| | | Workers comp thrust of M-TEC forum for manufacturers
How manufacturers and related enterprises can fairly reduce their workers-compensation costs will be the topic of a free May 14 presentation at the KVCC Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC).
Kathie Vaught, a workers-compensation analyst for the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), will keynote the session that will run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the M-TEC, located in The Groves, the college’s business-education-technology park located along I-94 off of 9th Street.
Vaught will detail how Aztec Manufacturing, which produces supplies in Romulus for the automotive industry with United Auto Workers employees, was able to reduce its annual costs for workers compensation from $300,000 to $60,000.
Participants are also invited to bring to the session a copy of their workers-compensation policy. After the presentation, which is being co-sponsored by National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois, Vaught will be available to scan those policies and offer suggestions for reducing workers-compensation costs in a fair and equitable manner that will benefit both company and employees.
This is the second in a series of programs scheduled by M-TEC in an effort to meet the ongoing needs of small manufacturers in Southwest Michigan.
The inaugural, which attracted representatives from 40 enterprises in late February, focused on a "what-can-we-do-to-help" approach and the services that are available to assist manufacturers succeed. Presentations were made by the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Michigan First, the Small Business and Technology Development Center at the Stryker Center (Kalamazoo College), the MEDC, Western Michigan University, and the M-TEC.
The participants were also surveyed about the barriers and challenges they faced in surviving what has become a tough economy for Michigan manufacturers. The three-headed consensus that evolved spoke to issues trade, training and taxes.
The May 14 presentation will address the cost-of-doing business factor in the form of workers compensation that Vaught believes can be controlled by a collaborative approach.
While this session will be directed toward small manufacturers and related enterprises in this part of Michigan, those who believe they might benefit from this kind of presentation are also invited. | |
