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PPFA Updates

Robin Gentry MCPF

PPFA Coordinator 2020+ Past President 2013-15
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Hello Framers!


As you all know PPFA has a New Home. We are now Part of Monarch Expositions. Monarch Expositions is owned by Deborah Salmon and Bruce Gherman. If those names sound familiar it is because they are principles of PFM and WCAF. Monarch Expositions is a separate company from PFM and WCAF. Deborah and Bruce along with the PPFA Board and many members believe our industry will benefit from a Professional Organization. We are all working together for a Stronger, and Brighter Organization to represent the Professional Picture Framer. We are currently working on the future of Membership, Chapters, Education, Certification, Competitions, and our Annual Convention. Over the next few months there will be more information posted on the PPFA Facebook Page, Framers Corner, and at Chapter Events. I hope to see you all at the PPFA Annual Convention which will be in conjunction with WCAF and the National Conference January 24-27 in Las Vegas!


Thank you
Robin Gentry, PPFA President
 
A big "THANK YOU" to all of you involved in this transition, giving all of us a hope for a much more positive future for our Association!
:first:
 
With respect to all involved, I hope you don't mind a little candor coming from a lowly member on the outside looking in.

I find the closed door meetings and lack of substantiate information to be cause for a lack of confidence.

Sorry to say the 30 day "update" really didn't update us on anything at all.

The association has been in hibernation for months now.

To say your working on the future of Membership, Chapters, Education, Certification, & Competitions, make me think big changes are proposed and PPFA is about to change..... maybe for better and maybe for worst.

Come on, Doesn't anyone really have anything to say?
New Owners?
BOD?
PMA frame industry liaisons/?

Doug
 
Hi Doug,

I can understand how you must feel... and your comments are valid.

I'm on the PPF Board of Directors, and a the PPFA International Liaison... and I can confirm wheels are well and truly turning... better now than I've ever seen before, under the experienced administration of people who genuinely understand and care about our industry. So yes, I believe this will all be "for the better".


  • There is a new website under construction, which will have some great new features for members which many may like.
  • Membership renewal process will be improved, so that new members will received a full 12 months regardless of joining date, rather than the previous method of a fixed annual date. Membership fees, etc will be announced soon.
  • Certification testing for CPF is back up and running again (manual tests, not the former "online" version)
  • And plans are underway for the PPFA "INTER"national Convention held in Las Vegas in Jan 2016 - along with WCAF again.

It has been a tumultuous period for PPFA, but I feel we are on the other side of the darkness now, and progress is being made. Thanks must be made to the many hard-working and dedicated PPFA committee members and volunteers working behind the scenes to get things floating again.

Thank you for your continued patience and support for our industry association.

Cheers,

Jared Davis MCPF, GCF (<-- That guy from "Down Under")
 
Doug, the new management is very real and very qualified. I know first hand about their interest and support at the Chapter level.
Bruce, Debbie, and their team at Monarch are doing an incredible job, especially considering the mess they were handed by PMA.
Most of what they are doing has had to be developed from the ground up, and there are still a lot of things in development besides the web sites.
I know that it looks like the same old from the outside, but Monarch has to be afforded the time to concentrate on what needs to get done in a very short time allowed while running what was already a very busy schedule. They have been working with framers for over 20 years and know the quirks of our industry better than anyone. Don't jump ship just yet.
 
As Jared and Wally stated. Wheels are turning. Many of the items, website, database, Cert program, Competition info, education, are all being reworked and several cases being rebuilt from the ground up. I know PPFA has been lax for quite a while but this has changed with our new management. We are all working to get the correct information out and get the nuts and bolts solidified for a Wonderful Future.

New membership information and a basic website are coming in the next few weeks.

Other items are being worked on an will be coming in time. We want to get this right!
 
Comp benefit from PPFA - Re: PPFA Updates

Workers Comp and PPFA benefits:
Proposal that this become part of the national agency priorities as the organization moves forward.
...............................................

