Legislators in Sacramento have fast-tracked new legislation that will extend paid COVID-19 leave benefits for workers in California. AB 84, which Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to sign, would require employers with 26 or more workers to provide up to 40 hours of supplemental paid sick leave for employees who are unable to work on […]
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that President Biden signed into law on March 11 contains a number of provisions intended to help small businesses and other organizations hurt by the pandemic. Foremost, it includes additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to struggling businesses, and a number of special grants to companies in […]
After issuing emergency regulations in November, Cal/OSHA began to step up its enforcement of COVID-19 protections in California workplaces. The types of business being cited cut across many sectors. Although most are focused on health care settings, the inspections are also sweeping up retailers, restaurants, fitness centers, agricultural operations, food processing, and other manufacturing settings. […]
Despite the state’s rating agency asking for a 2.6% increase in workers’ compensation rates due to costs related to the coronavirus pandemic, California’s insurance commissioner has instead ordered that benchmark rates be cut 4.6%. Besides the rate increase, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau had recommended that all policies be subject to a COVID-19 surcharge […]
Commercial auto insurance rates have been on the rise since 2011, increasing often by more than 10% a year as accidents and claims costs have soared. The trucking industry has been the hardest hit by the steep increases, and there are a number of factors contributing to the rate hikes, according to a recent study […]
While the number of COVID-19 workers’ compensation cases filed in California continues to grow, total workplace injury and illness claims in the state have fallen nearly 20% so far in 2020 compared to 2019. Through September, the state had recorded 47,412 COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims, accounting for 11.1% of all claims reported since the start […]
The Department of Insurance has approved emergency workers’ compensation rules dealing with COVID-19 and California employers. The rules were recommended by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau to bring fairness for employers’ experience rating during the COVID-19 pandemic amid shelter-at-home orders and for dealing with claims of workers who contract COVID-19 on the job. The […]
As protests around the country descended into rioting and civil unrest, many businesses that have been looted, or seen their shops damaged or completely destroyed, will obviously be turning to their insurance to file a claim. While many companies were unsuccessful in filing business interruption claims for the COVID-19 crisis, claims for damage and theft […]
A federal court has ruled that an insurer’s professional liability policy must pay out $6 million for a company’s losses from a business e-mail compromise scam, even though the business lacked cyber coverage. The ruling is part of a growing trend of businesses that haven’t purchased cyber insurance seeking coverage for cyber-related losses from other […]