The Alliance Advisor April 2022 Quarterly E-Newsletter

APRIL 2022 QUARTERLY E NEWSLETTER HEADER

In This Issue

Comp Alliance Issues Safe Workplace Awards
2021 Annual Membership Report
Using Our Updated Portal When Reporting A New Claim
Comp Alliance Welcomes New Digital Marketing Coordinator
Upcoming Virtual Training Seminars
Featured Safety Source Topic – Back Injury Prevention
Comp Alliance to Recognize National Police Week In May With Safety Tips
Safety Tips For Firefighter Safety Stand Down Week In June
Did You Know?
Stay Informed

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Comp Alliance Issues Safe Workplace Awards

safety pays The Comp Alliance has distributed its Safe Workplace Awards for the June and July 2020-21 membership period. More than $500,000 was issued to 110 members who qualified by minimizing their loss experience throughout the year. As we conclude the second year of the Safe Workplace Awards program, we are honored to have distributed more than $2.3 million to over 500 municipal and school recipients.

As the Comp Alliance builds on its foundation of predictable rates and financial stability, we have been able to give back to our members. The Safe Workplace Award provides a monetary award to members who meet specific loss experience criteria during their membership period, while incentivizing all members to improve workplace conditions and minimize workplace injuries. Together with our Loyalty Award program, every member of the Comp Alliance shares in our success as we continue to improve safety for municipal and school employees throughout New York State.

The mission of the Comp Alliance has always been to ensure our members are able to meet their long-term workers’ compensation liabilities while maintaining stable funding contributions, which has been made possible through the dedication of our trustees, and partnership with the Association of Towns of the State of New York and the New York State Conference of Mayors. The Comp Alliance has over 325 members, $44 million in annual funding contributions and a surplus of more than $66 million.

The Loyalty Award and Safe Workplace Award programs are not guaranteed. The Comp Alliance Board of Trustees evaluates these programs annually to determine continuation and eligibility. For more information on the Member Safe Workplace Award Program, please contact a Comp Alliance Marketing Manager or your insurance broker.

2021 Annual Membership Report

The Comp Alliance had another great year in 2021! We are happy to announce the continuation of our innovative programs that reward our members for their loyalty and safety. You can read more about these programs and initiatives in our 2021 Annual Membership Report.

We are grateful for the support of our members and professional partners as we look forward to building upon our strong financial history and exceptional service in 2022 and beyond.

Using Our Updated Portal When Reporting A New Claim

If you haven’t signed up to file your new claims through our updated Portal, we encourage you to do so!

The portal allows the employer to file the new claim electronically and receive a permanent claim number as soon as you click the “send” button. While the claim is then being set up in our office, you should contact the employee and provide the number. We have often received feedback from employees that the doctor or hospital will not allow treatment to be rendered without a claim number. By using the portal to file your claims, your injured employee can receive medical treatment without delay. The portal also contains features allowing the employer to check on payments made to date, progress notes from the adjuster, and reserving information, as well as numerous additional features.

Besides an instant claim number, your employee will also benefit from having a Workers Comp Alliance ID card handy to provide to the initial medical provider. The injured worker should be assertive and make it clear upon arriving at the doctor’s office or hospital emergency room that the injury is job-related and to ensure the admittance person has the information provided on the WCA ID card. No end of problems, including misdirected medical bills, improper requests for treatment authorization, and inadequate reporting of the employee’s disability levels, will take place if the medical service provider tries to send the paperwork to the employee’s group health carrier. Should your office run low on the WCA ID cards, please contact Howard Bitner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and ask for a new supply of individualized cards. We should be able to fulfill your request within a week or two.

Another feature of our service that employers should be aware of at the onset of a new injury is our Instant Fill Prescription Card program. Our partner in administering the Comp Alliance prescription program, Preferred Medical, offers a supply of these cards to every employer in the Comp Alliance. The Instant Fill RX card allows the employee to obtain his or her initial prescription, which often is necessary on the same day of the accident, without the claim being set up in our office, or even reported to us yet by the employer. This is a temporary card that expires within 14 days. When we receive the claim in our office, we then download the basic claim information to Preferred Medical, which then sends out a permanent RX card to the employee to replace the expiring one. We suggest that the employer not distribute these cards to the general employee population but provide a supply to each front-line supervisor or department head to distribute as necessary when an injury occurs. Should you need a new supply of these cards, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The onset of the claim is often the most important, and of course the most traumatic stage of the claim. We want your employees to be assured they will have as few problems as possible obtaining a claim number, receiving medical treatment, and obtaining necessary prescriptions when they are injured. By making use of the portal and ensuring the employee has the WCA ID card and First Fill RX card, the employer will be assisting in meeting that goal.

