Month: May 2025

SFM Foundation announces nearly $600,000 in new scholarships

Posted on by Kris Janisch

The SFM Foundation recently awarded this year’s round of college scholarships, helping 19 new students totaling $596,000 in funding.

“It’s incredible to see how much our organization has grown over the years,” said Linda Williams, SFM Risk and Compliance Technical Specialist, who serves as the foundation’s president. “We are so grateful to all our donors and the volunteers who make our efforts possible.”

The SFM Foundation is a nonprofit that helps families affected by workplace injuries by providing scholarships to children of workers disabled or killed in work-related accidents.

Compared to 2024, the foundation awarded four more scholarships and more than $100,000 in additional funding this year. The SFM Foundation has now awarded 266 scholarships totaling $4.7 million since its inception.

“We have seen a steady uptick in the number of applicants for our scholarship, so being able to award more students and provide more funding this year is amazing,” said Deb Zorn, SFM VP of Regional Business and the foundation’s scholarship director. “It’s so rewarding to see these young people follow their dreams with the support of the foundation community.”

‘Gold’ status for SFM Foundation

The SFM Foundation recently reached Gold Level status from Kids’ Chance of America, recognizing top-tier excellence in nonprofit operations. One of the final steps to reach that status was creating a whistleblower policy.

“One of the other criteria necessary for Gold Level of Excellence is for the State Organization to consider having a paid executive director,” Williams said. “The SFM Foundation is fortunate to rely solely on volunteers to handle its operations, and no paid staff is needed, ultimately qualifying us for the Gold Level.”

In Iowa and Minnesota, the SFM Foundation is an affiliate of Kids’ Chance of America.

“It’s an honor to reach the Gold Level from Kids’ Chance,” said Lindsay Henningsgaard, Marketing Underwriter Specialist and the foundation’s executive director. “The new designation doesn’t change our mission of helping students who have been impacted by workplace injuries, but it is nice Kids’ Chance recognized the strength of our organization.”

June golf fundraiser

The SFM Foundation’s golf fundraiser in Minnesota is full. However, people can still attend lunch, dinner or sponsor. Note, though, that sponsors will no longer be listed in print materials (deadline was May 1).

The event is set for Monday, June 9, at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury. Find more information on the event page . The Iowa golf fundraiser was held May 19.

“We’re always so thankful of the support of our agency partners, clients and others who contribute to our mission,” Williams said. “These golf events are not only a way to raise scholarship funds, but they also allow those involved to connect and build a community.”

About the SFM Foundation

The SFM Foundation was created in 2008 by SFM Companies, a regional workers’ compensation insurance group headquartered in Bloomington, Minn. The nonprofit is dedicated to easing the burdens on families affected by workplace accidents. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded 266 scholarships totaling $4.7 million. For more information, visit sfmfoundation.com .

The SFM Foundation is an affiliate of Kids’ Chance of America in Iowa and Minnesota.

 

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Get to know an SFM Team Leader: Nathan Gaffaney

Posted on by Kris Janisch

SFM Team Leader Nathan Gaffaney
SFM Team Leader Nathan Gaffaney

Nathan Gaffaney has been with SFM since 2001, holding a variety of roles during his tenure here. In 2024, he was promoted to Team Leader. We asked Gaffaney to share a little bit about his background and role.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

My first job out of college was at SFM. I started with a claims training program and worked as a claims adjuster for three and a half years. Then I transferred to premium audit and the finance department — at that time, those two departments were combined. I worked in those areas for several years.

Then transferred to our North team as an underwriter until January of 2024, when I was promoted to the team business leader position.

Why have you stayed at SFM as long as you have?

I’ve had great managers along the way — they’ve probably seen things in me that I don’t see in myself and encouraged me to try different things.

I was also part of SFM’s Aspire program, which looks to identify people as future leaders. That was almost 10 years ago. But I’ve enjoyed the ability to have different roles at SFM the flexibility to try different things and stay with a company that’s great to its employees.

