California is opening a new funding round for its Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program for companies that have taken a financial hit due to the pandemic. The new funding round opens Sept. 9 and runs through Sept. 30. The new round will take place thanks to an additional $1.5 billion in funding authorized in […]
As wildfires continue ravaging the West, more businesses in wildfire-prone areas are facing a difficult commercial property insurance market as insurers reduce their exposure and some have left the market altogether. Many businesses in areas that have already been ravaged by fires in the past, or those located in areas that are near forests and […]
Despite a law requiring that Cal/OSHA create indoor heat illness regulations by 2019, no regulations are yet on the books, making for a difficult situation as many parts of California are experiencing some of the highest temperatures on record. The workplace safety agency implemented heat illness prevention regulations for outdoor workers in 2013, but as the sustained heat wave […]
The Department of Labor has sued a Texas dental practice on behalf of a dental hygienist and a dental assistant who were not reinstated after raising concerns about what COVID-19 safety measures would be in place when the practice reopened in spring 2020. As more employers are bringing people back to the workplace, OSHA has […]
California’s insurance commissioner has approved a 3.4% reduction in the average workers’ compensation benchmark rate as of Sept. 1, 2021. Ricardo Lara decided to order a rate decrease despite the fact that the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau, the state’s rate-making agency, had recommended that the average benchmark rate be increased 2.7%. The 3.4% reduction […]
As many parts of the country are wrestling with ever-increasing temperatures during the summer months, a new study has found that the hotter the weather gets, the higher the risk of workplace accidents and injuries for both indoor and outside workers. The study by the University of California, Los Angeles, based on claims data from […]
The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has announced that two temporary payroll reporting rules to reflect changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders will sunset. The move comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s June 9 executive order which revoked the statewide stay-at-home order that had been in place since March 19, 2020. You may […]
If a natural disaster were to strike, would your company be ready? Has your management team hardened the business to continue operating in case of a disaster? With natural catastrophes growing in number and severity, businesses more than ever need to have in place plans for a quick recovery for the sake of their investors, […]
The last five years have seen the rise of new and unforeseen risks, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid increase of natural catastrophes and supply chain upheavals of unprecedented proportions. In today’s business climate, the key to success and survival will be your ability to navigate during times of uncertainty and new challenges that can […]
Last week, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board finally approved changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard that greatly loosen workplace restrictions that were implemented last year to protect California workers. The biggest news in the changes is that workers who have been fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear face masks as protection, regardless […]