One of the most touted benefits of PPFA is the workers comp program. In our experience that program had many undisclosed details, which I only learned about after the fact. This cost this us unnecessary premium expense and could have been mitigated, as we paid perhaps a few thousand more than we otherwise would have if they had proactively told us about this. I would have rather bought 10 boxes of Museum glass or distributed this as bonuses.

• Did you know that it is possible if you have dual class code employees if you properly document staff work hour by hour, ( not %), thus you can get avoid the framer rate when they are only doing sales activities etc.? Fair right?

• Did you know that when they do research, administrative or computer work, which is even lower risk, that this is not even allowed even though it is the lowest risk of all activities? That is wrong - but in CA it is apparently the law. The PPFA should lobby to correct this unfairness.

• In CA at least, if your business involves, as our does, lots of digital printing and restoration work, that you are not allowed to carve that out, and have to pay the full frame rate premium? Your only option is to not allow that employee to frame, and to reassigned them to only do digital services/printing.

• Did you know that your experience modifier (your run rate as it were) provides great discounts to your loading from comp premium as it evolves? This also means that once you have been with someone for a while, that you virtually cannot shop your policy as unlike unemployment insurance, this does not carry over to a new insurance company.

• Does PPFA and Mewdowbrook have a plan to help the industry reduce the risk of injury that would be working together unable us to reduce this high loading on labor cost? they should. Working together the industry experience modifier could be impacted - this could in theory reduce the cost of comp by 50% - but, if framers are reckless and there are lots of injuries, then the pendulum will swing the other way.

• BTW: we have now been in the program for over two years and are yet to receive on dollar of the promised rebate (12%) - they have a complicated excuses for this which is basically double dutch buy ultimately it is simply unfair and wrong. nothing we can do about it but bring awareness to that detail.

• Did you know you have to pay comp when a staff member is on vacation taking paid PTO - even though there is zero risk of a job injury? How is that fair?

I propose that a standards and recommendations for best practices including worker safety be a part of the new PPFA with an aim at proactively working with the carrier to reduce the premiums for everyone. Given comp is about 10% of labor cost, and all staff needs raises as well, I suggest this become a coordinated priority

Anyone in on this?

I will repost this as a new topic when I have more time...

Cheers.
 
Last edited:
Thank you Bennett. I will share these concerns with our Benefits Coordinator. She is working on many different and new benefits to be announced soon.
 
Re: Comp benefit from PPFA - Re: PPFA Updates

Bennett Hall said:
Workers Comp and PPFA benefits:
Proposal that this become part of the national agency priorities as the organization moves forward.
...............................................

Anyone in on this?

Bennett,

Although I comeserate with you as a business owner with employees for the past 37 years, I honestly don't think that PPFA under new Administrative Management could or would be willing to tackle this huge task. I think this would be as impossible as getting them to convince the credit card industry to simplifying merchant fees in the U.S. :shocked:

I will comment specifically on a couple of your key points...

Bennett Hall said:
...One of the most touted benefits of PPFA is the workers comp program. In our experience that program had many undisclosed details, which I only learned about after the fact. This cost this us unnecessary premium expense and could have been mitigated, as we paid perhaps a few thousand more than we otherwise would have if they had proactively told us about this...

Did you not have a Workers Compensation program in place prior to working with Meadowbrook / PPFA? Would you not have had your employee designated codes already established?

Although you are frustrated by wasted expense, the burden of this falls on us as owners of our business to buy wisely and understand what we are buying, regardless if it is phone service or insurance.

You are correct about many PPFA members and PPFA touting this benefit...and our shop has enjoyed a dividend back every year for a number of years, so we were happy. However, as I understand it now, the "rules have changed" since PPFA first partnered with Meadowbrook, and many providers offer dividends to their insured customers. (Truth: They have all been over-charging for a product with huge profitability despite the fact that each state sets the exposure rate) So give PPFA kudos for pioneering this effort, but I think you might be able to ask an insurance agent to give you a quote from another company that also offers dividends.

Bennett Hall said:
• Did you know that it is possible if you have dual class code employees if you properly document staff work hour by hour, ( not %), thus you can get avoid the framer rate when they are only doing sales activities etc.? Fair right?

