EPLI is an acronym for Employment Practices Liability Insurance. EPLI is a form of professional liability insurance designed to specifically address the unique risks associated with hiring, employing, and terminating employees. The number of lawsuits filed by employees against their employers is on the rise. Employment Practices Liability Insurance coverage is a safeguard for employers in today’s litigious society. It provides legal protection for the business, the owners, the officers, the directors, and the other employees.
Some common types of lawsuits EPLI covers include:
- Employee Discrimination
- Wrongful Termination
- Age Discrimination
- Racial or Gender Discrimination
- Breach of Contract
- Sexual Harrassment
- Emotional Distress
Again, anyone can end up filing a lawsuit and unfortunately anyone does. These lawsuits do not have to be legitimate in order to rack up enormous costs to your business. The two main costs come in the form of defense costs and the time it takes you away from your business to fight the accusations in court. Even though lawsuits are on the rise still seven out of ten businesses do not buy EPLI coverage. Of those that do not buy Employment Practices Liability Insurance coverage six in ten businesses think they are covered for this type of claim under some other type of insurance. Many think they are co9vered under their General Liability Policy. Some important things to think about when deciding to buy EPLI coverage are that businesses are three times more likely to be sued by an employee than to experience a fire. The average out-of-court settlement for an Employment Practices Liability Insurance claim is about $40,000. If the case actually goes to trial, the average award amount is $218,000, and nearly 10% of these cases can result in an award of more than $1,000,000. Again, the average cost to defend a wrongful termination or employment case is about $45,000. Employees file over 90,000 charges per year with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and employees win 70% of cases that go to a jury trial.
Policy language within an EPLI contract can vary significantly between insurance companies. Some polices will include specific policy exclusions or limitations on coverage during certain events such as a merger, an acquisition, a major restructuring, or a reduction in workforce. Many insurance companies also utilize a common clause within an Employment Practices Liability Insurance policy known as a Hammer Clause. This clause gives the insurance company the right to tell the insured that it wants to settle a claim for a set amount of money. The business must either accept the advice of the insurance company and settle the claim, or it runs the risk of having to pay the claim if the court rules in favor of the employee. These issues make it crucial to have a strong relationship with your agent. Like many types of insurance, you rarely think about it until you need it. Taking a little more time to make sure you are covered correctly can save you company thousands when a lawsuit does happen.
