A new study has found that many people in employer-sponsored health plans are enrolling in plans that are costing them more than they ought to be paying. Many employees choose pricey plans with low deductibles, which force them to spend more up front on premiums to save just a few hundred dollars on their deductible.…
As we approach mid-year there are about a dozen cities and counties in the Golden State that will be increasing their minimum wage for employers that operate within their jurisdictions. The state minimum wage is currently $15 an hour for employers with 26 or more workers, and $14 an hour for all other smaller employers,…
As climate change continues to create more turbulent weather and natural catastrophes, commercial property insurance rates are still climbing — and the recent surge in inflation is adding fuel to the cost of coverage. While overall commercial property rates increased about 10% on average in 2021, rates surged between 25% and 40% in areas prone…
More employers are including narrow provider network insurance plans among their plan offerings to their employees to give them a lower-cost premium option. Narrow provider networks limit the number of covered providers included in health insurance plans. While these plans have been mainstays on Affordable Care Act marketplaces, employers have been slow to adopt them.…
Despite the job market upheaval and intense competition for talent, there is a mismatch between the value that human resources executives and job prospects put on employee benefits, according to a new survey. One in five workers surveyed said that health care and health insurance are a major factor when deciding to accept a job,…
One of the keys to keeping the costs of a workers’ compensation claim from spiraling out of control is prompt claims reporting. Claims are routinely filed late, either by the injured worker who fails to report it to the employer, or the employer dawdling or procrastinating and not reporting the claim to its insurer. Either…
Employers nationwide are looking for ways to attract and retain talent and differentiate themselves from competing employers, and many are looking to the two most popular voluntary benefits: employee dental and vision plans. That’s important in today’s tight job market. After all, a recent survey from CareerBuilder found that 55% of workers believed an employer’s menu of…
The more employees are working from home, the greater the risk that their employers’ sensitive date is also being stored on their poorly secured devices and laptops. A new study by Symantec Corp. found many employees are sharing, moving and exposing sensitive company data as part of carrying out the requirements of their jobs, and…
A new survey has found that managing health care costs and expanding mental health benefits will be a top priority for U.S. employers as they ramp up benefits to compete for talent in the tight job market spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, virtual care is expected to become an essential and long-lasting feature of…
Engulfment risks are some of the most overlooked hazards in agricultural operations. The most common types of engulfment hazards are in grain silos, where a worker can quickly become trapped and buried by a sudden flow of grain. But there are also a number of engulfment hazards besides grain silos. Workers can also be engulfed…