You better have some pretty tight documentation to support this! We have two framers that spend 50% of their time on the sales floor selling custom framing and selling general gifts, doing display and merchandising... when does this happen? 15 minutes here and an hour there... So they are classified as picture framers. We then have one employee who is purely sales. Sarah as the owner is purely Administrative. Obviously you want each person to be in their respective category to be able to take advantage of the lower rates in that category.

Bennett Hall said:
• Did you know that when they do research, administrative or computer work, which is even lower risk, that this is not even allowed even though it is the lowest risk of all activities? That is wrong - but in CA it is apparently the law. The PPFA should lobby to correct this unfairness.

Each state sets it's own rate... so a Picture Framer in Wisconsin is in category with Trophy Shop people (My guess is that they figure it is small scale cutting and assembling). That Wisconsin rate might be 20% lower than a similar category in Michigan or 45% lower than a similar category in California. Apparently it takes decades for the incidence rate of claims to affect the rate, and yet Insurance companies can still issue large dividends... Anyone else see the fallacy of this system? :mmph:

Bennett Hall said:
• In CA at least, if your business involves, as our does, lots of digital printing and restoration work, that you are not allowed to carve that out, and have to pay the full frame rate premium? Your only option is to not allow that employee to frame, and to reassigned them to only do digital services/printing.

Same in Wisconsin, and I would imagine for most every other state, as well.

Bennett Hall said:
• Did you know that your experience modifier (your run rate as it were) provides great discounts to your loading from comp premium as it evolves? This also means that once you have been with someone for a while, that you virtually cannot shop your policy as unlike unemployment insurance, this does not carry over to a new insurance company.

I'm a little confused by your statement, but YES..the rates are set by each State, so that if you changed companies, and your staffing hours and job responsibilities did not change, then your base insurance rate would be identical. However, another firm might have a different Dividend rate (this is the insurance companies way of competing on price on an otherwise same priced product.)

Bennett Hall said:
• Does PPFA and Meadowbrook have a plan to help the industry reduce the risk of injury that would be working together unable us to reduce this high loading on labor cost? they should. Working together the industry experience modifier could be impacted - this could in theory reduce the cost of comp by 50% - but, if framers are reckless and there are lots of injuries, then the pendulum will swing the other way.

Framers for the most part are NOT reckless and accident claims are probably extremely minimal. I think in 37 years, we have had one cut that required an ER visit by an employee. The truth is that the high rates that you may be incurring have everything to do with the State that you are physically located and perhaps MOST IMPORTANT, is what other business types share your category. If you are are lumped with another industry that has a higher accident incident rate, than I would be on the horn with a legislative representative to get your own category.

Bennett Hall said:
• BTW: we have now been in the program for over two years and are yet to receive one dollar of the promised rebate (12%) - they have a complicated excuses for this which is basically double dutch buy ultimately it is simply unfair and wrong. nothing we can do about it but bring awareness to that detail.

Hmmmm - wonder why?

Bennett Hall said:
• Did you know you have to pay comp when a staff member is on vacation taking paid PTO - even though there is zero risk of a job injury? How is that fair?

Well...because it is based on wages not hours! :smug: For the same reason, while they were on vacation and injured themselves water skiing they might have a hard time claiming Workers' Comp!

Bennett Hall said:
...I propose that a standards and recommendations for best practices including worker safety be a part of the new PPFA with an aim at proactively working with the carrier to reduce the premiums for everyone. Given comp is about 10% of labor cost, and all staff needs raises as well, I suggest this become a coordinated priority

Indeed...Important, but I think the logistics of the task currently exceed the Admin Management's manpower. A good place to start, might be two ask each picture framing business here to identify and answer three questions...

1 - What is the category where YOUR state places Picture Framers, and with whom do you share that category?

2 - What is the exposure rate for Picture Framers in YOUR State?

3 - How many claims have you had in X number of years of business?

Regards,

John
 
John, some excellent points!

We all need to remember that rates are set and vary by each state.

Each employer gets a mod factor [modification factor] based on the job code and the history of that company. So if, for example your mod factor is 2.5, you are paying 2.5 the base rate based on the experience your company has. The mod factor will not change if you change insurance companies.

