On Jan. 15, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its 2020 inflation-adjusted civil monetary penalties that may be assessed on employers for violations of a wide range of federal laws, including: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA); The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA); and The Occupational […]
Coronaviruses are fairly common and don’t typically affect humans. When they do, their effects are usually mild, as in the case of the common cold. However, deadlier variations of these coronaviruses have cropped up in recent years. Two examples of these evolved strains are the SARS virus of 2003 and the novel coronavirus, which was […]
A federal spending bill enacted at the end of 2019 included several provisions affecting benefit plans. The bill repealed three major taxes and fees under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—the Cadillac tax, the medical devices excise tax and the health insurance providers fee. The law also extended the PCORI fees for an additional 10 years. […]
OVERVIEW California has enacted two laws that require certain employers in the hospitality and transit industries to provide employee training on how to recognize and report human trafficking. The new laws, known as SB 970 and AB 2034, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, but give subject employers until Jan. 1, 2020 or 2021 […]
Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits that are periodically updated for inflation by the IRS. The following commonly offered employee benefits are subject to these limits: High deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs); Health flexible spending accounts (FSAs); 401(k) plans; and Transportation fringe benefit plans. This Compliance Overview includes […]
Ninety-seven percent of breweries currently operating in the United States are classified as regional craft brewers, microbreweries or brewpubs. This section of the industry differs from more traditional, large-scale brewers, presenting owners with a unique set of risks that must be considered. Premise Liability When you open your property to the general public you are […]
OSHA recently launched a new webpage encouraging safer workplaces through the use of leading indicators. Leading indicators are proactive and preventive measures that can shed light on the effectiveness of safety and health activities, and reveal potential problems in a safety and health program. One example of a leading indicator may be the amount of […]
A fire in your workplace can be extremely costly; in addition to the costs associated with fixing the damages, there is also a good chance that your day-to-day business activities will be interrupted during the repairs. To avoid potential expenses related to workplace fires, it is important that you have adequate fire coverage, which is […]
The Background In 2017, Equifax, one of the largest credit reporting agencies in the United States, was the victim of a massive cyber attack—an attack that compromised the personal information of approximately 147 million people. On July 22, 2019, the company agreed to pay at least $575 million—and up to $700 million—as part of a […]
Equipment Breakdown Insurance Companies need safe and working equipment to operate efficiently and generate revenue. In fact, some organizations rely exclusively on a few pieces of equipment to run their entire business. Following a breakdown, major losses can occur, and many organizations turn to equipment breakdown insurance (sometimes referred to as boiler and machinery insurance). […]