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Health care costs have been rising steadily for years, and that’s not expected to change any time soon. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are looking to shore up costs wherever they can. That means even standard, year-over-year health care cost increases may be too much to bear without some creative planning. With…

The COVID-19 pandemic is finally getting under control. As more Americans get vaccinated, states are gradually lifting restrictions, and life is returning to pre-pandemic normalcy. Finally, individuals can get to the tasks they’ve been postponing for more than a year. Unfortunately for employers looking to retain employees, some employees are now ready to find new…

Organizations of all sizes and sectors are facing increased cybersecurity risks. Specifically, ransomware attacks—which leverage malware to compromise a victim’s data and demand them to make a large payment to recover it—have quickly become a rising threat across industry lines. In fact, recent research found that these types of attacks have surged by 150% in…

On May 5, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a second Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for 2022 that finalized the remainder of the standards included in the proposed notice issued at the end of 2020. The first final 2022 NBPP was published Jan. 19, 2021. This second NBPP…

According to OSHA, millions of employees across the country are exposed to heat within their workplaces. Employees can encounter occupational heat exposure in both indoor (e.g., kitchens, boiler rooms, manufacturing plants and warehouses) and outdoor (e.g., construction and landscaping sites, oil or gas wells and farms) work environments. Without the proper precautions in place, occupational…

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) outlines requirements regarding labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for hazardous workplace chemicals throughout the United States. To align its requirements with the United Nation’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), OSHA recently issued a proposed rule to update the…

Companies may need to work with professional employer organizations (PEOs) to obtain contract workers for several reasons—whether it’s to account for their seasonal production periods, fulfill large contracts or secure contract-to-hire positions. Yet, before using a PEO to acquire employees, it is important for employers to understand what the responsibilities are for each party involved…

Falling and flying objects can create serious hazards within the workplace, and may lead to severe accidents and injuries.Many of these accidents occur when employees are haphazardly performing routine maintenance or not wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Nevertheless, following these safety tips can help make the work environment safer, protecting you and your co-workers…

Attracting and retaining employees is a constant struggle for organizations of any size, but it’s particularly so for small businesses. With smaller teams, employers need to hold onto talent whenever possible. And that can be a challenge, especially when resources are scarce as they are currently amid the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s…

Operation Safe Driver Week—an annual campaign conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)—will take place July 11-17. Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual, seven-day initiative created by the CVSA to help detect and prevent unsafe behaviors on the road among commercial drivers. During this weeklong campaign, law enforcement agencies throughout North America participate…