As health insurance and health care costs continue climbing, some employers are taking new and innovative steps to tamp down costs for themselves and their covered employees while not sacrificing the quality of care they receive. Some of the strategies require a proactive approach by engaging with their broker and insurer, and even local health…
A new rule by the Department of Labor requires firms with 100 or more employees in certain industries to electronically submit their OSHA Form 300 and 301 logs, starting in 2024. These are in addition to submission of Form 300A-Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. The new rule applies to businesses in 104 high-hazard industries…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published a final rule aimed at improving how prior authorizations are handled by health insurers. The measure primarily limits the time insurers have to approve or deny requests. In addressing wait times for prior approvals, the CMS is targeting an issue that’s become a problem for some…
Employers with 10 or more employees must post their completed OSHA Form 300A by Feb. 1 and keep it posted in their workplace until April 30. The form must be posted where the company usually posts other employee notices, like minimum wage and workplace safety notices. Form 300A summarizes the total number of fatalities, missed…
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission continues seeing a steady flow of complaints for one of the more common forms of workplace bias — age discrimination. The number of court filings the EEOC made under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in fiscal year 2023 was more than double that of fiscal year 2022. As…
Advancements are making construction workplaces safer thanks to innovative new designs that learn from the past and the weaknesses of equipment that has been used in construction for decades. Construction firms that don’t keep up with the latest in safety devices are missing an opportunity to save lives, reduce workplace injuries and avoid costly workers’…
With more than half of all private sector employees enrolled in high-deductible health plans, it’s important that employers have in place certain protocols to ensure that they are a success. As health insurance costs have risen, more employers have started offering their employees this option as the upfront premiums are often lower than with other…
The growing popularity of electric vehicles is encouraging businesses to install charging stations in parking lots for their employees and visitors. Commercial real estate owners and investors are always looking for ways to increase the value of their properties. Adding EV charging infrastructure is an obvious way to increase property value while providing a much-needed…
Studies show that for every major workplace injury or fatality, there are nearly 10 minor injuries — and more than 30 accidents that lead to property damage. While minor injuries may not seem consequential, they can be indicators of structural problems in an employer’s safety standards. Capturing data even on minor incidents that may seem…
As a record amount of U.S. workers struggle with mental health issues and stress, more employers are offering new chatbot apps to help them. A survey this past summer of 457 employers by Willis Towers Watson found that 24% of them offer a “digital therapeutic” for mental health support. Some 15% of the businesses surveyed…