In my working with companies over the years, I have seen instances where the companies are in the wrong classification. You as owner, need to verify which category you are in, is correct. Sometimes by accidentally being placed in the wrong classification, you will increase (or decrease) your base rate.

The only successful way I have seen of reducing your workman's comp rates is in an example where my client had a mod factor significantly above 1.0. {I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS}

He ended up doing the following:
1. He formed a new company that became a "holding company" for most of the employees. He kept a few to stay within the classifications.
2. He re-hired his old employees from / through the new company.
3. The new company's mod factor became 1.0 because the new company had no historic record.
4. He immediately implemented a training program and incentive program to reduce injuries. {I was involved and pushed this}
5. After 3 years the injuries were reduced significantly, the mod rate was within a normal range, and he closed the separate company and rehired the employees.
 
Re: Comp benefit from PPFA - Re: PPFA Updates

• Did you know that your experience modifier (your run rate as it were) provides great discounts to your loading from comp premium as it evolves? This also means that once you have been with someone for a while, that you virtually cannot shop your policy as unlike unemployment insurance, this does not carry over to a new insurance company.

I suppose it may be different in CA (well, actually, I know things are different there...) but there is a national entity that assigns Experience Mods. It's called the NCCI. Your EM is based on your classification(s), total premiums paid and total claims over the last three years. It makes no difference which carrier provided the insurance.

Quick search - CA has its own agency, called WCIRB, which assigns EMs. Per their website
Regardless of which insurer provides you with your workers' compensation insurance policy, if you are experience rated, your experience modification must be applied to your policy.

Note: not all companies have the EM applied - not sure about CA, but in most states one of the factors is a minimum premium. So if your premiums are under $X you do not qualify for EM.

EDIT: amazing the things you can find on the internet.
Again, per the WCIRB website:
As of July 1, 2015, the qualifying threshold is $28,461
So, MOST framers will not have an EM.
 
Let me speak for the Certification Board.
In the last few months, we have accomplished many things.
1. Redesigned the CPF and MCPF certificates so that a) they look as prestigious as they should b) the two are the same size, so that one AMAZING framing presentation can be used as you progress from one to the other. c) the certificate is a PERMANENT one. The date is changed with the addition of a 10" x 3" validation which has the date by which you must recertify. (You can buy the new certificate, if you are grandfathered or you want the visual -POW!- of the new 11" x 17" design. Right now, I personally am the one which prints and sends out the certificates (and I work really cheap). As PPFA returns to financial stability, this will be turned over to staff, but right now they have enough to do, so the Cert Board is lending a hand.

2. The new 2015 CPF exam is now the one which is issued. The biggest thing we did was produce both an Imperial (inches) and Metric version, so that we are truly international. We also replaced some questions and clarified others. If your chapter is planning a CPF exam, please get in touch with Elli Wollangk at 920-216-9044 to start the process.

3. We have reconstructed many of the tracking documents to aid in tracking who has what certification and when it expires. There are a lot of holes in this spreadsheet, so we will be calling on many of you to aid us soon.

4. Although this is a little older news, the updated Recertification DVD/thumb drive will now be available so that you can be recertified in your own shop.
 
Re: Comp benefit from PPFA - Re: PPFA Updates

Bennett,

Indeed...Important, but I think the logistics of the task currently exceed the Admin Management's manpower. A good place to start, might be two ask each picture framing business here to identify and answer three questions...

1 - What is the category where YOUR state places Picture Framers, and with whom do you share that category?

2 - What is the exposure rate for Picture Framers in YOUR State?

3 - How many claims have you had in X number of years of business?

Regards,

John

John, Thanks for pinpointing all these points!
 
Dear Ellen, I PM'd you, gently, but apparently it never got there. I would like the new MCPF Cert. how much and who do I sent check to? I also, need to take re-cert DVD "dealy" and need to know same thing, how much who gets $? Please advised, as you know I always need help. Thank you, Les Martin in Hanover, PA
 
Hi Les,

Ellen is around but on a bit of a hiatus. I will forward your question on to Joyce Michels.

Thanks Robin
 
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