As you should already be aware, any employer with five or more workers is required to conduct sexual harassment prevention training for their staff by the end of 2019 under a California law passed in 2018. Due to concerns that many employers in the state may not be ready to comply, Gov. Gavin Newsom has […]
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a measure into law that will greatly expand when employers are required to report workplace injuries to Cal/OSHA. The new law, AB 1805, broadens the scope of what will be classified as a serious illness or injury which regulations require employers to report to Cal/OSHA “immediately. As of yet, there […]
A lockout/tagout program will not be effective if your employees are not properly trained in how it works, and if you don’t have consequences for them if they fail to follow the program. Every year, hundreds of workers in the United States die because they don’t follow lockout/tagout procedures or their employers did not have […]
Business property coverage is getting more difficult to come by for operations located in areas that are susceptible to wildfires. The devastating wildfires of the last few years, along with the thousands of homes and businesses that have been burned or damaged due to these events, has resulted in insurers becoming more selective about the […]
Workers’ compensation insurance rates will likely continue sliding in 2020 after California’s rating agency submitted its recommendation that the state insurance commissioner reduce the average benchmark rates by 5.4%. If the recommendation is approved, it will be the ninth consecutive rate decrease since 2015 (some years had two decreases), which have resulted in the average […]
A recent appeals decision denied coverage to a company on its directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance policies for taking too long to file the claim. In this case, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with an insurer that had denied a claim a company had made after being sued […]
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that will make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their hairstyle if it is part of their racial makeup. The law, known as the CROWN Act (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair), amends the state Education and Government […]
Cal/OSHA has issued emergency regulations that require employers of outdoor workers to take protective measures, including providing respiratory equipment, when air quality is significantly affected by wildfires. Smoke from wildfires can travel hundreds of miles and while an area may not be in danger of the fire, the smoke can be thick and dangerous, reaching […]
Workplace injury rates rise during the summer months. When summer rolls around, companies in many sectors, including agriculture and construction, significantly increase production. Increased road construction raises risks for workers and drivers. Many of the newly hired workers are young and inexperienced, creating a high potential for workplace injuries. Toiling in the sun is also […]
Companies in states that have legalized marijuana are wrestling with how to deal with employees that use, particularly if they did so the night before and are still feeling the effects the following day. A new survey found that one-third of business owners are not prepared for managing the effects of legalized marijuana in the […]