How would you describe your role in a nutshell?

In my current role, I’m overseeing three different disciplines for the North team — medical-only claims, loss prevention and nurse case managers. And I continue to have an underwriting/marketing role where I’m out talking to different agencies.

Is there a time that stands out to you when your job was particularly rewarding?

I’ve always enjoyed the relationships that I’ve been able to build with my agents.

When I ended up in the underwriter role and the marketing piece of the job, I really developed lifelong friendships with some of the people I worked with as clients. That’s been one of the most rewarding pieces.

What do you like about your job?

The people. I know that’s cliché, but the coworkers and clients I work with, the leaders I’ve had, they’ve all been great people and were always looking out for me.

I also like the vision of the company and what we’re doing and trying to do it well. We’re always focused on doing the next right thing, like Terry (Miller, SFM President and CEO) says. That’s big for me.

What’s most challenging about your job?

For me, in my current role, I hadn’t managed people before — so it’s been a lot of learning the nuances of managing people and their different roles and how you can assist them and be an advocate for them even when you’re not an expert in that particular role. So that’s been the hardest piece of it for me.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m married with four kids — my son was married in October and my oldest daughter is getting married this year. I also enjoy golfing, downhill skiing and taking my golden retriever out for walks. And I’m an avid Minnesota sports fan.

 

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CompOnline admin change: Unique email addresses required for new users

Posted on by Kris Janisch

CompOnline users for the same policy must now have different email addresses. CompOnline® is SFM’s web-based claims portal for policyholders.

Administrators can no longer create a new user if another user is already assigned the same email address for the same policy.

We added this requirement to prevent admins from accidentally creating duplicate accounts, and in preparation to allow users to log in with their email address later this year.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact us.

 

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Benefits of SHARP safety programs

Posted on by Kris Janisch

Businesses that take safety seriously may consider pursuing the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP ) through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Being awarded SHARP status demonstrates excellence in safety.

The initiative recognizes employers who have used OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program services and “operate exemplary safety and health programs.”

By reaching SHARP status, an employer is granted an exemption from OSHA-programmed inspections for up to two years.

OSHA also outlines other benefits of the program:

  • Protecting workers and developing safe practices and programs
  • Lower workers’ compensation premiums
  • Improve your worker retention
  • Reduce employee days away from work
  • Better workplace morale and culture
  • Establishing a reputation for leadership and safety

In addition to the federal SHARP, similar programs exist at the state level across the U.S. A few examples of state-led SHARP initiatives include:

Minnesota

To be recognized by MNSHARP , companies must work with state officials to develop and implement a written safety program, which must include:

  • Management leadership and employee involvement
  • An allocation of resources to address safety issues
  • Systems that identify and control workplace hazards
  • A plan for employee safety training and education

Incentives for participating include assistance from the Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation unit, public recognition for employers and employees and exemption from Minnesota OSHA Compliance scheduled inspection lists.

Minnesota also has a program specifically geared toward the construction industry .

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin SHARP initiative is run through the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

To achieve SHARP status, a company must:

  • Have a history of maintaining an injury and illness rate below the national average for its industry
  • Participate in a comprehensive consultation visit for both safety and health
  • Participate in a full evaluation of the health and safety management program in place for the company
  • Involve employees in the consultation and safety management processes
  • Correct all serious, other-than-serious, and regulatory hazards found
  • Have all basic elements for managing health and safety in place

Nebraska

In Nebraska, the state’s SHARP requires qualifying employers to go through a comprehensive consultation and review.

Companies must agree to a safety and health survey by state officials, review of an employer’s safety and health program, correct any hazards identified, and more. Once a business is SHARP certified, the benefits include :

  • Learning how to maintain a safe and healthy workplace through the development and implementation of proven effective safety and health management systems
  • Receiving no-cost consultative assistance and training provided by qualified professionals experienced in helping employers develop safety and health management programs and identify safety and health problem areas
  • Meeting program requirements to obtain a certificate of recognition from OSHA and removing the company from OSHA’s routine inspection list for one year

The Nebraska Department of Labor also presents a certificate of recognition and a SHARP program flag from the state’s governor and commissioner of labor.

