Author Archives: Lucas Kidwell

KEMI announces Destiny Award winners for 2024

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI) recognizes 27 Kentucky organizations for their commitment to workplace safety by presenting each of them with the 2024 KEMI Destiny Award.

The Destiny Awards are presented annually by KEMI to policyholders best exemplifying KEMI’s motto, “Control your own destiny.” The awards symbolize what can be accomplished when organizations work together to improve workplace safety. Policyholders earning the KEMI Destiny Award effectively demonstrate to KEMI their ability to manage a formal safety program, provide on-site training and regular safety meetings for employees, and display an ongoing commitment to safety from all levels throughout their organizations.

The following policyholders were selected after meeting a stringent set of criteria set forth by KEMI:

• Adair County Schools
• Big Rivers Electric Corporation
• Breathitt County Schools
• Butler County Schools
• Cardinal Industrial Insulation Company Inc
• Central Seal
• Churchill McGee, LLC
• Clark Material Handling Company
• Corbin Independent Schools
• Corken Steel
• Davis and Plomin Mechanical, Inc.
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Edmonson County Board of Education
• Harrison County Public Schools
• Hinkle
• Houston Johnson Inc
• Industrial Field Maintenance
• Keeneland Association
• Lewis County Board of Education
• Mercer County Schools
• Northern Kentucky Water District
• Owensboro Municipal Utilities
• Russell County Hospital
• Treyton Oak Towers
• Trigg County Public Schools
• Walton Fire Protection District
• Warren County Schools

“Earning the KEMI Destiny Award requires focus, teamwork, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in safety,” stated Jon Stewart, president and CEO of KEMI. “This outstanding group of policyholders understands the importance of a steadfast commitment to ensuring their employees make it home safely at the end of each workday, and we are honored to present each organization with this prestigious award.”

The dividend follows a $15.9 million dividend paid in 2023

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI), Kentucky’s leading workers’ compensation insurance provider, is issuing a dividend of $19.1 million to eligible policyholders. The dividend results from the proactive management of claims by KEMI and its policyholders.

“Our policyholders’ commitment to safety in the workplace is why we can distribute this dividend,” stated KEMI President and Chief Executive Officer Jon Stewart. “We appreciate collaborating with policyholders to develop programs that return Kentucky workers home safely and enable KEMI to return resources to employers.”

Over 12,000 policyholders will receive a 20% dividend payment from KEMI for the 2021 policy year. Dividend checks will be distributed throughout August.

Between 2010 and 2024, KEMI issued dividend payments to policyholders totaling $104.7 million.

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Gallagher’s Best-in-Class benchmarking analysis identifies U.S. organizations that excel in optimizing employee and organizational well-being

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI) participated in Gallagher’s 2023 U.S. Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey and was identified as an organization that excelled in implementing successful strategies for managing people and programs. KEMI ranked in the top 14% of the Best-in-Class winners for its comprehensive framework for strategically investing in benefits, compensation, and employee communication to support the health, financial security, and career growth of its employees at a sustainable cost structure.

Designations like Gallagher’s Best-in-Class Employer help current and potential employees understand and appreciate an organization’s workplace culture and people strategy, which are important differentiators as employers compete for talent in today’s labor market.

A U.S. Best-in-Class Employer, KEMI was assigned points based on its relative performance in:

• Plan horizons for benefits and compensation strategies.
• Extent of the well-being strategy.
• Turnover rate for full-time equivalents (FTEs).
• Completion of a workforce engagement survey.
• Use of an HR technology strategy and its level of sophistication.
• Difference in health care costs over the prior year.
• Use of a communication strategy.

“KEMI understands that high employee expectations haven’t budged in the changing labor market and have regularly examined their formula to attract and retain talent,” said William F. Ziebell, CEO of Gallagher’s Benefits & HR Consulting Division. “In doing so, KEMI utilizes data, workforce feedback tools and clearly defined policies to provide competitive benefits and experiences that their employees value.”

“KEMI is honored to receive this recognition,” stated KEMI President & CEO Jon Stewart. “Ongoing review of employee programs is a priority to ensure we attract and retain the best talent in Kentucky’s workers’ comp industry.” Stewart continued, “We’re always encouraged when we hear from employees how much they appreciate our holistic approach to employee well-being, but the greatest satisfaction is how they care for our customers and one another.”

About KEMI

KEMI is Kentucky’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance with policyholders in all 120 counties throughout the state. We are rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best for our financial stability.

About the Best-in-Class Benchmarking Analysis

Gallagher’s U.S. Best-in-Class Benchmarking Analysis profiles statistically significant attributes of top-performing midsize (100-999 FTEs) and large employers (1,000 or more FTEs). Data from Gallagher’s 2023 U.S. Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey was interpreted to identify participants that excel in optimizing employee and organizational wellbeing.

About Gallagher

Gallagher (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Gallagher provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Posted June 17, 2024

Owensboro Municipal Utilities (OMU), Kentucky’s largest municipally owned electric and water system, has provided utility services to the community for more than 100 years. OMU serves 27,000 electric customers and 26,000 water customers, plus OMU expanded services 25 years ago to provide telecommunications options that include high-speed internet.

In the following Q&A highlighting OMU’s safety culture, OMU outlines how training improvements and internal process enhancements help 160 employees safely keep the lights on, the water running, and the community connected.

What role does safety play in your organization’s culture?

The safety of our employees and the public is a priority for OMU. Establishing and maintaining a safe work environment for everyone is the shared responsibility of OMU management and all employees.

