RE: Calls for standby
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 11:41:09 AM
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CATSCRATCHED
Posts: 46
Joined: 10/10/2005
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Heretodaygonetomorrow,
Since today is yesterdays tomorrow.....shouldn't you be gone by now? 
< Message edited by CATSCRATCHED -- 8/28/2006 12:13:15 PM >
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 12:08:37 PM
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yebolu
Posts: 48
Joined: 2/10/2006
Status: offline
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Ha.. ha..ha.
I hope he has a sense of humor!
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 12:14:41 PM
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malvi
Posts: 52
Joined: 5/25/2006
Status: offline
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Last year we were asked to go to a hailstorm rather than got he hurricane (vendor needed people to respond to the hail). In order to make it more enticing to us vendor offered per deim (and paid it) for the 30 days we did hail before we were sent to the hurricane. I did make it a point to get the offer in writing just in case.
_____________________________
malvi
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 1:11:58 PM
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Darryl
Posts: 132
Joined: 4/19/2004
Status: offline
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I can only speak for our company, we make calls and post on our website asking about an adjuster's availability. If an adjuster declares he is available we then know who to call when the deployment call comes. We ask that if you take another assignment you advise us so we can remove you from the available list giving us more time to call another adjuster. I also have trouble with standby calls going out before any realistic consideration of deployment needs are had. I often ask adjusters (tongue in cheek) have they gotten their standby checks yet.
Those of you that have been through this before know what you can do with a standby call. The only time I see the standby call being a legitimate tool is if the vendor has been told by a carrier of an eminent deployment and they are just waiting for where and how many.
Expect the same loyalty you give and give the same loyalty you expect.
< Message edited by Darryl -- 8/28/2006 2:23:14 PM >
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 1:25:43 PM
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racko
Posts: 228
Joined: 2/17/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: whitesnstripes
HR will tell you over the phone and management will tell you when you arrive. The scam is you are told you will receive somewheres around $125 a day. Sounds good, enough to cover your daily expenses. Unfortunately, the truth is, they will not tax you on the $125 per day. You have to earn the $125 first, not a true per diem the way it is presented over the phone.
I don't quite follow your explanation. Are you saying it is not a per diem, but rather an advance against future earnings? And then when they tax you on that, it turns out to be less, but really nothing anyway since it was just an advance while waiting.
Another question, is this "per diem" offered to all or just a particular segment of the C&C crew?
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 5:19:30 PM
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JGardner
Posts: 322
Joined: 2/28/2005
Home base: Daphne, AL
Status: offline
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Try to ignore the sting of heretodaygonetommorro's (man, that's long) remarks and ignore who you might think he is, it is clear that valid points are made. I do not condone his arrogance, but the advice is certainly worth heeding. I know adjusters that will accept multiple requests to go on standby, but advise each of the vendors that they are currently on standby with someone else. They then keep track and respond to have their names taken off of the vendor's list. I know others that refuse standby requests (whether free or for much money) until they know that a vendor is ready to give them assignments electronically (before arrival to the storm site).
The fact that a vendor is paying you to keep your word tells us two things. First, that is quite a terrific offer to recieve money in exchange for your word and sit on your rump. Second, it shows that many people have gone against their word to accept assignments from other vendors. "But Jud, what about my kids and my family", you ask. You can take care of your family and still preserve your integrity. IMHO, the true expression of integrity will force any given IA to explain that they are on standby with another vendor and plan to accept standby offers from others. The vendor then has the offer to refuse to have you on their list or trust that you will call back to have your name refused in the event of your acceptance of an assignment.
Bottom line, if you have such a hard time turning down standby offers, then preserve your integrity and refuse. Call your preferred vendor and explain that they are your preference instead of the others that have called. This is just one of several ways you can market yourself to your preferred vendor.
The condescending tone in heretoday's voice is likely the result of first hand experience in getting burned by an adjuster or many. A wise adjuster once told me, "Without trust, you simply have nothing".
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Jud
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 6:27:45 PM
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Todd_Summers
Posts: 86
Joined: 4/19/2004
Home base: Lubbock, TX
Status: offline
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Regarding the perdiem pay discussed by whitesnstripes, heretoday(etc) and Janice...
I believe we are talking about 2 different scenarios, neither of which has to do with "Standby" status. To explain further, I offer my personal definitions as follows...
"Standby" - Get packed and ready, we have every intention of deploying you if we get the work. (No pay until you are deployed).
"Day Rate"-Now once you are deployed, some companies may offer travel reimbursement or even pay you a day rate starting on a certain date just to get you near the area you are expected to be working. This day rate may last until you get a confirmed destination or until you receive files or otherwise, usually TBD by carrier mgmnt, but sometimes determined by vendor mgmnt. Some vendors and or carriers call this perdiem pay, when it is actually a day rate, which is actually taxable income. This, I believe is what Janice is referring to.
"Per-Diem"- This is a term used by the IRS and describes a set daily amount of expenses for food and lodging, I believe, that one incurs, when one is working away from home. Many vendors who employ temporary employees vs independent contractors (W-2 vs 1099) will subtract the amount of perdiem expenses (such as the $125.00 per day mentioned by whitesrstripes) from the employees gross pay and not tax the employ on the per diem amt. This, I believe is what whitesrstripes is referring to what Crawford does. My primary vendor also does this. It reduces your Gross Income so you don't have to address it seperately on your return. I believe that this is what heretoday(etc) was trying to explain.
