COVID-19
April 14, 2021
OSHA Prepares to Issue Emergency Regulations to Protect Workers from COVID-19
Mask mandates are coming down across the country, even as COVID cases are rising in most states. But the Biden administration appears poised to reinstate masking and other social distancing rules for recalcitrant governors — at least in the workplace. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is preparing to issue new short-term regulations to...
April 8, 2021
Employee Benefits in the Post-Vaccine World are Changing
As spring weather and increasing availability of coronavirus vaccinations brighten the horizon, many employers are starting to make plans to bring employees back to the office, at least part time. It’s less a return to normal than an evolution to a new idea of what normal looks like — including rethinking what kinds of perks,...
April 6, 2021
Emerging Risks in 2021
Over the past few years, several new and different exposures have developed that have unique or unusual insurance needs. Coverages for some of these have been developed over time. For some, exclusions have been created for use until the risk becomes better quantifiable, while other emerging risks are still developing, so coverage needs are not...
March 30, 2021
New California COVID-19 Leave Law is Retroactive to Jan. 1
Under a new law, California employers with more than 25 employees must provide up to 80 new hours of supplemental paid sick leave for specific COVID-19-related reasons. The leave requirement takes effect March 29, 2021, but is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021. Reasons for Leave Employees may take leave if they cannot work or telework because...
March 29, 2021
Seven Post-Pandemic Changes To Improve Your Commercial Building
Commercial property investors and property managers are bracing for the return of their tenants in 2021. Whether they’ll need to wait until the summer or fall is largely undetermined at this point. The major pushback to the office is dependent on how quickly the population can be vaccinated and reach herd immunity. What is clear...
March 24, 2021
Work-From-Home Shift to Stretch Firms’ Cyber Cover
Roughly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly around the world, many employees in various industries are working from home to avoid contracting or spreading the virus in the office or on their daily commute. This has made it harder for organizations to secure their networks, and cyber insurance policies that used to be...
March 22, 2021
2021 General Liability Insurance Market Outlook
In recent years, the general liability market has consistently underperformed, resulting in heightened underwriting losses and subsequent rate increases. As worsening social inflation concerns, surging medical expenses and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to contribute to a rise in liability claim frequency and severity, the market has preceded to harden. Due to these market conditions,...
March 15, 2021
Perspectives: Companies Increasingly Turn to Captives as Employee Benefits Evolve Due to COVID-19
COVID-19 has been the biggest disruptor in the health care sector in years, catapulting change in the delivery of care and putting greater focus on the emotional and financial well-being of employees as part of a broader business resiliency effort. To manage this more expansive set of benefits, companies are increasingly turning to captives for...
February 23, 2021
Workers’ Compensation During Covid-19
As I reflect back on 2020, it was such an unprecedented time in our history and also for the employers I work alongside in California. Moving into 2021, I’m getting a ton of employers asking me, “Carrie, what do you see on the horizon for this year?” Senate Bill 1159 – Regulatory Changes First, I...
February 22, 2021
Beware of COVID-19 Vaccine Scams
Since COVID-19 vaccine demand is increasing and distribution varies by state, scammers are trying to take advantage of uncertainty and confusion to steal money and personal information from vaccine seekers. Scammers are using phone calls, text messages, social media platforms and door-to-door visits to commit these COVID-19-related scams. Ways to Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Scams Keep...