Its time... for the 9 Health Fair!

It's that time of the year again. Our staff has been busy getting ready for tomorrow's 9 Health Fair which Pinnacol has been hosting for more than 10 years. If you haven't visited us in years past maybe the time has come!

If you can't make it to our location there are sites around town and the Health Fairs continue through May 2nd. Each year we see a lot of return visitors and its nice to see their familiar faces as they stop by the different screening stations. Some of these folks have attended most, if not all, of the Fairs we have hosted.

For additional information regarding the 9 Health Fairs click here and we hope to see you!

New opportunity for a Grounds Maintenance Technician

We are looking for an experienced Grounds Maintenance Technician who will perform extensive grounds maintenance and general building maintenance duties primarily at our Lowry headquarters location in Denver. Visitors to our offices often comment on how new our building looks (we actually moved in in September 2002) and that is in large part due to the efforts of our Facilities team of which this position is a key part. 

As you might suspect, candidates for the Grounds Maintenance Technician should have an extensive background in outdoor maintenance work, have the ability to operate and repair lawn/landscape and snow removal equipment, and be able to demonstrate knowledge of and broad experience in general maintenance techniques and repair work. This position requires skill in operating power equipment and hand tools and candidates should have good organizational skills, a high level of attention to detail, be able to work in a safe manner and have the ability to work well independently as well as part of a team. A Basic level of Microsoft and Outlook skills, the ability to send and respond to emails, enter and complete work orders, generate basic spreadsheets and draft general correspondence are also required and candidates must have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance. High School Diploma or GED and 3-5 years experience in large commercial property grounds and general building maintenance are required; Colorado Pesticide applicators license is preferred. 

If this position is of interest please apply on-line!

Claims Adjuster Training Program to start soon...

As the Colorado economy continues to grow the state's employers are adding employees and workloads of their current staff increase. A growing economy is a good thing but a downside is that we see more folks experiencing work-related injuries. Our Claims Representatives are responsible for helping injured workers navigate their benefits through their employer's workers' compensation insurance coverage. We are going to be starting up a training program for entry level Claims Representatives and are looking for candidates interested in beginning, or continuing, an insurance career in this role. 

When I meet with candidates exploring opportunities to begin an insurance career I talk about claims and underwriting as the two things at the heart of what every insurance company does - whether selling pet insurance, life insurance, auto insurance, or property and casualty insurance. Obviously there are many other types of jobs with insurance companies but these are the two major career paths and there are definite differences between them both in terms of the actual work done but also in the unique challenges and job satisfaction they offer. 

Claims is where the rubber hits the road - it's where the risk that was analyzed and forecast by the underwriters actually becomes real. In our world of workers' compensation its where we get to help folks who really need us. No one wants to be injured on the job and its a scary and challenging situation. Our Claims Representatives have to do a lot of education, investigation and consultation with injured workers, policyholders, and medical providers while moving the claim toward a successful outcome. 

If exploring this type of role sounds interesting we'd love to hear from you! Entry level Claims Representatives with no claims experience do need to have a Bachelors degree for these professional positions. For those with existing claims experience we can take that into account in lieu of the formal degree. As always, we ask that candidates please apply via our company website. 

On My Own Time Art Show highlights Employee Creativity

One of the pieces from the Young Artist series

The Colorado Business Community for the Arts has been promoting and celebrating workforce creativity for over two decades.  In the last ten years alone, the CBCA has showcased over 3,600 works of art from nearly 2,000 employees at 26 individual companies and agencies. Pinnacol employees have been participating for most of that time and every year its fun to see the more creative side of those we work with on a daily basis. There is even a Young Artist category for the children of employees and their artwork is always among my favorites. This year is no exception with some amazing pieces of art on display from the younger generations. The piece to the right is a great example and I caught myself being mesmerized as I stared at this piece that was done by the daughter of one of our Claims Representatives.

I really enjoy photography and every year there is a great variety of photos taken by our staff. I'm also an avid cyclist so photos of bicycles always catch my attention. I'm not sure where this particular photo was shot but it immediately reminded me of a rainy day in Crested Butte. This photo was taken by one of the folks in our communications team.

Another photo that I enjoyed was taken by another one of our Claims Representatives. These three pieces are just a sample of what was on display. If you work for an employer who

participates in the On Your Own Time Art Show program make sure you take a look at what your fellow employees have done. You'll likely be amazed!

Grand Junction opportunity for Return to Work Consultant!

I've blogged before about our occasional opportunities in our Grand Junction office. Though most of my time is spent in the Denver office I've developed a real sweet spot for Grand Junction and for our staff lucky enough to work on the western slope. It's always amazing how many folks along the front range have never spent time in Grand Junction. If you're one of those, make an effort to visit as it's one great town with lots to see and do. I've even had the chance to take the train (the California Zephyr) from Union Station to Grand Junction which is a spectacular trip but that's a story for a different blog.

Our newest opportunity is for a Return to Work Consultant who will be based out of our Grand Junction office and will service our customers on the western slope from Steamboat Springs down to Durango and points south. Again I'm jealous as these are some of the most beautiful parts of Colorado. Our RTW Consultants provide education & guidance to our policyholders on returning injured workers to the work place.

Successful candidates for this position will have experience in working with employers, identifying modified duty tasks, presenting seminars and or public speaking, development and implementation of modified duty work programs. They must also have a strong customer orientation and desire to work with an organization where exceeding expectations is the norm. The RTW Consultant position does require a BA/BS degree, Masters degree in vocational rehabilitation or counseling, physical or occupational therapy with current certification preferred. If you are interested in this opportunity, please let us know by completing an on-line application via Pinnacol.com.