It is the responsibility of each employee to conduct all tasks in a safe and efficient manner, complying with all local, state, and federal safety and health regulations and program standards. Employees are required to actively follow OMU safety rules and are expected to exercise caution in all work activities.

In our industry, workplace safety concerns include electrical hazards; slips, trips, and falls; traffic and road safety; and interactions in the field. If an unsafe condition exists, action should be taken immediately to correct the situation, which includes notifying supervision.

All work-related accidents, injuries, illnesses, and near-miss incidents involving employees, vehicles, or equipment are to be reported to OMU leadership or safety department staff, no matter how minor they may appear.

To assist in providing a safe work environment for employees, along with a safe environment for customers and visitors, safety teams across departments have been established to provide employees opportunities for input and participation in safety program development and review.

What practices have you added to your program that helped improve your safety record?

OMU has increased:

• Hands-on training and classroom training vs. online computer-based training.
• Safety personnel headcount for greater focus on the safety of employees.
• Overall safety training topics and frequency of training.

We’ve made improvements to internal safety processes and systems to better monitor safety concerns, developed departmental safety teams, and organized a sub-safety team to coordinate participation in OSHA Safe + Sound Week during 2023.

What impacts or benefits have you seen resulting from a strong safety program?

Increases in employee involvement and safety focus have led to decreases in OMU’s:

• Number of injuries, severe injuries, or types of injuries.
• Experience modification rating factor.
• Workers’ compensation costs.

How has KEMI assisted in enhancing workplace safety and reducing claims?

KEMI has provided hands-on classroom training; offered feedback on where to find training; and helped manage and communicate about work comp claims to get employees back to work. KEMI representatives assist wherever help is needed.

What notable safety milestones or recognition has OMU achieved during the past several years?

Our team effort approach to safety has resulted in the following accomplishments:

• American Public Power Association (APPA) for reliable and safe electric service:
  • Gold designation – 2001, 2007, and 2009.
  • Platinum status – 2013 and 2016.
  • Diamond designation – 2017 and 2021.
• OMU Production Department – 500,000 hours without a lost time accident in 2015.
• OMU Customer Service Center 500,000 hours without a lost time accident in 2016.
• OMU companywide – 500,000 hours without a lost time accident in 2020.

On Wednesday, April 17, Sayre Christian Village (SCV), a nonprofit retirement community in Lexington, Kentucky, hosted a gathering to celebrate volunteers who have served at SCV.

During the celebration, Sayre Christian Village CEO Karen Venis expressed appreciation for KEMI’s enthusiastic response to SCV’s calls for volunteers, commented how KEMI is always there when needs arise, and presented KEMI with the Sayre Christian Village 2024 Volunteer of the Year award.

Individual SCV residents were also recognized for their volunteer contributions, and all attendees were invited to mix and mingle during a reception immediately following.

Serving others is at the core of KEMI’s vision, mission, and values. Anyone interested in learning more about KEMI’s community engagement efforts or sharing information about charitable organizations is invited to contact KEMI here.

The Edmonson County Board of Education (BOE) has been successful in lowering its workers’ compensation experience modification rating, which saves on premiums and allows financial resources to be redirected for student support. In this Q&A, Director of Facilities & Safety Callie Beliles explains how a culture of workplace safety helps to make this possible.

Please briefly describe your primary business operation.
We are a small school district in south central Kentucky comprising five wonderful schools. There are two elementary schools, one fifth and sixth grade center, one middle school, and one high school.

What role does safety play in your organization’s culture?
We have a strong dedication to workplace safety, which we strive to instill daily into our 425 employees and nearly 1900 students. We have a documented commitment to safety through our quarterly district-wide safety team meetings and conduct a monthly safety meeting at each location. Over the last several years, our board has dedicated funds to make our facilities safer for our students and staff.

What are some of the workplace safety concerns unique to the educational environment for Edmonson County BOE?
The school district has several older facilities that were modified to meet codes and laws for school safety in today’s climate. Financial challenges limit our ability to purchase state-of-the-art equipment; however, we have utilized federal and state grants to make sure that the safety of our schools is our number one priority.

What practices have you added to your program that helped improve your safety record?
We have added more 3M safety film to all our schools and have utilized free training through one of our suppliers to ensure our employees have their required OSHA certifications and various other trainings. We’ve purchased new equipment for our custodial maintenance staff, such as new tools, furniture movers, and rollers for trash cans, and we are paving paths to dumpsters and improving lighting in our parking lots. Plus, our safety director does monthly walk-throughs of our facilities.

What impacts or benefits have you seen resulting from a strong safety program?
The most important benefit is that we have our staff and students present and healthy. By keeping our staff at work, we are able to educate our future. Having such a low experience mod has allowed us to save funds on our insurance premiums that we can directly use to support our students.

How has KEMI assisted in enhancing workplace safety and reducing claims?
KEMI has mainstreamed a lot of our reporting, and the professional support has helped our employees have a seamless experience during recovery. Also, the return-to-work program has allowed our employees to be back on the job much sooner than they normally would. The training KEMI provides for our school district has been crucial for educating our employees on how important workplace safety truly is.

What notable safety milestones or recognition has the Edmonson Board of Education achieved during the past several years?
We have received the KEMI Destiny Award for Excellence in Safety two times. This is an accomplishment our board, superintendent, and entire school district take immense pride in achieving. Our experience mod has decreased annually for several years, and as safety director, I am encouraged by the fact we have been able to make a good experience mod even better, which has a direct, positive impact on our students.

Keeping our staff and students safe is our number one priority, and we have infused this mindset into our daily culture.