Conclusion

Safety should be of paramount concern for all employers. And there are benefits to following strong safety procedures.

Check the OSHA SHARP website for more information.

OSHA launches severe injury report dashboard

Posted on by Kris Janisch

Safety-focused employers have a new tool to spot trends and learn which serious injuries may be most prevalent in their industry.

In September 2024 , the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a new severe injury dashboard.

The digital tool — which includes information on severe injuries going back to 2015 — allows users to search and download data by:

  • Year
  • Industry
  • State
  • Establishment name
  • Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System codes

As of this writing, the dashboard includes data through July 31, 2024, and gives users the ability to filter and download results. The filters are detailed, accounting for hundreds of different injury types, the source of the injury and even which body part was affected.

The dashboard provides an example of a broad search result showing incidents since 2015:

  • More than 93,000 total severe injury reports
  • Nearly 76,300 total workers hospitalized
  • Nearly 25,000 total workers with amputations

For a more granular example, one could search for 2023 severe injuries in hospitals in Wisconsin. Though that search only returns three results — two hospitalized workers and one amputation — the dashboard also provides specifics on the injuries:

  • Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
  • Fall on same level due to slipping
  • Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker

Safety professionals could use broader search results, and go back several years, to find potential areas for improvements depending on the workplace type.

Lastly, OSHA has provided an instructional video on how to use the dashboard.

Why return to work matters

Posted on by Patty Busse

There are many reasons why return to work matters for both employers and employees.

For employers, the benefits include the potential to lessen impacts on future premiums, reduce costs for lost-time claims and lessen the likelihood of litigation. Just as importantly, it helps maintain a connection and good working relationship with your employees during times of uncertainty following an injury.

At the same time, return to work also benefits the employee. The longer an employee remains away from the job following a workplace injury, the less likely it becomes that the employee will ever return to work. Even if injured employees can’t return to their regular jobs right away, bringing them back as soon as possible by providing transitional or light-duty work helps them:

  • Recover faster
  • Stay in the routine of working
  • Feel productive
  • Maintain workplace relationships

Below, we outline the reasons why return to work matters — including the effect on claims — and how to establish your own return-to-work program.

Past workers’ compensation claims affect future premiums

You probably know that your loss history is taken into account when calculating your workers’ compensation premium, but you may not know exactly how it works.

Your state’s workers’ compensation data collection organization calculates an experience modification factor (e-mod) for each employer that meets state-specific qualification requirements.

If your loss history is average for your class and size of business, your e-mod will be 1.00. If it’s better than average, it will be less than one. Because your e-mod is used as a multiplier when calculating your premium, a better-than-average e-mod will generally lower your premium.

For more details on this process, see our CompTalk on e-mods and read our blog, How your workers’ compensation e-mod is calculated.

Preventing lost-time claims pays off

When calculating an e-mod, not all claim costs are treated equally.

If a claim remains medical-only, meaning the injured worker does not receive wage-replacement (also called lost-time) benefits, claim costs are discounted by 70 percent.

To keep a claim medical-only, you must bring the employee back to work before your state’s waiting period ends. For example, waiting periods in these states are:

  • Three days in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin
  • Seven days in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Indiana and Tennessee

Split-point increases make return-to-work more important

The split point — used in the e-mod formula for workers’ compensation — is the dollar level at which each claim is divided into two parts:

  • Primary (the cost of each claim incurred below the split point)
  • Excess (the cost of each claim incurred above the split point)

When total costs for an individual claim rise above a split point that’s set by each state annually, those costs are also discounted for the purposes of calculating your e-mod.

The split point ranges from $17,500 to $29,500 in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota.

