Blog

Jan
07
2019

If You’re Leasing Employees, You May Still Be an Employer

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

  Leasing some or all employees is a common business practice. The National Labor Relations Board estimates that temporary staffing agencies supplied 2.87 million workers in 2017. This will increase to almost 4 million by 2022. Staffing agencies assume an employer’s administrative tasks. These include payroll handling, tax withholding, and so on. States vary in how their laws treat these situations. Some consider the firm supplying the workers to be the employer. Others take the opposite view. In some situations, multiple organizations are considered to be “joint employers.” This means that both firms assume the employer’s obligations. Joint employer status…
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Jan
07
2019

Deadline Extended to Provide ACA Tax Forms to Employees

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

The Internal Revenue Service is presenting employers with a gift by extending the deadline during which they are required to furnish essential Affordable Care Act-related forms to their employees. Applicable large employers (ALEs) to whom the ACA employer mandate applies will now have until March 4, 2019 to furnish their employees with Forms 1095-B and 1095-C for 2018. The old deadline was Jan. 31, 2019. Also, the IRS is extending relief from penalties to employers who file or furnish incorrect or incomplete statements if they can show they made a good-faith effort to comply. ALEs with 50 or more full-time…
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Jan
07
2019

Top 10 Laws and Regulations for 2019

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

  Every year comes with new laws and regulations that affect employers. It pays to stay on top of all the new requirements, so we are here to help you understand those that are most likely to affect your business. The following are the top 10 laws, regulations and trends that you need to know about going into 2019. 1.     Sexual harassment training Since 2005, California law has required employers having 50 or more employees to provide at least two hours of sexual harassment training to supervisors every two years. SB 1343 changes this by requiring employers with five or more employees…
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Jan
07
2019

Insurance Checklist for the New Year

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year? Besides making time to rid your life of bad habits or setting goals to improve your life and health, the start of the year is also a perfect time to re-evaluate your insurance coverage needs. This is especially true if you’ve had any significant life changes or made large purchases during the prior year, like: Having a baby Getting married or divorced Making add-ons to your home, like a new deck, a man cave or swimming pool Making any major purchases, like a new entertainment system or new appliances. You can…
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Dec
20
2018

New California Law Imposes Additional Requirements For Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

by CoreMark Insurance Services | posted in Blog

The #MeToo Movement is proving to have a lasting effect not just on Hollywood, but the legislative landscape for employers in California. New regulatory changes taking effect in 2019 have many employers looking for access to training and resources to navigate the added requirements. The Changes Under SB 1343, employers with 5 or more employees must have all staff complete at least one hour Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Education by the end of 2019. Employees in supervisory roles will be required to complete at least two hours of training. These requirements are a noted increase from the previous ones in…
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Dec
18
2018

The Top 5 Free Tools You Can Use to Simplify Open Enrollment

by CoreMark Insurance Services | posted in Blog

Most human resources professionals aren’t fortunate enough to have a line item in their budget for “Open Enrollment promotion,” so you have to get creative! Having a great enrollment season requires a great deal of dedication and perseverance on the part of the HR and benefits team, and that includes finding free or inexpensive ways to encourage people to enroll early (and correctly) to receive the benefits that your organization provides. We have found that these 5 free tools are extremely effective ways to help employees understand their benefits and make their benefits decisions! 1. Create a Benefits Overview Video…
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Dec
07
2018

As Drug Prices Skyrocket, This Top 10 List Will Shock You

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

It’s no secret that the cost of pharmaceuticals is going through the roof. You’ve heard the stories of price-gouging by some companies that have jacked up prices thousands of percent. Drug costs are starting to weigh heavily on the cost of care, in turn driving up health insurance premiums, which individuals, employees and employers are all feeling. The cost of some medications is so extreme that a single dose may far surpass the total premium paid for coverage. Also, most people never really know the true price of a drug unless they are 100% on the hook for medications under…
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Dec
07
2018

New Law Bars Pharmacy Benefit Manager Gag Clauses

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

President Trump has signed two bills into law that would add transparency to drug pricing by banning gag clauses imposed by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) that bar pharmacists from discussing drug prices with the person buying prescription medication. The bills, passed with bipartisan support, take aim at the PBM practice of clawbacks, which occur when the copayment set by the PBM is more than the actual cash price of the drug. So instead of the policyholder being able to pay less for the drug, the PBM will usually pocket the difference. And because of gag clauses, most policyholders never get…
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Dec
07
2018

Cal/OSHA Issues Emergency Rules for Posting Injury Forms Electronically

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Cal/OSHA is implementing emergency regulations that require California employers with 250 or more employees to submit their 2017 Form 300A summaries electronically by the end of this year. That’s the form that you signed and posted in your workplace from Feb. 1 to April 30. Form 300A contains only the summary of injuries and is not the actual log, which contains the names of the employees who were injured. For the electronic filing, you will simply take the same information on the form you posted earlier this year and enter it into an electronic database. The short ramp-up period will…
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Dec
07
2018

Limiting Your Liability During the Company Holiday Party

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

With the fallout from the #MeToo movement forcing employers to change their internal conduct policies, they are also reassessing the office holiday party. While gatherings can be a good time for your staff to mingle casually with their colleagues and clients, they can also prove to be a liability for businesses – particularly if you serve alcohol. Not all companies are canceling holiday parties, though. Some are being a little more careful and limiting or eliminating alcohol served at holiday celebrations. If you are throwing a holiday party, you should take steps to limit risks and make sure you are…
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