Despite facing a range of new challenges over the past three years of the COVID pandemic, MIIA Executive Vice President Stanley Corcoran said MIIA members “have seized new opportunities to come out stronger and better equipped for the future.”

Addressing MIIA’s Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 21 in Boston, Corcoran outlined a number of ways that local public entities around the state have boosted safety preparedness and financial strength during tough times.

Municipalities have encountered a wave of obstacles, from inflation and rising energy costs to labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and weather-related events.

“To a greater or lesser extent, we’ve all been affected in some way by the pandemic,” Corcoran said. “The theme of our 2022 annual report is Expanding Possibilities, which speaks to much of what we’ve collectively been doing to rebuild and find new ways of working while expanding our services.”

Corcoran highlighted three local entities that have expanded possibilities through innovative programs:

• The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District anticipated challenges that its 21 member towns would face with new Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety regulations on the horizon, but found there was no guidebook available that was specific to transfer stations. The district worked with MIIA to acquire necessary materials, develop a 200-page guide, and implement training for transfer station employees.
• After soliciting feedback from other municipalities and looking closely at rising renewal costs, the town of Danvers decided to return to MIIA’s Health Benefits Trust. MIIA worked closely with the town to develop a rollout plan, engage with union members to identify specific plan features that they needed, and complete a smooth transition.
• The town of Plymouth, an inaugural member of MIIA’s new Unemployment Services Program, has taken advantage of the program’s expanded human resources and operations support to help reduce local spending. The town estimates that the program has already saved thousands of taxpayer dollars, while further boosting town risk reduction.

Corcoran also commended municipalities that have implemented new technologies to address both rising and long-standing challenges. For example, towns are accessing federal and state resources to help prevent cyber breaches and mitigate their potential damages. Some municipalities have secured new boiler sensor technology to help prevent property losses from winter weather-related pipe breaks.

MIIA members also made great strides last year in designing and implementing training programs that further reduce risk exposure, Corcoran said. In 2022, more than 50 member municipalities completed OSHA Health and Safety Fundamentals certification training. Many members also accessed training courses that support police reform efforts, including seminars focused on legal updates, mental health intervention, de-escalation, and bias-free policing.

MIIA plans to launch a member portal for accessing account history and submitting claims, and will also expand its risk management offerings with additional supervisory and leadership training.

“We’re optimistic that 2023 will be another year of progress and expanded possibilities,” Corcoran said, “as we work to build and support strong and resilient municipalities.”

  

Tips for Addressing Unemployment Insurance Fraud

After spiking at the beginning of the COVID pandemic and eventually leveling off, fraudulent unemployment claims are on the rise again.

Over the last three years, more than $60 billion has been paid out in fraudulent claims across the country, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, including about $1.9 billion in Massachusetts alone.

Fraud is often committed by criminal organizations using stolen personal information acquired over the course of decades, and municipalities have been especially targeted.

The Unemployment Tax Management Corporation, one of MIIA’s Unemployment Services Program partners, estimates that a single claim can end up costing a municipality more than $30,000.

The UTMC recommends taking the following steps when fraud is suspected:

1. Verify with the employee that he or she has not filed a claim in the past year.

2. Respond to the request for information from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and indicate that the claim appears to be fraudulent — and that the employee has confirmed he or she did not file.

3. Instruct the employee to file a fraud report using the form on mass.gov.

4. Review monthly reimbursable bills or charge statements and file a protest for any charges related to the fraudulent claim.

MIIA’s new Unemployment Services Program provides unemployment risk management and training, claims management, streamlined payment processing, and full-service administration for its members. For more information, visit www.emiia.org/unemployment-services or call 800-526-6442.