A new law will require almost all contractors in California to carry workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of if they have employees or not. According to the author of the bill, State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, the new law was necessary due to the tendency of many small contractors to claim they have no employees, when…
InterWest’s Distinguished Employee: Monica Scott Monica is friendly, patient, persistent and always willing to work with new employees to share her expansive knowledge about markets and underwriters, which make their jobs easier. She has been successful in placing accounts that were being non-renewed due to wildfire hazard with other standard markets. She’s persistent with carriers…
By now you will know about the rapid uptake in telemedicine after the COVID-19 pandemic drove patients to use virtual appointments with their doctors. While this form of medicine seems like it’s here to stay, there are other technologies that employers can look to include in their group health plans to help employees get the…
Under a new proposal by the California Air Resources Board, all new big rigs and other large trucks sold in the Golden State will have to be zero-emission vehicles, starting in 2040. The proposed rule would bar manufacturers from selling medium- and heavy-duty trucks that run on diesel or gasoline in California, and instead sell…
A comprehensive safety plan benefits both employees and the bottom line. It can help organizations comply with local and federal laws and industry regulations. In addition, a company’s approach to safety can help or hurt its reputation. But safety isn’t a one-and-done task—it should be an ongoing process that a company frequently revisits. Let’s dive…
Many companies have developed safety plans but still struggle to close the gap between the program and the reality in the workplace. The key to bridging this gap and ensuring safety compliance is to develop leadership that prioritizes and models safety to the employees. In addition, leadership can ensure that employees remain current on safety…
Office and commercial building vacancies have exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leaving many buildings completely empty of tenants or partially occupied. According to the website Statista.com, the average vacancy rate for offices nationwide in the first quarter of 2022 was 12.3%, which is an improvement from 17.4% in the first quarter of 2021. Unfortunately,…
Despite newly enacted federal transparency rules for hospitals and health plans, some large hospitals are still not posting the required price lists for their services, according to a recent report. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ transparency rules were implemented to shine the light on what hospitals charge for their various medical services, the…
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law legislation that would bar employers from discriminating against employees and job applicants who use cannabis on their time off. The law amends the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to prohibit discrimination against an individual based on “an employer-required drug screening test” that detects the presence…
This is the second part of a two-part series on the factors you should take into account if you are considering joining an insurance agency cluster. Last week we looked at a number of issues that an agency needs to consider when looking to join a cluster, including area of operations, account ownership and fees…