Category: News

Changes to Wisconsin’s Worker’s Compensation System

Mar
03
2016
Amendments to the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Act were signed by Governor Walker on February 29, 2016 and went into effect on March 2. Several aspects of this bill represent significant changes. The Plain Language Summary Act 180 explains more, but some of the notable changes, and their place in the summary, include: #4. PPD Rate The maximum weekly permanent partial disability (PPD) rate will increase to $342 for injuries occurring throughout the rest of 2016. The rate increases to $362 for injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2017. #8. Statute of Limitations The statute of limitations for traumatic injuries will be reduced from 12 years to 6 years (the statute of limitations for occupational injuries did not change). #9. Permanent Disability Apportionment Apportionment of permanent disability resulting from accidental injuries will be based on their causes. Practitioners will determine the percentage of permanent disability caused by the direct result of the work-related injury and the percentage attributable to other factors before and after the injury. An employee who claims a work-related injury is required to disclose all previous permanent disabilities or physical impairments and the records needed to make an apportionment determination. #20. Discharge or Suspension for Misconduct or Substantial Fault Temporary disability benefits can be denied if an employee is brought back to work on light duty and is then fired due to misconduct or substantial faul

Vizance Associate Joe Dundon Receives Rising Star Award from NAIOP

Jan
27
2016
Congratulations to Joe Dundon, who was recently awarded the 2015 Rising Star Award for his involvement with NAIOP, a Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and two of its committees. Joe's extensive involvement with the Education & Programs Committee and the Developing Leader Committee was recognized by the leadership of  NAIOP. Congratulations, Joe!  

Another Successful Food Drive

Dec
03
2015
The 7th annual Vizance Food Drive has come to a close. Vizance’s associates, along with our clients and company partners, gathered a total of 18,650 food items and $4,360 in cash donations. Thank you to everyone who helped us stock the shelves of our community food pantries. We could not have reached the level of success we did without the teamwork, compassionate hearts and generous donations of our contributors.

Vizance Named to the Milwaukee Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” List

Nov
04
2015
The Milwaukee Business Journal recently released their "Best Places to Work" winners list, and Vizance is honored to be among the winners. According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, "Nearly 100 Milwaukee-area firms were nominated for the awards and the winners were determined based on scores from a survey that employees filled out. Each company that was nominated was ranked according to the 10 core areas of engagement: teamwork, retention, alignment with goals, trust with co-workers, individual contribution, manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, feeling valued, job satisfaction and benefits." Additional information, including rankings, will be published in early December.    

What Does the PACE Act Mean to Me?

Oct
26
2015
We’ve become so accustomed to delays or changes surrounding implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it would not surprise us if the passage of the PACE Act went unnoticed. Of course you received several emails telling you that President Obama signed the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act (PACE), but what does it really mean to you? If you are an employer with approximately 50 to 99 full-time employees (including full-time equivalents), the PACE Act is probably good news for you. Prior to the ACA, most states defined small employers as those with less than 50 employees. In the group health insurance market, small employers were subject to different rules, including how their policies were underwritten. The ACA intended to redefine “small employer” to mean all employers with less than 100 employees. Beginning January 2016, employers with 50 to 100 employees would for the first time be considered a “small employer” and subject to the ACA’s rules governing small employers. Application of the ACA’s rules governing small employers to employers with 50 to 100 employees would have imposed strict community rating rules that would likely result in substantial premium increases and would require coverage for “essential health benefits” which may also contribute to higher premiums. Because the PACE Act was passed, employers with 50 to 100 employees can breathe a sigh of relief. What remains the same: Employers with less than 50

7th Annual Food Drive Begins

Oct
26
2015
The 7th Annual Food Drive has officially started! New this year is an additional push to support the Milwaukee Rescue Mission through social media. Each additional Page "Like" on the Vizance Facebook page will result in an increased donation to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. We are accepting food donations of all kinds, at both Vizance locations, from now until November 23rd. Thank you for your support!  

Kristopher Sharpe joins Vizance as Financial Services Account Executive

Sep
14
2015
Kristopher Sharpe has recently joined Vizance as an Account Executive. Prior to joining Vizance, Kristopher managed the insurance operations for Bronfman E. L. Rothschild (formerly Lake Country Wealth Management) for the past five years and has extensive experience in the design of personal and corporate insurance strategies. He holds his FINRA Series 7, FINRA Series 66 and WI Life, Accident, and Health Insurance licenses. Kristopher will be a resource for addressing life, long-term disability, and long-term care insurance needs. He views helping clients manage some of their risks through insurance planning as a significant part of the overall planning process and is eager to share his knowledge and resources.  

Vizance Named One of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Firms

Jun
26
2015
The Milwaukee Business Journal recently released its list of the 31 winners selected for the Fastest Growing Firms awards, and Vizance is honored to be among those chosen. This award recognizes Southeastern Wisconsin companies for significant growth over the past three years. The 2015 winners will be recognized at an awards luncheon on August 13th in Milwaukee, as well as in the Business Journal's August 14th edition. Vizance is grateful to its associates and clients for their continued support, which makes this award, and others, possible.

Vizance Named to Future 50 List

Jun
15
2015
Vizance is proud to have been named a 2015 Future 50 award winner by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. The Future 50 program recognizes privately-owned companies in the seven-county Milwaukee Region that have been in business for at least three years and have shown significant revenue and employment growth. Vizance, together with the other award recipients, will be honored at the 28th Annual Awards Luncheon in September.

Wellness Plans: Look Both Ways Before Crossing the Road

Dec
11
2014
Renee Kuhs, Compliance Attorney, Vizance, Inc. Look both ways before crossing the road. Does this advice sound familiar? Is it something your mother said to you every time you left the house? Is it advice you have passed along to your children? These words of caution are well suited for employers that have or are seeking to implement a Wellness Plan. The EEOC recently filed lawsuits against three employers alleging their Wellness Plans violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Two of these employers are located in Wisconsin; one employer is in Minnesota. Employers are often surprised to learn that the Wellness Plan they have had in place for years violates federal law. Over the last seven years, I’ve worked with numerous employers to correct compliance problems with their Wellness Plan. Employers often rely upon an insurance carrier, insurance broker, or wellness consultant to help them implement their Wellness Plan. While these parties all bring expertise to the process, one important component is consistently missing – compliance with laws governing the employer. The three lawsuits that have been brought by the EEOC were filed against the employer. Neither the insurance broker nor the wellness consultant has been made a party to the lawsuits. How will looking both ways before an employer crosses the road avoid litigation? Wellness Plans have typically been developed by focusing solely on the rules contained within the Health Insurance Portabilit