to start looking. If you’re unsure whether it is safe to drive, consider waiting until the roads improve.

Source:
https://www.travelers.com/resources/auto/safe-driving/winter-driving-safety-tips

We have recently had several claims involving fraudulent checks. Sororities aren’t the only victims. In an alert sent out in February, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, reported that, “Despite the declining use of checks in the United States, criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud.” Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, making it crucial for organizations to stay vigilant. These fraudulent activities encompass a range of tactics, including counterfeit checks, altered payee information, and even identity theft to gain access to legitimate bank accounts. As a result, it is imperative for chapter and house corporation officers and volunteers to be aware of these risks and adopt strategies to mitigate the threat of check fraud. We recommend the following strategies:

Secure your checks: Store your checkbook, blank checks, and deposit slips in a secure and locked location. Limit access to these items to only trusted individuals. Consider using a secure check stock with built-in security features like watermarks or microprinting.
Try and limit exposure by reducing check use. Transitioning to electronic checks and digital payment methods reduce the risk associated with paper checks.
Make sure you’re following internal safety measures. Chubb Insurance, the insurance company who writes your Crime Insurance Coverage, has some basic risk management rules and guidelines for the entities under your organization’s national insurance policy. These conditions are referred to as “required conditions” and list out specific requirements in the financial management to ensure that there is dual control of the financial transactions at all times. These measures help prevent check fraud, as well as other financial crimes. Read more here.
Consider Positive Pay: Enroll in Positive Pay services offered by your bank. This service helps detect discrepancies by matching the checks presented for payment with a list of authorized checks you’ve issued. Positive pay procedures set permissions in a checking account, so the company gets confirmation before a check or ACH Debit against your company is processed. ACH: ACH stands for Automated Clearing House and is a network that transactions pass through in the United States. The network exists to manage the transfers and organize them. ACH debit is the transaction executed through the Automated Clearing House Network.
Train employees and volunteers: Educate employees and volunteers about the risks of check fraud and teach them how to recognize signs of suspicious activity. Ensure they understand the importance of safeguarding sensitive financial information.
Stay informed: Keep yourself informed about the latest trends in check fraud and adapt your prevention strategies accordingly. Criminals continually evolve their tactics, so staying up-to-date is essential. Count on MJ Sorority to continually monitor the trends and communicate new strategies to you.

Review and implement the following steps as needed.

Turn on headlights while in a parking garage (during daytime too) to reduce the risk of an accident and to better see people and other cars.
Park in areas that are well lit.
Refrain from walking in the middle of the lane in a parking garage, do not text while walking, and make use of marked crosswalks.
If walking by yourself, get off your cell phone.
Drivers entering a parking lot keep an eye on a vacant spot and often neglect to watch for other drivers and pedestrians who are on the move.
While backing out of a parking space in a parking garage, blind zones created by vehicles parked alongside the spot obstruct the driver’s vision.
Traffic laws aren’t enforceable in parking lots, which can create reckless driving and confusion.
One thinks that being on the phone is safe because the person on the other line can call 911, but that rarely works out.
Chatting can distract you; it’s better to be aware of your surroundings.
If walking alone, hold your cell phone and be ready to make an emergency call.
Many phones now have a button on the screen to dial 911 immediately.
Go one step further and preset one of the buttons on your phone to call the emergency number.
Look underneath your car before approaching it in a parking garage or lot at night.
If you return to your car and see that a van is parked right next to the driver’s side, enter through the passenger side.
Predators often use vans and will disguise it as a family car, even using “Baby on Board” decals.
If you return to your car and it has a flat tire, back away, return to wherever you came from (restaurant, store, etc), and call for help.
Once assistance arrives, approach your car. If someone comes up to you and wants to offer help, politely say, “No thank you.”
When you are checking in to a hotel room, ask the front desk staff to write your room number down privately so that no one hears what your room is. Your room number should be your business only.
Before entering your hotel room, make sure no one is lingering in the hallway.
Always immediately lock your hotel room door after you enter.
When traveling, do not walk with your map in your hand. It is a dead giveaway that you are a tourist. Therefore, you are an easy target.
If you call for room service, and you get a knock on your door, do not immediately open. Ask: “Who is it?” Make the person on the other side of the door tell you who they are before you open it.
When asking for directions and someone offers to show you the way by having you follow them, do not go. Just ask for them to point you in the right direction.
If someone tries to grab you, twist your arm up and down and yell, “Stop!”
Do anything you can to draw attention to yourself.
If someone is chasing after you, run away in a zig-zag pattern which is known to exhaust attackers.
Before booking a hotel, make sure that guest-room doors have multiple locks, including a deadbolt.
Consider using a valet, or park your car in a well-lit area as close as possible to the hotel lobby.
Before getting out of the car, scan the parking lot for any possible assailants. Lock the car and do not leave any valuables inside.
In high-rise hotels, request a room on the third floor or above.
If hotel personnel mention your room number during check-in or another time during your stay, ask for another room.
Don’t enter an elevator if someone inside seems suspicious.
Don’t open the room door to anyone without verification from the front desk, and do not use your name when answering the phone.
Place all valuables in the in-room safe.
Hang the “do not disturb” sign on the door and leave a light and radio or TV on when leaving.
At night or any time there’s concern about safety, request a hotel staff member to accompany you to your room to inspect it.

