Hey you fat@ss patrollers and instructors out there

[Shredhead]

Too bad police departments don't do this.

City of Chicago announced today that all employees must participate in a wellness plan or pay $50 more a month for insurance. All the unions endorsed this except the FOP.

[BigLeagueBrian]

It's a joke what some union workers (town employees/state) make considering they do absolutely nothing most of their day. On top of that, they get ridiculous overtime and get a pension.

[Mofro261]

It's a joke what some union workers (town employees/state) make considering they do absolutely nothing most of their day. On top of that, they get ridiculous overtime and get a pension.

Ski patrol is a union gig? who knew.

[BigLeagueBrian]

Ski patrol is a union gig? who knew.

If you were following the conversation you wouldnt have attempted a weak joke.

[Buzzworthy]

Doubt any insurance company is giving premium reductions for implementing this plan. Now if employee injuries are down over the next two years as a result, yes they will get a premium reduction.

I beg to differ. My last employer had a similar plan. Do the physical and the physical test and pass, employee contribution to healthcare insurance dropped 20%.

I can also see workmans comp playing a role too.

City of Chicago announced today that all employees must participate in a wellness plan or pay $50 more a month for insurance.

And there ya go!

[Garth Bimble]

Let's face it...a large percentage of the people Vail is going to test have probably had some sort of injury at some point in their lives. It comes with the territory. If you're hiring these people then it only makes sense to screen them first. There's always going to be somebody who claims their 5 year old knee injury just happened yesterday, and if Vail can't prove it was pre-existing, then they have to pay for it...

[Mofro261]

If you were following the conversation you wouldnt have attempted a weak joke.

if you were paying attention to the thread title and that this is the SKI forum you'd keep your weak sauce it Polyass where it belongs.

[BigLeagueBrian]

Way to single me out from the other non skiing comments. Glad you're here. I like having my comments reviewed and then policed by you.

[zion zig zag]

I've got no problem with this. It protects employee, employer and public. A ski patroller should be motivated to stay in shape on there own but there are always those who don't, this forces the issue. I have to take two PT tests a year and right now with me being out for an injury I have to pass it before I can return to duty.

[mtnbiker/boarder]

just out of curiousity how much does a patroller make? I know they dont do it for the money but for the love of skiing and snow and being in the mountians....if it gives the companies a break on insurance then its a no brainer.......The drug test situation would cost alot of money which is why alot of union jobs do not drug test...I would think....

[schindlerpiste]

Don't a lot of mountains hire volunteer, 1 day a week, patrollers? I never liked this. I wonder whether they are held to the same standard. ...
or are the volunteers more like rent-a-cops, who like to wear those impressive looking red jackets?

I agree w/ MPPG, being in shape is sort of a prerequisite for the job.

[zion zig zag]

Don't a lot of mountains hire volunteer, 1 day a week, patrollers? I never liked this.

Most mountains have a voly staff that helps on weekends. At my mountain the majority of them were once full timers. Lots of doctors, paramedics and nurses. If you had a serious injury I think you'd like me just fine.

[ill-advised strategy]

Most mountains have a voly staff that helps on weekends. At my mountain the majority of them were once full timers. Lots of doctors, paramedics and nurses. If you had a serious injury I think you'd like me just fine.

I like the service that volunteers provide and commend their attitude about pitching in...I just take issue with organizations taking advantage of peoples' generosity. Work should be compensated with a fair wage, volunteers undermine that concept.

[Wandrin*]

Fixed it for you.

It's a joke what some Minion workers make considering they do absolutely nothing most of their day.

Oh, wait.... that's me, too.

[zion zig zag]

I like the service that volunteers provide and commend their attitude about pitching in...I just take issue with organizations taking advantage of peoples' generosity. Work should be compensated with a fair wage, volunteers undermine that concept.

Most of them I know put in 10-25 days a season in exchange for a pass for their family. So it works out pretty well time to money wise for a guy with a wife and a couple of kids.

[ill-advised strategy]

All I'm saying is that IMHO they should get a family pass and prevailing wage for their work hours.

I suppose that's why I'm never in charge of anything though...I'm one of those people who tend to think supply and demand isn't always an appropriate tool for deciding compensation for public service.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

Don't a lot of mountains hire volunteer, 1 day a week, patrollers? I never liked this. I wonder whether they are held to the same standard. ...
or are the volunteers more like rent-a-cops, who like to wear those impressive looking red jackets?

I agree w/ MPPG, being in shape is sort of a prerequisite for the job.

