Starting Oct. 1, 2025, any California employer that uses artificial intelligence and other automated tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion and related human resources decisions will have to ensure that the tools don’t discriminate against protected classes. If your firm uses AI or another data-driven system in hiring, you’ll want to beef up record-keeping and set…
As cancer rates rise among working adults, treatment has become one of the fastest-rising expenses in employer-sponsored health plans, according to a new survey. The survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) found that 86% of employers have seen their cancer care spending increase over the past year, with a median rise…
American workplaces are facing a growing civility crisis that is costing companies dearly. According to new research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), rudeness and discourteous behavior are costing U.S. businesses an estimated $2.1 billion every day in lost productivity, absenteeism and disengagement. The problem doesn’t stop at rudeness: a separate study shows…
With health insurance costs continuing to climb, many employers are finding that standard medical coverage alone doesn’t offer enough financial protection for their staff. Rising deductibles, higher out-of-pocket maximums and the soaring cost of care are pushing workers to look for other ways to fill the gaps. Employers can step in to meet that need…
Commercial auto insurance companies continue to post steep losses for liabilities like third-party injuries and property damage, which is driving continued rate hikes for businesses, particularly fleet operators, according to a new report from A.M. Best. The line posted its 14th consecutive year of underwriting losses in 2024, with liability coverage alone accounting for $4.5…
If you view annual open enrollment as a simple box-checking exercise, you’re likely missing out on helping your staff get the most out of the benefits you provide. Instead, if you approach open enrollment as a chance to strengthen employee engagement, control costs and help your workforce understand the full value of your benefits program,…
An insurance agent has filed papers with the state of California to qualify an initiative for the 2026 election that would repeal Proposition 103, a landmark insurance measure that has tightly regulated property and auto insurance rates since 1989. Since 1989, Prop. 103 has required insurance companies to submit requests for rate changes to the…
With employers bracing for another steep rise in health care expenses, many are preparing “disruptive” changes, according to a new report. Employers surveyed for the “WTW 2025 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey” said they anticipate their health care costs will increase by 9% in 2026. They told researchers they can’t absorb the increases or pass…
In an effort to bring more insurers back into California’s homeowner’s and commercial property insurance market, the state Department of Insurance (DOI) has approved a system that will allow insurers to use forward-looking wildfire risk models to price policies in areas susceptible to wildfires. The DOI hopes this and other measures it’s been taking, will…
At some point, the odds are that a company will be affected by some form of employee theft or outright fraud. Fraud can severely crimp a company’s finances and put the firm in a serious bind if the theft is large enough. With technology, fraud has in some ways become easier, but at the same…