February 4, 2025

Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Nonemergency Rules Expire Feb. 3

On Feb. 3, 2025, most of the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (Cal/OSHA) nonemergency COVID-19 prevention regulations (the rules) expire. These regulations were adopted to reduce employee exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19, thereby reducing workplace COVID-19 illness and transmission. The COVID-19 recordkeeping requirement will remain in effect until Feb. 3, 2026. Even...

January 30, 2025

National Census Shows Construction Industry Had Most Fatalities Among All Sectors in 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released information from its National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2023. Overall, there were 5,283 fatal work injuries in the United States, with a fatal work injury rate of 3.5 fatalities per 100,00 full-time equivalent workers. The data also showed that the construction industry...

January 28, 2025

Earthquake Awareness Month

February is Earthquake Awareness Month. It is a good time to make sure your property is protected against the impact of earthquakes. Even though earthquakes are seen as more common on the West Coast, earthquakes have occurred in 39 states. Consider implementing the following safety measures to protect your property from the impacts of an...

January 23, 2025

Manufacturing Industry Trends to Watch in 2025

The manufacturing industry plays a critical role in driving economic growth, producing a diverse range of goods essential to global markets. In recent years, this sector has seen significant expansion fueled by increasing production demands and legislative initiatives offering funding and tax incentives. In fact, professional services firm Deloitte reported that construction spending in manufacturing—funds...

January 21, 2025

Inflation Rose in December 2024 As Expected

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.9% year over year in December 2024, up from 2.7% in November. This figure matched economist expectations and was likely impacted by seasonal factors, including gas, food and vehicle prices. The “core” CPI, which strips out the unpredictable food and energy...

January 16, 2025

Preventing Theft and Vandalism for Small Businesses

Theft and vandalism pose significant risks to small businesses across all industries. These incidents can lead to financial losses, property damage and operational disruptions. Given these potential consequences, business leaders must take steps to safeguard their organizations. Theft and vandalism can affect a small business’s finances and operations, so business leaders should take steps to...

January 14, 2025

OSHA Form 300A Posting Requirements Begin Feb. 1

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers subject to its recordkeeping requirements to post copies of their OSHA Form 300A between Feb. 1 and April 30 of each year. The OSHA Form 300A, also known as the “Summary of Work-related Injuries and Illnesses,” must be completed by Feb. 1 using data from the...

January 9, 2025

 5 Attraction and Retention Trends to Monitor in 2025

Employers will likely continue to struggle to attract and retain talented employees this year. In fact, an EY report found that 38% of employees are likely to leave their jobs in 2025. Despite looming employee turnover in 2025, employee quits consistently decreased throughout 2024. This means workers stayed in their current jobs, potentially due to...

January 7, 2025

 5 Employee Benefits Trends Shaping 2025

Employee benefits are transforming, and employers can get ahead of these changes as they strive to attract and retain top talent. The modern workforce is multigenerational, with evolving expectations around work-life balance, mental health and personalized benefits. In this dynamic environment, understanding and implementing the latest trends in employee benefits can set an organization apart...

January 3, 2025

U.S. Commercial Property Pricing Is Turning a Corner Heading Into 2025

With years of double-digit rate increases now in the past for many buyers, the U.S. commercial property market has improved and shows signs of stability even amid obstacles, according to a new report from the Insurance Information Institute (III). Growth in the U.S. commercial property market has been primarily rate-driven for the last several years,...