As a responsible business owner, you no doubt make sure that you are properly insured for any liabilities resulting from damage to other parties. But, imagine the following scenarios: What if a visitor trips and falls at your business, breaking a leg and is unable to work for a few months while they recover? What…
Q: We have an employee who wants to make changes to her cafeteria plan election, even though benefits are already effective. Is there a grace period that allows her to change her election? Employers: Don’t make this common cafeteria plan mistake! Once cafeteria plan benefits become effective, the elections are “locked in.” Employees cannot change…
Employers whose annual premiums exceed $9,200 in annual premiums need to start paying closer attention to their workers’ compensation policies and safety practices. Under California’s workers’ compensation system rules, starting Sept. 1, if your firm’s premiums exceed this new threshold, it will be issued what’s known as an “X-Mod,” a numerical of your claims history.…
Employers who offer health savings account-eligible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to employees can significantly expand pre-deductible coverage for certain drugs used to manage chronic conditions — with only a tiny effect on premiums. That’s the finding of a new study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). The reason: According to research from Johns Hopkins…
Cal/OSHA has issued a reminder to employers that they are required to protect their outdoor workers from unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke. Cal/OSHA’s Protection from Wildfire Smoke emergency regulation put in place in August 2019 was made permanent in February 2021. For the safety of your workers and to comply with the regulation, it’s…
As the 2023 group health open enrollment season nears, more employers have heard concerns among their staff and are focusing on affordability and easier access to health care services, according to a new study. Mercer’s “Health & Benefit Strategies for 2023” study, which surveyed more than 700 employers, found that more than two-thirds of businesses…
For the third year in a row, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has rejected the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s proposal for a workers’ compensation rate increase, and has ordered instead that benchmark rates remain the same. Lara rejected the WCIRB’s proposal that benchmark rates increase 7.6% for policies incepting on or after Sept. 1,…
According to a recent survey, four in 10 American workers live paycheck to paycheck. This means that an unexpected illness or injury that takes someone off the job for more than a few days can have devastating consequences for many of your employees who depend on their wages to survive. You as an employer can…
When you’re in the construction industry you already have lots to worry about: Keeping your workers safe in one of the most dangerous industries, uninsured or underinsured subcontractors, and finding experienced employees from a shrinking pool of talent. Not only that, but lawsuits lurk in any project, exposing you to serious losses that can threaten…
It always takes more time than usual to onboard new employees — particularly ones who are new to the workforce altogether — to your employee benefits plans. Keep in mind that the ritual of choosing a benefits package is a brand-new experience for people who are new to the workforce, and you should prepare to…