The Department of Labor has sued a Texas dental practice on behalf of a dental hygienist and a dental assistant who were not reinstated after raising concerns about what COVID-19 safety measures would be in place when the practice reopened in spring 2020. As more employers are bringing people back to the workplace, OSHA has…
It’s summertime and for many that means leisurely weekends on the river, lake or ocean on their boat or personal watercraft like jet skis. But just because you’re out on the water doesn’t mean there aren’t risks, to you and others – or to your watercraft. But what kind of coverage do you need? Should…
InterWest’s Woodland office is hosting a food drive during the entire month of August to benefit Hope’s Anchor, Inc. Hope’s Anchor, Inc. supports family and placement stability and is committed to improving the long-term outcomes for foster and adoptive children, youth and families in Yolo County. They are currently in need of food for the…
WEAVE is the organization chosen by both Sacramento offices as the second quarter IWGB initiative. Today, I received a message from WEAVE about a benefactor who is matching all donations up to $30,000 received by August 31st. If you feel called to help survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex trafficking get the help…
Now through August 11th InterWest’s Chico office is once again partnering with Shawna Batham, founder of Project School Ready to provide filled backpacks for children living in transitional housing, shelters and other local organization including Esplanade House, Catalyst Women’s Shelter, Boys and Girls Club. InterWest’s Dan DiMeo and Tammie Baiz are once again spearheading the…
California’s insurance commissioner has approved a 3.4% reduction in the average workers’ compensation benchmark rate as of Sept. 1, 2021. Ricardo Lara decided to order a rate decrease despite the fact that the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau, the state’s rate-making agency, had recommended that the average benchmark rate be increased 2.7%. The 3.4% reduction…
There are signs that the Internal Revenue Service is starting to step up its enforcement of the Affordable Care Act employer mandate. During the past six months, there’s been an uptick in the number of employers receiving initial notices stating they may be out of compliance with the requirement that they offer their workers coverage. …
As many parts of the country are wrestling with ever-increasing temperatures during the summer months, a new study has found that the hotter the weather gets, the higher the risk of workplace accidents and injuries for both indoor and outside workers. The study by the University of California, Los Angeles, based on claims data from…
The cost of buying and installing home building supplies is going through the roof, and it may leave you without enough insurance to rebuild should disaster strike. Lumber and other construction material prices have skyrocketed, and so has the cost of labor as the building industry struggles with a manpower shortfall. These issues are adding…
With so many insurance agencies having relegated staff to working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic – some of them permanently – many principals are wondering how they can maintain their company culture with an increasingly dispersed staff. Since the pandemic started and a large portion of America’s workforce began working remotely, managers have been struggling…