I liked working with the voly, they usually earn their keep. The couple mountains I worked at they were dedicated and "lifers".
they don't run routes but help with the rest of the duties and run wrecks, and if I was to ever patrol again it would be in that capacity.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

All I'm saying is that IMHO they should get a family pass and prevailing wage for their work hours.

I suppose that's why I'm never in charge of anything though...I'm one of those people who tend to think supply and demand isn't always an appropriate tool for deciding compensation for public service.

it's an interesting thought; how much does the voly program effect the living wages of the pros?

I always thought the pay was ludicrous when weighted against the personal safety, and responsibility.

[catfishjon]

Maybe they should apply a similar test to the senior management and mitigate health issues impeding work where they actually pay real salaries.

I think it's not a bad idea in a lot of ways but always hate the negative implementation. How about a subsidized gym pass to help them achieve the standard instead of just a punishment for failure.

I hate seeing fat out of shape instructors especially. I don't think they represent what the sport is about at least to me. Emphasis on fat AND out of shape. A guy/girl can carry some extra weight and still be physically capable. Maybe not prime but still a capable representative of the sport for lots of students. Huffing and sweating or lounging and resting all the time do not represent our 'sport'.

Senior management does have to take the test (i think). they dont have to do a few of the things that do not relate to their job like lifting stuff over their head.
They do offer subsidized gym memberships for all full time employees. They told employees almost a year ago about this so it was not sprung on anyone. All of the employees had plenty of time to get ready for it.

and as far as the test goes, it is REAALLLLLY easy. fat out of shape people can definitely pass it. the people that will struggle with it will have previous injuries and the few old farts still trying to work.

[Edgnar]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

absofuckingloutly.


This is all about determining pre-exisiting conditions and denying anything that you mentioned in the pre-screen.

Knees and shoulders are what instructors and 'trollers fuck up.

Baseline medical tests are only given to applicants seeking employment at Colorado Resorts. The medical professional uses the completed medical questionnaire to establish and record the applicant's baseline functional abilities and/or limitations. The baseline information collected will consist of knee and shoulder range of motion but may also include other physical assessments based on the Occupational Physician's review of the medical questionnaire and/or test results as it relates to the covered position.

Vail is self insured, so this is about reducing what they pay out. And Occupational Physician is fancy wording for "dirty whore for insurance money" and "soul less asshole".

[fiddler]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

This is whats happening where I work. We have to jump through some fitness hoops or pay an extra 35% on our premium. Its not mandatory and many people are not happy that their spouse will have to participate as well. Because we are such a high risk group it was the only way to keep our insurance plan intact.

[powdork]

i had to do the baseline testing at heavenly like 12 years ago as an instructor.

[G]

Do you think that this may have been prompted, at least in part, by Big Bob Tara?

Heavenly ski patroller for 20+ years. 60 years old. Well over 300 pounds. Very much alive when he loaded onto the Mott Canyon chair, he had a heart attack while riding the chair. He was dead by the time the chair arrived at the top station.

[icanseeformiles(andmiles)]

... (No Old Fat Ugly People)

ding ding ding

Could well be a way to get old people (like me) off the mountain and only have twenty yo's out there.

"Power to the correct people"

[shera]

Senior management does have to take the test (i think). they dont have to do a few of the things that do not relate to their job like lifting stuff over their head.
They do offer subsidized gym memberships for all full time employees. They told employees almost a year ago about this so it was not sprung on anyone. All of the employees had plenty of time to get ready for it.

and as far as the test goes, it is REAALLLLLY easy. fat out of shape people can definitely pass it. the people that will struggle with it will have previous injuries and the few old farts still trying to work.

I was away last year so I didn't hear about it til I went through the interview process for Breck.

How many pounds do you lift over your head? Can you describe it in detail please?

I've been doing crunches and pushups and squats like crazy lately. Been riding my bike hard all summer, but I still wonder how it will be going from sea level to 10k and testing almost immediately as a condition for being hired.

Yeah, they also offer one free yoga class a week and one fitness class a week. Not a lot, but maybe fun.

As for the motivation, of course it's about the bottom line. They have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholder's, yes? I've sat in meeting before and had it explained how workmen's comp claims can completely wreck profits, for ski school anyway.

Old people can be fit too. Puleeeze.

Having the test on the mountain with patrolers lifting boo and instructors lifting overweight guests that fell down and can't get up might be cute. Some kind of special olympics. But it's a hiring condition for these seasonal spots and has to be done preseason. And those exercises do look like a decent standard to my eye. We all learned them one time or another. You can practice them without a gym membership. You can measure at any clinic.