One of the largest writers of workers’ compensation insurance in California recently sounded the alarm about the growth of costly cumulative trauma claims in the state. In a recent earnings call with analysts, the insurer, Employers Holdings, highlighted the drag these claims have on its results. This came a month after the Workers’ Compensation Insurance…
The IRS has significantly increased the group health plan affordability threshold, which is used to determine if an employer’s lowest-premium health plan complies with Affordable Care Act rules, for plan years starting in 2026. The threshold for next year has been set at 9.96% of an employee’s household income, up from 9.02% this year. The…
The California FAIR Plan on July 25, 2025, started offering a new “high-value” commercial property coverage option for larger housing developments, farms and businesses with multiple buildings at one location. The new limits are up to $20 million per building, with a total maximum of $100 million per location — up from the previous limit…
Article Source: Holden Law Group Let’s be honest. When Paid Time Off (PTO) first waltzed onto the HR scene, it looked like a dream come true. “Why keep sick leave and vacation separate?” it asked coyly. “Just give your employees a big pool of days and let them use them however they want!” It…
Although not required by OSHA, some employers have shown that one of the best ways to positively motivate employees is through a safety incentive program that rewards safe behavior and participation in workplace safety efforts. These programs need not be complicated, and some of the simplest have proven most effective. The best ones encourage safe…
The sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, makes permanent the ability of high-deductible health plans to offer pre-deductible coverage for telehealth and other remote care services without compromising employees’ eligibility to contribute to health savings accounts. This change, effective for plan years beginning after Dec. 31,…
President Trump’s sweeping return to tariff-heavy trade policies in 2025 is sending ripples across the economy, including the cost of property insurance claims. The latest round of tariffs, which include steep duties on imported construction materials and auto parts, many of which are sourced from China, threatens to drive up claims costs in both personal…
As the cost of providing health benefits continues to rise, more employers intend to change or reduce their 2026 offerings to control spending, according to a new survey. In a survey of more than 700 U.S. employers by Mercer — including over 500 large organizations (those with 500 or more employees) — 51% of large…
As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense due to rising temperatures, utilities in high-risk areas are increasingly using public safety power shutoffs to prevent fires sparked by electrical equipment, one of the leading causes of wildfires. These proactive outages can leave communities without power for hours — or even days — especially during dry,…
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, a sweeping tax and spending measure that includes implications for health savings accounts and employer-sponsored benefits. While an early version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives promised broad reforms to group health insurance, most of those provisions were…