Not additional pay
It is important to remember that as an independent, we are in most cases expected to pay our own expenses, including travel, lodging and meals. These expenses are usually tax deductible and as with most of the tax code can be accounted for in more than one way (perdiem allowance vs actual expenses).
Additional pay
In certain circumstances our employers may choose to begin paying us before we actually get files (Day rate or Travel pay or Standby pay or whatever it is they wish to call it).
Disclaimer: I am NOT a tax professional and all of the above are solely my opinions and/or the way I understand things to be. I may be wrong, but I don't think so.
Todd Summers
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/28/2006 7:28:03 PM
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Janice_Toll
Posts: 78
Joined: 4/19/2004
Home base: Austin, AR
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Todd,
You are absolutely right, it was a day rate. Thanks for reminding me what per diem really is!
Janice
_____________________________
Janice R. Martin-Toll
You rest, you rust!
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/29/2006 10:43:49 AM
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dhilton
Posts: 18
Joined: 2/18/2005
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It's amazing to me that adjusters would even consider any commitment to these IA companies prior to getting simple answers to mandatory questions. I simply made up a Word document that addresses the questions since no one that e-mails you will address the issues :
1) Hourly or schedule 2) Compensation rate 3) Copy of fee schedule ( low, high or average - any ) 4) My software program (by the way - I'm the one who has to use it) 5) What clients 6) Report method - 1 page or full captioned 7) Electronic, faxed, mailed reports - or combination 8) Residential, Commerical, Other 9) Any 1099 references - phone #'s 10 ) Payment info - when, holdback, draws, advances, per diem - Do they itemize the claims amount paid 11) Who is person to speak to regarding problems or questions - names & #'s 12) How many claims do they think they can provide intially - it has to be worth my while.
If all of us would start asking these questions it would save everyone alot of time and misery. This business is basically faceless these days and most of you either haven't been burned lately or it's in the works. There are so many ABC companies out there that no one whose been around along time has ever heard of. Many are inexperienced, fragmented, financially unstable ( or worse ), unprofessional, and simply make up the rules as they go. You wouldn't know them if they walked in the door.
The old adjuster code remains the same " If it ain't written - it didn't happen" - try to get the responses e-mailed & print it out.
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dhilton NW FL.
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/29/2006 11:14:14 AM
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whitesnstripes
Posts: 22
Joined: 8/21/2004
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Racko, for each day you are deployed they will take $125 a day out of the monies you earn and not withhold taxes on it. The remaining amount of monies you earn that day, they will withhold. What I was trying to stress from the beginnings of my statements is that Crawford will tell you they are PAYING you per diem. Their team leads don't even understand it. Just know before you go.
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/29/2006 12:00:50 PM
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racko
Posts: 228
Joined: 2/17/2006
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: whitesnstripes
Racko, for each day you are deployed they will take $125 a day out of the monies you earn and not withhold taxes on it. The remaining amount of monies you earn that day, they will withhold. What I was trying to stress from the beginnings of my statements is that Crawford will tell you they are PAYING you per diem. Their team leads don't even understand it. Just know before you go.
This makes more sense to me now. In your scenario, you are considered a staff employee with W2 withholdings. In this same scenario, if you describe it correctly...that does not appear to be a "per diem" allowance to me. It just means they are doing your tax work for you (maybe). I know of some arrangements where staff adj are deployed at regular salary plus X dollars per day, plus a "per diem" of Y dollars per day to cover lodging, meals & misc expenses. The IRS determines what the "per diem" allowance is on a zip code or county basis. The employee can use all or part of those Y dollars (burgers vs lobster, Motel Fleabag vs Trump Plaza). Or the carrier may pick up the lodging on a direct bill basis from the motel/hotel if they have staff rotating in and out. In any event, the way I understand it, those Y dollars paid to you (as long as within the IRS "per diem" limit) are not taxable and you do not have to have any receipts to prove each & every penny spent as long as you have evidence that you were indeed temporarily living away from your principle residence while conducting business.
I am most recently more familiar with being employed on an independent basis (think of it as being a sub-contractor). Many of the IA's out here probably relate to this. Pay your own way all along, collect 100% of your earnings from your vendor (hopefully collect it), get a 1099 at the end of the year, do your own withholdings & pay Uncle Sam every quarter, and use the IRS per diem allowances on your taxes for the lodging/meals. Again, need to be able prove it was away from principle residence and for business, but all them meal receipts not needed.
There might be some arrangements by certain vendors where they give you real "per diem" dollars for each day, but maybe their fee schedules are lower because that type of arrangement may not be good for productivity. Just a guess.
DISCLAIMER: This author is not an accountant nor tax adviser nor expert on this topic, and may very well have been misinformed and completely wrong as it has been known to happen before. Let the corrections & additions fly.
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RE: Calls for standby - 8/29/2006 5:44:45 PM
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tonyd46
Posts: 36
Joined: 4/19/2004
Home base: Bacliff, texas
Status: offline
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Todd,
great reply, As an old time adjuster the only time a day rate was considered was basically on clean up. As for what went on last storm season that was a fluke and will problem not happen again in our lifetime. All these new adjusters have been hearing all sorts of stories from other adjusters and of course the gossip mill. My advise is to pick your vendor of choice and stick with them as loyalty and integrity mean a whole lot in this industry. Other wise your word means nothing and that my friends is not a good place to be in our industry. Just my 2 cents.
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