Middleton & Company Insurance

05/14/2023

Merchants Insurance Group has announced that Middleton & Company of Newton, New Jersey is the company’s 2022 Agent of the Year!

08/18/2022

Stealing Your Business: Cyber Security - Get out of Harm's Way!!!

https://www.ommfabricator-digital.com/noms/0422_july_august_2022/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1805766&app=false

'Cyber crime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.' – Ginni Rometty, Former CEO, IBM Your business has what cyber criminals want. As a

08/10/2021

NJ Independent Contractors and Worker Misclassification Penalties
New Jersey is one of the most aggressive states in the nation when it comes to punishing employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors. Now, in addition to facing criminal, civil and administrative penalties, new state laws have significantly expanded the state’s enforcement powers.
NJBIA has updated its Fast Fact document, Independent Contractors and Worker Misclassification, to provide members with the latest information on changes to worker misclassification laws and penalties, which now include stop-work orders that could shut down all an employer’s worksites and business locations if the state labor commissioner says workers are being misclassified as independent contractors.
Worker misclassification occurs when an employer hires someone and incorrectly (whether intentionally or unintentionally) treats that person as an independent contractor rather than an employee as required by law. Employers do not have to pay unemployment taxes, disability taxes, Social Security taxes, or workers’ compensation premiums for independent contractors, which is why the state and federal governments take worker misclassification seriously.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) estimates $535 million in taxes go unreported due to employee misclassification, which is why both the NJDOL and IRS conduct random audits of businesses to check for workers that are misclassified as independent contractors.
Read the NJBIA Independent Contractors and Worker Misclassification Fast Fact here to learn more about the criteria used to determine if a worker has been misclassified and how your business can avoid running afoul of laws, including the four new bills signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on July 8.

https://njbia.org/what-nj-employers-need-to-know-about-independent-contractor-law-changes/

05/28/2021

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at Middleton & Company!

04/06/2021

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6741794540069363712

Huge increase in Cyber Attacks during COVID-19 shut down. https://lnkd.in/dv9unxy...

04/06/2021

Cyber Criminals ARE Stealing your Business!

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11/11/2020

Happy Veterans Day

09/10/2020

Huge increase in Cyber Attacks during COVID-19 shut down.

There is a cartoon in The New Yorker of March 30, 2020 showing four mobsters, one with a gun, sitting around a table. The caption reads: “For health and safety reasons, we’ll be transitioning to cyber crime.” You can see the cartoon at https://www.newyorker.com/cartoon/a24009 No kidding! The h...

05/07/2020

2020 NJLCA Trade Show with Kelsey Grammer

04/06/2020

Will Business Interruption Coverage Cover Coronavirus Related Disruptions?

After receiving numerous calls and questions about any potential insurance coverage, we wanted to address the association with some information about the issue.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate conversations and headlines throughout our country and around the world due to health, market and economic impacts.

Given the potential impact of COVID-19 on your business operations, we will answer some questions we have received with respect to business interruption coverage Commercial Property policies.

Many property policies include business interruption Coverage when the business interruption is caused by a Covered Cause of Loss. A Covered Cause of Loss is defined as risks of direct physical loss unless the loss is excluded or limited. Business interruption coverage is triggered by a direct physical loss of covered property. The coverage form specifically excludes damage caused directly or indirectly by any virus, bacterium or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness or disease.

Most property policies also includes civil authority coverage. Coverage may be afforded when a Covered Cause of Loss causes damage to property other than property at the described premises and a civil authority prohibits access to the described premises. A Covered Cause of Loss is defined as risks of direct physical loss unless the loss is excluded or limited. Most property policies specifically exclude damage caused directly or indirectly by or resulting from any virus, bacterium or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness or disease. When there is NO direct physical loss to insured property or adjacent property as described above, business interruption coverage is Not triggered and no coverage applies.

Some property policies may include contingent business interruption coverage. This coverage requires damage at the premises of a dependent property (IE: supplier &/or customer) caused from any Covered Cause of Loss. A Covered Cause of Loss is defined as risks of direct physical loss unless the loss is excluded or limited. The coverage form specifically excludes damage caused directly or indirectly by any virus, bacterium or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness or disease. When there is NO direct physical loss to insured property, adjacent property, or dependent property as described above, business interruption coverage is Not triggered and no coverage applies.

This communication is intended to be informational to assist you in preparation for a COVID-19 outbreak impacting your business operations. The insurance afforded by your policy is subject to all the terms, exclusions, and conditions of that policy. This is not a response to any specific claim.

We encourage you to take reasonable measures to mitigate your personal risk of exposure to the coronavirus. We are following recommended CDC guidelines, which may be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html. For specific business information, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business- response.html

NOTE: There is a proposed bill that looks to make insurance company policies payout business interruption coverage as IF it was insured by the property policy, however, it is only an emergency proposal, very limited and would required government funding and approval.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

03/26/2020

The U.S. Small Business Administration named New Jersey a 'declared disaster state' in the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The declaration will allow New Jersey small business owners impacted by COVID-19 to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help support their businesses.

EIDLs are working capital loans to help small businesses, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of a disaster, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans are intended to help small businesses overcome the temporary loss of revenue through the disaster recovery period.

These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%

To apply for an SBA loan, click here.
For guidance on SBA loans, click here.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources

Content
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
• Guidance for Businesses and Employers
• SBA Products and Resources
• Government Contracting
• Local Assistance
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Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
Small business owners in the following designated states are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. Click here to apply.
Find more information on the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans at: SBA.gov/Disaster.
The SBA will work directly with state Governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits that have been severely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
The NJEDA has created a webpage that directs business owners to various resources to assist in coping financially with the COVID-19 public health crisis. This site will be updated with any new programs or support that becomes available. https://www.njeda.com/about/Public-Information/Coronavirus-Information

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Sick Leave Act – Federally funded by Payroll taxes: https://www.currentfederaltaxdevelopments.com/blog/2020/3/19/congress-enacts-small-emploiyer-mandatory-paid-sick-time-rules-and-related-refundable-payroll-tax-credit

Health and government officials are working together to maintain the safety, security, and health of the American people. Small businesses are encouraged to do their part to keep their employees, customers, and themselves healthy.