Ask Tim; Coronavirus (COVID-19)

​Over the last few work days, we've gotten a number of calls from members reporting that at least one staff member has contracted COVID-19. I spoke on Friday with the principal of a five-person agency who (test results pending) suspected as many as four people had the virus. ​Our office coordinator has reported a lot of calls coming in. Jim Lombardo, our education czar, has been on the phone with a member about this already this morning.Folks, if this didn't feel real to you before, it should now.That's why I strongly recommend that you all review this blog post​ from Affinity HR Group about what to…

​We are now in our sixth month of the COVID-19 Era, with little hope for an early end. Social distancing and masks will continue to be parts of our lives for now. The changes that seemed shocking to insurance agencies in March have now become Just The Way Things Are.   But people are still buying homes (there were almost 22,000 closed and pending sales in New York in June,) cars (auto sales were at an annual pace of 14.5 million units in July,) and businesses are hiring back some workers, though not as quickly as they shed them in the spring. Commerce is continuing as much as it can during a time…