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Remote Workers Find Benefits Selection Difficult

A new survey has found that remote workers have a more difficult time choosing benefit plans that are the right fit for them compared to their colleagues who work on-site or have hybrid remote-office schedules.  The poll by MetLife found that nearly half of remote workers struggle to understand their employee benefits. As a result,

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Many Injured Workers Feel Unsupported, Frustrated By Claims Process

A recent study has found that injured workers are often left feeling frustrated and fending for themselves after they file a workers’ compensation claim. The survey of injured workers by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada found that workers reacted in a number of ways when experiencing “procedural” unfairness, frustration in how

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A Crisis Management Plan Can Save Your Firm

As the last few years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing threat of natural disasters have shown us, disaster can strike suddenly. Crises can take many forms, like the death of an owner, one of your products causing death or injury, or an earthquake damaging your building, forcing you to cease operations. If your

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Dear David: Asking References about Sick Time?

Question: Can we ask references about an applicant’s previous use of sick time? We’d like to get a sense of their reliability. Answer: Making any inquiries into their history of calling in sick is not recommended. Asking about absences due to illness or injury could run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act and give

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Most Small Firms Underestimate Cyber Attack Costs, Recovery Time

A new survey has found that most small businesses greatly underestimate the recovery costs after a company is hit by a cyber attack, as well as the time it takes to recover.   Nationwide Insurance’s “Agency Forward” survey found that 40% of small business owners estimate that a cyber attack would cost their organization less than

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Most Workers Make Bad Health Insurance Decisions

ven though the majority of workers receive health insurance coverage on the job, a new survey has found that many of them understand surprisingly little about their health plans and are leaving money on the table.  The “Health Insurance Literacy Survey” by Healthcare.com found widespread misunderstanding about how copays and deductibles work, and what premiums

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NEW LAW BARS ‘DISCRIMINATION’ AGAINST CANNABIS-USING EMPLOYEES

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

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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY INSURANCE GETS SCARCE IN AT-RISK AREAS

Commercial property insurance rates remain stubbornly high in California for businesses with properties that are susceptible to wildfire risks.  Coverage is relatively easy to find at reasonable prices in any of California’s larger cities, but in small cities and towns, it’s a different story.  Business with facilities in any areas that abut woodlands and other

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GETTING A HEAD START ON OPEN ENROLLMENT

As open enrollment is right around the corner, now is the time to gear up to maximize employee enrollment, help them make the best selections for their own personal circumstances, and stay compliant with relevant laws and regulations. It’s a lot to take in as uncertainty has been a constant during the last few years

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RULES FOR OWNERS WHO WANT TO BE EXEMPT FROM WORKERS’ COMP

If you own your business and have employees, you are likely exempt from having to cover yourself under your workers’ compensation policy in California. But what if you have multiple owners? There are rules promulgated by state law that set out the parameters for when owners can be excluded from the workers’ comp policy, and

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