Example: How return-to-work impacts future premium

If you can bring an employee back to work before the waiting period ends, the impact of the claim on your e-mod and future workers’ compensation premiums will be significantly less.

Here’s an example:

Consider two assisted living facilities, each with about a dozen employees and currently paying about $23,000 in workers’ compensation premium.

A certified nursing assistant at the first facility slips and falls while working. Her medical bills total $7,500, but she is able to start doing light-duty work filing and answering phones before the state’s waiting period ends, so the claim remains medical-only.

At the second facility, another nursing assistant has a similar accident, but her employer does not provide light-duty work, and she ends up receiving some workers’ compensation benefits for lost pay. The combined cost for her medical expenses and lost-time compensation total $7,500.

Although the total cost for both claims is the same, the impact on their respective workers’ compensation costs are very different — only 30 percent of the medical-only claim impacts the employer’s e-mod, compared with 100 percent of the lost-time claim.

What does this mean for these employers’ work comp premiums? The claim that remained medical-only would cost the employer $2,850 over three years in terms of increased premium. In comparison, the lost-time claim would cost the employer $9,494 over three years.

How to start a return-to-work program

If you don’t have a return-to-work program already, follow these four steps to start one:

1. Draft your policy

Tell all of your staff ahead of time that your company intends to bring injured employees back to work as soon as they’re medically able, and will provide adaptations or light-duty work when needed. For guidance, see SFM’s sample return-to-work program.

2. Appoint a claims coordinator

This is an individual tasked with overseeing workers’ compensation claims and return to work. Have this person develop a plan for reporting injuries and communicate it to supervisors and employees.

Having step-by-step instruction sheets around also helps the process. For more details, see SFM’s CompTalk on claims coordinator duties.

3. Select a primary care clinic

Establish a good working relationship with a local clinic where the physicians understand occupational medicine and return-to-work.

If possible, meet with doctors at your preferred clinic to give them an overview of your organization and tell them you are committed to returning employees to work as soon as they are medically able. Suggest that your employees go there if they’re injured.

Note that in most states, employees have the right to choose where to have their injuries treated.

4. Identify transitional jobs

Transitional or modified-duty jobs provide opportunities for your employees to return to work even when medical restrictions prevent them from doing their regular jobs. Having these jobs identified before an injury occurs will help limit possible delays in return to work.

That might mean having an injured employee work in a different department temporarily.

To come up with ideas ask your managers, “What would you do if you had an extra pair of hands?” For more ideas, check out our lists of transitional jobs broken down by industry.

 

Originally published in 2020; updated May 2025.

Next SFM webinar to focus on preventing sprains and strains

Posted on by Kris Janisch

SFM strains and sprains webinarSFM regularly holds educational webinars to help policyholders manage the complexities of workers’ compensation issues.

The next webinar, set for 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, June 25, is Preventing sprains and strains, an SFM webinar for policyholders. Register now .

Our experts will explore how employers can help reduce the occurrence of strain and sprain injuries — the most common type of injury reported to SFM. Additionally, the webinar will cover several other aspects of sprains and strains, including:

  • What constitutes a strain or sprain injury
  • How these injuries typically occur
  • Manager and supervisor responsibilities to report injuries and during the claim process
  • How to identify individual and workplace risk factors
  • Why an organization’s safety program should include ergonomic training
  • Legal aspects to a strain or sprain injury
  • How to reduce the risk of litigation of a claim
  • Much more, including a question-and-answer session at the end

Need some tips for preventing these injuries before the webinar? Here are related resources about the topic:

Also, you can check out previous SFM webinars on our website.

 

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Fostering good relationships among employees

Posted on by Sara Goese

On average, employees will spend a third of their lives at work, so it’s safe to say their jobs have a major impact on their quality of life.

That means it’s important to ensure their time is spent in an organization where they can have healthy relationships with their colleagues. Those positive relationships are good for employees and good for your organization.

