A new study predicts that group health insurance costs will jump 8% in 2025, on par with what American employers have experienced this year and in 2023. The higher rates reflect the costs borne by health insurers, which are seeing more claims for care that was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic and a steady rise…
According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 10% of America’s workers are dependent on one substance or another. The nation is still battling the biggest drug scourge: opioid and fentanyl. Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate that in 2023 there were an estimated 107,543 drug…
Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat illness prevention regulations took effect July 24, requiring employers to implement safety measures when indoor workplace temperatures reach or exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The new rules apply to most indoor workplaces, such as restaurants, warehouses and manufacturing facilities, and require employers to provide water, rest, cool-down areas and training when temperatures exceed…
Every year employees across the country choose the wrong group health plan from their employer because they don’t understand the coverage and what type of plan is best for their circumstances. This ends up costing them hundreds if not thousands of dollars in unnecessary medical and premium outlays each year. But you can help them…
Business e-mail compromise scams are now the most common type of cyber attack businesses face, and all types of these attacks are showing no signs of letting up, according to a new report. Nearly three out of every four businesses were targets of these types of attacks and 29% of those firms became victims of…
Sales of voluntary group benefits grew at a record pace in 2023 as more employers expand their offerings and demand continues booming as employees seek out benefits that can defray costs, according to new research. Premiums collected for employer-sponsored voluntary benefits jumped 6.7% during the year to an aggregate $9.3 billion, with all lines of…
Changes are once again coming to Fed-OSHA’s Hazardous Communications Standard, which governs the handling of chemicals and other dangerous substances. OSHA’s final rule, which takes effect July 19, 2024, will bring the standard in line with the latest update to the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. The update revises…
The Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule, which mainly applies to 401(k) plans, will also affect employers who offer their staff health savings accounts. The new rule, which takes effect September 2024, bars employers from providing advice to their workers on how they should invest the funds in the HSA they offer. It should be…
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on May 31 approved all of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s recommended changes to class codes for some electronics manufacturing sectors, as well as increases to the wage thresholds for construction industry dual classifications. The following changes will take effect for policies incepting on or after Sept. 1, 2024:…
While the number of U.S. workers choosing high-deductible health plans has leveled off during the last two years, uptake has been growing rapidly among one segment of the working population: Gen Z employees. The 2024 “State of Employee Benefits Report” by benefits administration provider Benefitfocus found that 45% of Gen Z workers and 43% of…