While hacking by outsiders is posing a larger and more significant threat to companies of all sizes, the threat of insider jobs – particularly by disgruntled former employees – is often a bigger one. These attacks, carried out with malicious intent to hamstring a company’s operations, can cause serious problems. Take, for example, the following…
The number of COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims in California has seen a steady climb, reaching a total of 31,612 from when the pandemic started until the end of July, according to the latest figures from the Division of Workers’ Compensation. In July, 9,515 California workers filed COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims, as well as 74 coronavirus-related…
Most companies are serious about workplace safety and that goes even for office workers, whom they provide with proper chairs and ergonomically appropriate workstations. But with so many people suddenly having been thrust into working from home, workers have converted guest bedrooms, kitchen tables and living rooms into workspaces ― and ergonomics has mostly gone…
As many states and municipalities have issued mandatory mask orders for businesses that are open to the public, operators like retailers and restaurants have been thrust into the front lines of reducing the spread of the virus by requiring customers to wear masks when on their premises. This has led to confrontations that sometimes result…
As wildfires become more common in California, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved emergency protections for outdoor workers exposed to wildfire smoke. As of July 29, 2019, employers with workplaces where the regulation applies are expected to comply with the requirements when needed. Who Must Comply Employers with workplaces and operations must comply…
The COVID-19 pandemic will lead to permanent changes in the way business is conducted, how we manage our workflows and how we handle our personnel. It has forced many companies to furlough workers or keep operations going by having staff that, if they can do so, work from home ― and it’s clear the work landscape is…
A second court has ruled that an insurer does not have to pay business interruption claims by businesses that saw their revenues run dry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which will further make it difficult for businesses to successfully file such claims. In the most recent case, a Superior Court judge in the District of…
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have reversed years of falling workers’ compensation rates in California, as the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has recommended that average benchmark rates be increased by 2.6% for 2021. The recommendation was forwarded to the California Department of Insurance, which will schedule a hearing on the recommendation in the fall.…
As lawsuits against employers continue rising amid the coronavirus pandemic, some businesses are requiring workers to sign waivers absolving them of liability and responsibility should they contract the virus. Eight percent of executives surveyed by law firm Blank Rome said they would require that their workers sign waivers of liability before returning to the workplace.…
While the pandemic rages on, the number of workers in the U.S. who are filing COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims is increasing and are accounting for a growing portion of overall claims. While there is only data currently available from two states — California and Florida — the numbers coming out of the two states show…