Blog

Categories

Subscribe

Get the latest in print & creative agency business updates, trends, and inspiration from VMA.

Get an
Insurance
Quote

blog hero

Workers’ Comp Insurers Continue Cutting Their Rates

Despite the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau recommending that benchmark rates in California be increased in the last two years, the rates that insurance companies are charging for coverage continue falling. But the party may soon be coming to an end, according to a new report.  The California Department of Insurance in fact rejected the

Read More »
blog hero

Workers’ Comp Insurers Continue Cutting Their Rates

Despite the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau recommending that benchmark rates in California be increased in the last two years, the rates that insurance companies are charging for coverage continue falling. But the party may soon be coming to an end, according to a new report.  The California Department of Insurance in fact rejected the

Read More »
blog hero

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,

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
blog hero

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

Read More »
VMA is the partner you need to build, innovate, grow, and protect your business.

Thank You

Click the link below to download the latest Connected issue.

2025 Student
Scholarship Application

To complete your application please provide the referring teachers information in the form below. The referring teacher’s email must be associated with an accredited Northern California college.

2025 Student
Scholarship Application

Sign Up to Start Receiving Chronicles

Contact me for the next session

Contact me about the next Print 101 class

Subscribe

Get a Free eBook on using Ancilliary Benefits to Retain Employees