Three aspects of good employee relationships

Communication, teamwork and trust are the three hallmarks of good employee relationships.

  1. Open communication is the first step toward a positive working relationship. It occurs when all individuals can express ideas to one another, or have a debate, in a constructive way.
  2. Individuals looking to build strong working relationships should perform well in a team setting. They do their fair share of the work and give praise when others do well.
  3. Feeling like you can rely on your coworkers, and in turn are trusted by them, is an important part of building a workplace relationship. Trust is reciprocal, so having confidence in a coworker first is a great step toward gaining their trust in return.

Employees who identify as having good relationships with their coworkers tend to be more committed, productive and satisfied at work.

How to encourage workplace relationship building

An employee’s sense of belonging to their team, department, and the company arises from good interpersonal working relationships.

How can you help foster good working relationships among employees? Here are a few suggestions:

Help them establish relationships from Day 1

There’s no better time than the onboarding process to help new employees establish good working relationships. Arrange for new employees to meet with individuals throughout the company to learn more about the organization, and consider having them job shadow with others in similar roles.

Make time in your workday to have small talk and encourage occasional chatter among your direct reports

Whether interactions take place in-person, over the phone, or in a virtual meeting platform, they have the same impact — social connections build trust and friendships, both of which contribute to great working relationships.

Include fun activities in team meetings or schedule regular team outings

Earmarking space for coworkers to relax and enjoy each other’s company is good for relationship building. The activity doesn’t have to take up much time, but the addition of non-work-related fun can have a positive effect on a group. Asking trivia questions or playing board games are just a few ideas to help conversation flow among coworkers.

Schedule company-wide events that bring departments together to intermingle

Giving employees the opportunity to interact with coworkers from different departments helps establish company-wide relationships and promotes collaboration.

Support the creation of committees that plan special events or groups related to certain interests

Not only will the members of the committee bond while spending time together planning, but their efforts can bring individuals with similar interests together for an activity. Some ideas for committees or groups include: a community involvement or volunteer committee, a company outing committee to help plan companywide events; a book or reading club; or a sports club, like running, walking, pickleball or basketball, etc.

These are just a few ways to strengthen relationships among employees.

Whether through in-person or virtual means, most everyone can benefit from cultivating good relationships with their coworkers.

 

Originally published January 2022; updated May 2025.

Outdoor hazards to watch for during warm weather months

Posted on by Patty Busse

With warmer weather on the horizon, and already here in many places, it makes sense to prepare for a new batch of safety concerns.

Especially for people who work outdoors, the summer months bring a host of potential hazards, including heat-related issues, slips and falls, severe weather and more.

Share the following tips with your employees and colleagues to help them stay safe during warmer months.

Outdoor slips and falls

Potential tripping and slipping hazards can happen all year long.

Pay attention to the conditions of the surfaces you’re walking on. Parking lots, sidewalks, ramps and stairs can all have cracks, holes or uneven surfaces that could cause you to trip. Use handrails on stairs or ramps, and try to keep your hands free of encumbrances. Do not carry more than you can handle or items that block your vision.

Don’t take shortcuts through lawns or center islands. Uneven ground and concealed or hard-to-see holes can result in twisted ankles or worse.

Also, summer months might have employees wearing different footwear than at other times of the year. Flip-flops, sandals, loose-fitting shoes, high heels, cowboy boots, etc., all increase the risk of slip and fall injuries or feet and ankle injuries. Employers need to mandate proper footwear and enforce it with workers.

Also, report any unsafe outdoor conditions to the appropriate person.

Heat stress

When you’re working in the heat, it’s important to make sure you stay hydrated. If you aren’t taking in enough fluids or salts, it can lead to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

To prevent heat-related stress, give yourself time to adjust to hot weather by limiting your exposure at first, and gradually increasing the amount of time until your body has acclimated to the heat. Try to schedule work during the coolest parts of the day.

