Thanks to reforms enacted in 2014, California’s workers’ comp rating agency is recommending that the average benchmark rate be cut by 7.2% for policies effective July 1 and onward. The filing made by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau is for the state’s pure premium rates, which are essentially the base rates to cover expected […]
When is a business most susceptible to losing data, intellectual property and important records? No, not during a cyber attack or a break-in, but during lay-offs. With employees maybe feeling disgruntled after being let go, it’s common for some of them to pocket important company data – usually client lists, old e-mails, vendor contacts and […]
California’s wage and hour laws are not always easy to conform to and often employers are confused about how to comply with statutes. Employers have cause to worry: often, failure to follow the law can leave a company open to lawsuits and/or regulatory action. To keep you informed about the laws that are most easily […]
The California Supreme Court has handed down a decision that rewrites the state’s independent contractor law by adopting a more stringent test for determining whether or not someone is an employee for wage order cases. The new test is similar to Massachusetts independent contractor law, which is considered the strictest in the country. The new […]
As the cyber threat spreads its tentacles, a new report sheds light on a rising risk, with the number of business e-mail compromises growing at an increasing rate. The report by Beazley Breach Response Services, part of specialist insurer Beazley P.L.C., found that the e-mail threat is greater for organizations that use Office 365, Microsoft’s […]
A new report by four Federal Reserve Banks found that small businesses affected by large disasters had failed to secure the right type of insurance, and that there was a mismatch between damages suffered and their insurance coverage. While some businesses suffered actual property damage, the majority that were affected by hurricanes, other major storms, […]
A new study has found that people who have had workers’ comp claims in the past are more likely to file future claims compared to those who have never suffered an on-the-job injury. The study – the subject of an article published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine – concluded that a past […]
Society has become increasingly aware of the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace. Several high-profile offenders have seen their careers harmed or ended. Employers are beginning to realize the harm this behavior among employees can cause. However, the problem might not be the business’s workers; in many cases, it is the customers. Harassment by […]
One perennial topic in workplace safety is how to get injured workers back on the job as quickly as possible, and when it is safe to do so. The key, experts say, is to help the injured employee better engage in the workers’ comp system, so they have a better understanding of the claims process […]
Workplace violence is a major problem in the United States. People are hurt or killed every month by co-workers or patrons. While it is not as common a problem as sexual harassment or discrimination, workplace violence is preventable if certain measures are taken to keep employees safe. Follow these tips: Create a harassment prevention policy […]