Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company has added Employment Practices Liability Insurance to its product portfolio for businesses in the United States.

“Many small business owners don’t realize they’re at risk for these types of claims,” said Jeff Mills, vice president of Commercial Lines Operations. “Yet, awards for employment claims rose 26 percent in 2007 to $345 million in the United States. With involuntary terminations and layoffs being two of the biggest triggers for claims, this affordable coverage provides our policyholders some security during these uncertain times.”

Available as an endorsement to the company’s Businessowners Policy, EPLI covers claims resulting from employment-related offenses—such as work-related harassment, including sexual harassment; wrongful termination, including retaliatory or constructive discharge; wrongful failure to hire, promote or grant tenure; and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

This new insurance also encourages prevention by providing policyholders FREE access to:

* WorkplaceRiskSolutions.com, an online resource that offers up-to-date information, education, loss prevention, and management training on best employment practices. It offers sample human resource policies, a model employee handbook, and other resources. This Web site is administered by The McCalmon Group, an authority in employment practices.

* Legal telephone hotline by Jackson Lewis, LLP, a law firm specializing in employment law. Employment law attorneys staff the telephone hotline to answer questions about employment law and best employment practices.

EPLI coverage limits range from $100,000 to $1 million each claim/policy aggregate. The premium is based on the number of full-time-equivalent employees (excluding the owners and partners), location, coverage limit, and deductible. 

For more information, contact Jewelers Mutual at 800-558-6411.

JCK