Source: ChubbWorks.com

This edition of the monthly MJ Sorority newsletter covers the following topics: winter weather preparedness, Greek kitchen design trends webinar, required conditions under the crime policy, cyber security awareness month, and contracts FAQ.

Chubb Insurance, the insurance company who writes your Crime Insurance Coverage, have some basic risk management rules and guidelines for the entities under your organization’s national insurance policy. These conditions are referred to as “required conditions” and list out specific requirements in the financial management to ensure that there is dual control of the financial transactions at all times. Should an embezzlement occur and the dual controls were indeed in place, then the entity would only have to absorb a lower deductible (refer to your Insurance Overview for your organization’s embezzlement limits and deductibles). However, should a claim occur and no dual controls were employed, then the per occurrence deductible would be $150,000 per occurrence.

This requirement by the insurance company hopes to serve two purposes:

To encourage stronger financial management by all entities of a woman’s fraternity/sorority and
To be punitive to those who don’t properly manage the exposure.

Maintaining this coverage is extremely critical for our community comprised of primarily volunteer leadership. Thus, the insurance company has placed required conditions on the policy for insureds to qualify for a lower policy retention (deductible). Required Conditions means the Insured Organizations have utilized, prior to the loss sustained, a professional, third party accounting service* to provide the following controls with respect to any Chapter, Local House Corporation or Local Foundation, which will be verified at the time of loss:

All outgoing electronic payments are subject to segregation of duties between initiation, authorization and release, such that no one individual can control the entire process without oversight by another individual;
Accounts payable duties are segregated such that no one person can complete a transaction from beginning to end independently under their own authority;
Monthly bank reconciliation is conducted on all Chapter, Local House Corporation or Local Foundation approved bank accounts by a person that is not authorized to also handle deposits, sign checks or make electronic payments; and
At least once a month, bank and credit and purchase card accounts are reconciled by a board member or employee other than the board member or employee who is an authorized signatory for such accounts;
New vendors or any change to existing vendors are approved by a House Corporation board member.

Click here to see claims examples involving embezzlement that might be useful for determining your various exposures to this type of risk.

We are confident that our clients recognize this risk to financial management and have implemented these required conditions as recommended. Should you have additional questions, please consult with your Client Executive at MJ Sorority.

*We have come to understand that this accounting service is generally being utilized, so it likely will not be a change for your operation. The policy requires the chapters/house corporations/local foundations have a professional, third -party accounting service in place at the time of a loss to qualify for the lower deductible should a loss occur. Examples of this would be an accounting firm or one of the accounting service providers in the fraternal community, such as OmegaFi and Billhighway/GreekBill.

The monthly MJ Sorority Newsletter – This issue covers background checks, event planning resources, rising food costs, summer to do lists & more.

A self-guided presentation that we recommend all employees review annually to refresh themselves on safety basics.

Click here to download your copy.

MJ Sorority’s monthly newsletter. This issue covers boiler inspections, increasing construction costs, spring chapter house inspection recommendations, and more.