The Federal Trade Commission on April 23 approved a new rule that bans employers from requiring new employees to sign non-compete agreements. The rule will take effect in August 2024, after the commission voted 3-2 to approve it. Besides banning future non-compete agreements, the new rule also nullifies all existing non-competes and requires employers to…
The Department of Labor on April 29 issued a final rule rescinding Trump-era regulations that expanded the number and types of employers that could band together to create association health plans to cover their employees. The 2018 regulations, which have been in legal limbo since 2019, also allowed these association health plans avoid many consumer-protection…
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published a final rule that will give new protections akin to disability accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to pregnant workers and those who have recently given birth. The rule, which takes effect June 18, will require employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees or applicants with known…
As the workforce ages and many employers want to keep on baby-boomer staff who have the experience and institutional knowledge that is irreplaceable, one issue that always comes up is how to handle health insurance. Once your older workers reach the age of eligibility for Medicare, under current law you can help them pay for…
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a final rule increasing the federal salary threshold for overtime exemptions by 65%, with the full increase starting in 2025. Currently, any worker who does not earn at least $35,568 per year ($684 per week) must be paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours in a…
After enrollment in high-deductible health plans soared during the last decade, 2022 marked the first year that enrollment in these plans fell among American workers since 2013, according to a new report by ValuePenguin. The insurance-review website found that 54% of U.S. workers signed up for HDHPs in 2022, compared to 56% in 2021. The…
Announcing 2023 InterWest Insurance Services Distinguished Employee Winner! Kathleen Le Surety, Unit Coordinator Sacramento Each year, InterWest recognizes employees who are identified by their co-workers as having demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to their clients, workmates as well as their community. This partnership between work and giving back makes them stand out for their…
The Federal Trade Commission on April 23 approved a new rule that bans employers from requiring new employees to sign non-compete agreements. The rule will take effect in August 2024, after the commission voted 3-2 to approve it. Besides banning future non-compete agreements, the new rule also nullifies all existing non-competes and requires employers to…
As more and more people are returning to work in offices after working remotely for a few years since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, bullying and other workplace misconduct is increasing, according to a new study. The study by Fama Technologies, a maker of applicant screening software, found increases in misconduct growing across industry sectors, putting…
The organization that helps set workers’ compensation rates in California will recommend that benchmark rates increase 0.9%, with effect from Sept. 1, 2024. While the recommendation is less than 1%, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau noted that it was driven by increasing medical costs for injured workers and higher claims-adjusting costs for insurers. The…