Besides health insurance and a 401(k) plan, other benefits that employees value highly are generous paid time off and flexible or remote work, according to a new survey. But for the first time, the annual study by employee benefits provider Unum found that the younger generations are not on the same page with their older…
There is a growing threat to companies that use online services to administer their employee benefits and payroll as cyber criminals increasingly exploit these cloud service platforms. The results of a hacker gaining access to the company’s payroll systems, sloshing with cash, as well as employees’ personally identifiable information can be devastating both to the…
Americans are eligible to sign up for Medicare when they turn 65, but more of us are staying in the workforce longer than ever before. In fact, the average retirement age has increased three years in the last three decades. There are a number of issues that Medicare-eligible workers face that your human resources staff…
The ongoing labor shortage affecting the construction industry is leading to increasing exposure for contractors due to a number of risks. Working short-staffed or with employees new to construction can lead to increased workplace injuries, which in turn can result in higher workers’ compensation premiums. It can also result in shoddy work that needs to…
Despite group health insurance costs expected to rise 5.4% this year, the tight labor market is forcing employers to prioritize enhancing benefits over cost-cutting measures, according to a new report by Mercer. With Americans increasingly struggling to pay their health care bills, more employers are shying away from only offering their workers high-deductible health plans…
The year 2022 was one of the most tumultuous climate disaster years in history, a year when we saw the massively destructive Hurricane Ian, an unprecedent number of tornadoes, growing wildfires in the West and a “bomb cyclone” in late December. And the increasing number of natural disasters is not just a U.S. phenomenon. It’s…
A new study has found that one-third of companies that are hit with ransomware and pay the hackers to unlock their systems, are often likely to be targeted a second time. And after they pay, they are often faced with significant fallout, including system rebuilding costs, their data still being leaked and financial implications, according…
As more health services are being rendered through providers’ patient portals and telemedicine, some providers are starting to bill for some of those interactions. A number of health systems around the country have started billing for certain types of messages, largely ones that are involved in clinical assessments or medical history reviews that take more…
This is the second half of a two-part article on the new laws and regulations affecting businesses in California. 6) Contractor workers’ comp A new law will require almost all contractors in California to carry workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of if they have employees or not. Currently, only roofers are required to carry workers’…
As 2023 draws near, so does a slew of new laws and regulations that will affect California businesses. Every year, a raft of bills are passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor. The end result is another round of new laws that employers need to stay on top of. This…