Comp Alliance members who have not yet registered can receive login credentials, more information and access instructions by contacting Howard Bitner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comp Alliance Welcomes New Digital Marketing Coordinator

The Comp Alliance is excited to introduce our new Digital Marketing Coordinator, Samantha Marciano.

Samantha joins us after writing and producing content for WNBC-TV (News 4 New York) and WNYW-TV (Fox 5 News) in NYC. Samantha has covered some notable local and national news in her 17+ year career. In 2021, Samantha and her WNBC-TV team won the coveted Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award for journalism excellence.

Samantha has also been honored with an Emmy, as well as Associated Press and Edward R. Murrow awards for her work. Samantha has written and produced content for millions of viewers/readers. She is looking forward to producing great content for the Comp Alliance and its members.

Samantha looks forward to meeting our Comp Alliance members at an upcoming conference. Please feel free to reach out to her with any digital marketing suggestions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Upcoming Virtual Training Seminars

The Comp Alliance has several Live Virtual Video Conference Trainings scheduled for our members throughout the months of April, May, and June.

PESH-mandated topics of Workplace Violence, Right-To-Know – Chemical Safety, and Blood-Borne Pathogens will be covered.

Upcoming Schedule

4/20 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

4/25 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

4/28 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/2 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/5 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/12 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/16 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/18 - 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

5/19 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/23 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

5/26 - 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

6/6 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

6/7 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

6/13 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

6/15 - 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

6/16 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

6/20 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

6/23 - 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

6/27 - 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

6/29 - 10:00 a.m. - Noon

The Comp Alliance also has scheduled several virtual training programs covering the mandatory PESH-required topic of HAZWOPER. This awareness level seminar is required for municipal employees who may be the first upon a hazardous waste emergency on-site or off-site. Recommended for highway, department of public works, water and sewer and sanitation departments.

Upcoming HAZWOPER Schedule

5/13 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

5/19 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

5/20 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

6/7 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

6/10 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

6/17 - 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Email Robert Blaisdell at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register for any of these training sessions. Attendance is limited.

Please continue to check your email and the Comp Alliance website https://www.compalliance.org/ for additional dates later in the year.

Featured Safety Source Video – Back Injury Prevention

The Comp Alliance’s continued partnership with Safety Source, a leader in quality, online safety training video content, has enabled many of our members to supplement and/or incorporate Safety Source videos on-demand into their safety training program. Safety Source is constantly adding to their video library, as well as updating several topics that municipalities and school districts can utilize to train and educate their staff.

Strain or injury from lifting is one of the leading loss causes for our municipal and school members. With nearly 20 helpful videos dedicated to Back Injury Prevention, you are sure to find one that will help create a safer work environment for you and your staff.

The Safety Source Library is available by clicking here. If you are not yet registered for access to this diverse video library, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comp Alliance To Recognize National Police Week In May With Safety Tips

National Police Week

In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week. National Police Week pays tribute to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. To honor all our members, their law enforcement officers, and those police officers who have lost their lives serving their local community, the Comp Alliance will recognize National Police Week.

We will be posting Police Department Safety Tips on our website daily starting Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20. These helpful tips will also be emailed to all program members.

Safety Tips For Firefighter Safety Stand Down Week In June

Firefighter Safety Stand Down

Taking place each year during the third full week of June, Safety Stand Down highlights critical safety, health, and survival issues for fire and emergency services personnel. Departments are asked to suspend all non-emergency activities during the week to focus their attention on safety and health education efforts. A week is provided to ensure that all duty shifts can participate.

The 2022 Safety Stand Down theme is “Situational Awareness: The Foundation for Good Decision Making.”

This theme focuses on the importance of situational awareness during response operations to help firefighters solve problems, prevent bad outcomes, and make better decisions in high stress environments. Five daily focus areas will highlight situational awareness during different incident types: structure fires, EMS, wildland incidents, roadway response, and acts of violence.

This year, to assist our fire departments with their safety efforts, the Comp Alliance will post Firefighter Safety Tips each day on our website from Monday June 20 through June 24. These tips will also be emailed to all program members.

Did You Know?

code of ur nammu Workers’ compensation was an idea first implemented in ancient Sumer (now known as the Republic of Iraq) over 4,000 years ago. It was part of the Code of Ur-Nammu, which was written on tablets between 2100 B.C. and 2050 B.C. in Mesopotamia. The ancient law contains a section that instituted monetary compensation for specific injuries to workers’ body parts. The first known version of the Code of Ur-Nammu is now on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is considered one of the oldest surviving legal documents in the world.

Stay Informed

The Comp Alliance strives to keep members informed of the latest industry and program news. Please visit us at www.compalliance.org for the latest news, updated events calendar, safety articles, safety bulletins and more.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter!

The Alliance Advisor April 2022 Quarterly E-Newsletter

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