Drink plenty of liquids to replace what your body loses through sweating. You should be drinking approximately one cup of water every 15 minutes. Sports drinks with electrolytes are useful for replacing necessary salts, as well.

Don’t ignore symptoms of heat stress. Stop your work to cool off in a shaded or air-conditioned area if you experience dizziness, nausea or muscle cramping.

These tips are especially important for workers in certain industries. In early 2024, the American Society of Safety Professionals published the first national voluntary consensus standard addressing heat stress for workers in construction and demolition operations.

At a high level, the document:

  • Provides guidance on protecting workers
  • Outlines how to acclimate workers to high heat conditions
  • Gives tips for training employees and supervisors

The standard also contains checklists and flowcharts designed to help employers develop heat stress management programs.

Lightning safety

If you work outdoors, it’s important to pay attention to weather patterns. Thunderstorms are common across the country, and lighting safety is vital for employees who work outdoors.

From 2006 through 2021, there were 444 lightning strike fatalities in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Most of those deaths occurred in June, July or August.

Stay up to date on weather forecasts and watch out for early warning signs. If a storm is predicted, don’t start working on projects you won’t be able to stop quickly.

Clouds that grow vertically into towering cumulus clouds are often the first sign of a developing storm. Other indicators include high winds, dark clouds, rain and distant thunder.

When you see lightning, count the seconds until you hear thunder. If the time is 30 seconds or less, then the storm is close enough to be dangerous. Leave any open-air structures or areas with tall trees and seek shelter inside an enclosed building. Metal-topped vehicles are also safe.

If you are outdoors, stay off and away from tall structures or large equipment. Do not touch anything that can conduct electricity. Wait at least 30 minutes following the last clap of thunder before resuming your work.

Insect-borne diseases

Summer is peak season for ticks and insect bites. If you work outdoors, be aware of the conditions that put you most at risk. Insects are most active at dawn, dusk and early evening in tall grass, shrubs and wooded areas.

You can avoid insect bites by wearing long pants, sleeves, closed-toe shoes and a hat. Use insect repellents on clothes and exposed skin.

After being outdoors, you should perform body checks for ticks. If one is found, remove it immediately with fine-tipped tweezers by pulling it straight out. Then cleanse the area with antiseptic.

At the same time, illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus can be passed on by deer ticks and mosquitoes. An estimated 476,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC . And in 2024, more than 1,450 cases of West Nile virus were detected across 49 states, the CDC reports .

If you suspect you or one of your employees may have contracted an illness, seek medical attention right away.

Conclusion

Spring and summer months come with their own unique safety risks.

Getting back outside after a long winter can feel like a relief, but don’t let that cause you to let your guard down while working outside.

Lastly, federal officials have created a heat safety tool app employers can use as an additional resource.

 

Originally published in May 2019; updated May 2025.

Incorporating de-escalation into your workplace safety program

Posted on by Kris Janisch

This is the second in a four-part series of SFM blogs recapping our November 2024 webinar, De-escalation in the workplace, An SFM webinar for policyholders.

The second segment of SFM’s de-escalation webinar focused on incorporating these tactics into workplace safety programs.

Carl Gruber, SFM Loss Prevention Specialist, outlined the four basic elements of creating a de-escalation training program:

  • Define responsibilities
  • Select a training program that suits the business
  • Create the training program
  • Craft goals and plan for continuing education

A strong safety program that includes de-escalation tactics can help employers retain workers and establish a safe working environment, Gruber said.

“We all know that retention of staff is a huge thing right now — not just from the time and money aspect of recruiting, but also from the aspect of getting the right person for the job,” he said. “You picked that individual for a reason. And you don’t want the reason they are leaving to be because they feel unsafe or like they don’t belong.”

Gruber also discussed selecting training programs based on the type of business, including:

  • School districts
  • Health care
  • Other categories of employers and factors to consider (type of worksite, schedules, guests being onsite, etc.)

Check out the complete recording of webinar, and keep an eye out for future blogs highlighting other sections of the presentation.

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