On CIPP and insurance

reporter's notebook Kristin Richeimer, who runs USA Rugby’s dues program, sent a lengthy reply to last week’s post on the union’s effectiveness in policing itself.

Her primary point has to do with insurance:

…There are several USA Rugby insurance policies, coverages from which extend to Board, Congress, Staff and all National Team players and staff when operating on behalf of USA Rugby, whether they appear on the public-facing membership roster or not. However, each individual Staff, Congress, Board member or National Team member is required to be registered appropriately before playing or participating on behalf of his/her home club and/or Union.

Regardless of whether one is persuaded that the union holds itself to the same standards as everyone else, there seems to be historical irony.

Some 15 years ago, Randy Stainer quarterbacked the dues program to controversial passages with the explicit promise that monies would never be spent on the Eagles. Afterward, Stainer said that were he to do it over again, he would have insisted on bundling health insurance.

The anti-Eagle provision was repealed in the fall 2005 budget crisis, and now it appears test players are insured though they may not be registered.

I’m all for special benefits which help compensate internationals for their opportunity costs, but don’t see why normal rules should be overlooked.

Here are some other gleanings. The full text is in comments (with Kristin’s valid email, of course):

Processing focuses on in-season clubs, and to date has registered some 28,000 players and 950 teams. It is the busiest time of the year. [Note: In an unusual move, the union opened 2007 registration in December 2006; The union opened 2007 registration in December 2006; in an unusual move, earlier the Board of Directors had minuted that the Arnot shortfalls meant the union would have to “bring forward” some of 2007’s revenues to 2006, as it did the previous year.]

The staff [comprising perhaps 30 individuals] are second priority. The by-laws don’t say they have to register but they do anyway.

The “majority” of the Board were registered in December and January.

The union often [unspecified] grants grace periods to touring clubs.

The union hasn’t yet hired the women’s national team administrator. [Note: Lazy wording was my error; fixed.]

Comments

[Kristin Richeimer]

Hi Kurt –

Please see some facts below in response to your recent article, some of which contradicts or, at a minimum, may balance certain items in the article you posted and subsequent commentary. Do feel free to post this publicly. I have copied USA Rugby TU Presidents on this email, as well, as we have received multiple inquiries in our office regarding the posting.

Yesterday’s publication on www.gainline.us questioned the Membership Status of USA Rugby Staff, Board of Directors, National Team Staff and National Team Players.

Several facts should be noted in response:

A very important fact, which was sent in writing to you, Kurt, one week prior to printing the story, is there are several USA Rugby insurance policies, coverages from which extend to Board, Congress, Staff and all National Team players and staff when operating on behalf of USA Rugby, whether they appear on the public facing membership roster or not. However, each individual Staff, Congress, Board member or National Team member is required to be registered appropriately before playing or participating on behalf of his/her home club and/or Union.

USA Rugby routinely works with clubs early in the season to provide Certificates of Insurance and International Clearances to Tour within a certain grace period before full registration is completed, as we understand the occasional difficulty with getting members together and fully registered and paid early in the season. This grace period allows teams to secure fields and facilities early in the season, and the insurance coverage is valid once full registration status is achieved.

At this, the busiest time of our year, it was determined that USA Rugby membership staff should be fully focused on managing member registrations and customer service issues from the general rugby community – those who need the USA Rugby third party liability insurance before competing every Saturday -- before completing staff registrations. Registering staff members (who are not current players) is not required by any policy or bylaw of USA Rugby, but it has been standard practice in past years. For your information, since 2007 registration opened, approximately 28,000 member registrations and 950 club registrations have been completed.

The majority of Board members were registered in December 2006 and January 2007. Those that were not previously registered were registered on 2/15/07 after verifying individual details to maintain accurate records in the system.

Each National Team member is required to pay his/her own registration fee. Each individual not previously registered and participating at this week’s Men’s National Team camp has completed a paper registration form and payment, to be entered into the queue of paper forms, or must complete registration online immediately prior to competing for his/her home club or in another USA Rugby event. Even if National Office staff creates a record for a player, payment by that player must accompany the registration.

There has been no backdating of any member registration dates. The Men’s National Sevens Team public roster list was created on 2/7/07, along with some of the players’ initial registrations for the year. Further, several of these players have earlier registration dates in January/February for their respective home clubs and, if searched individually by name in the public roster, the earlier dates are apparent.

USA Rugby released a job posting for the part-time position of Women’s National Team administrator, but that position has not yet been filled.

USA Rugby will work with each of its National Team managers throughout each year to make sure that all current players are appropriately registered, paid and fully compliant with all USA Rugby and iRB regulations.

Please contact me directly with any additional comments or questions, and please feel free to forward any inquiries directly to me and I will be more than happy to respond.

[Patrick Costello]

I am surprised that the bundling of health insurance item is being brought up again. I believe that the reason why they did not bundle was the simple fact that a number of individuals and clubs were willing to file lawsuits against USA Rugby for such an idea (they did not want to be payingtwice for health insurance and they did not want to be paying for someone else).

[Savannah]

Good words.