Category: Blog

Sep
11
2020

Workers Choose Employee Benefits And Perks Over Salary Hikes

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Great employee benefits and perks packages can help attract top-notch talent, maintain employee morale and improve overall engagement and satisfaction with a company. The coronavirus pandemic has made perks and benefits even more important, particularly in light of so many workers feeling burned out, stressed from working at home or feeling isolated due to closures and shelter-at-home orders. Recently, retailer Staples surveyed 1,549 employees across the U.S. about their preferences for work perks, asking them to rate how various benefits affected their motivation and if they preferred perks over higher salaries ― and which benefits were most important to them when…
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Sep
11
2020

Raft of Bills Would Add New Coronavirus Measures

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

The California Legislature is working on a number of new measures to protect workers in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures take aim at “holes” in the system that may leave employees who contract the coronavirus on the job without workers’ compensation benefits, footing higher utility bills because of working at home and needing sick leave time available to them should they contract the disease. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would work closely with legislators to help the measures become law. Below we look at the legislative moves that have gained the most traction and are supported by…
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Sep
11
2020

Protect Your Business from Being Hacked by Employees

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

While hacking by outsiders is posing a larger and more significant threat to companies of all sizes, the threat of insider jobs – particularly being hacked by employees or 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. Recent Examples A former employee of Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corp. is facing charges after employees began reporting that they were unable to process routine transactions and were receiving error messages after he resigned, due to allegedly being passed over for a promotion.The mayhem cost his…
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Sep
11
2020

Preparing for Open Enrollment during Pandemic

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

With the coronavirus showing no signs of slowing, health insurance is likely top of mind for your employees. Many of them will be anxious and it’s likely that they will be more engaged and interested in understanding whether their current coverage is sufficient should they be stricken by the virus. Not only that but due to social distancing and with many employees working remotely, employers will need to adjust their open enrollment procedures to make sure they are safe, efficient and a success for both them and their employees. This year in particular, it’s important that you use a multi-pronged…
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Aug
13
2020

What Insurers, Employers Expect for Group Health Plan Rates in COVID-19 Aftermath

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

A study has come out predicting that COVID-19, as devastating as it has been, will have little effect on 2021 group health plan rates, as well as offerings. The study, by eHealth Inc., also found that many insurers have increased utilization of telemedicine and that many of them are extending benefits related to coronavirus testing and treatment. Here are the main points of the study: Waiving COVID-19 testing costs ― 97% of insurer respondents say they are waiving out-of-pocket costs for coronavirus testing. Waiving treatment costs ― 58% of the insurers say they’re waiving out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 treatment. Among insurers who…
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Aug
13
2020

Pay Attention to Policy Milestones, X-Mod to Reduce Workers’ Comp Costs

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Once they have paid their annual premium, many employers pay scant attention to their workers’ comp policy until the renewal date starts closing in. Unfortunately, that’s not the best time to attempt to control costs. Because workers’ comp is one of the most loss-sensitive insurance policies, and as claims can sometimes be paid out for decades, it’s important that you proactively manage claims. One way to do that is through a quarterly claims review process, the timing of which is in line with the calculation of your company’s Experience Modification Factor (X-Mod). How Is My X-Mod Calculated? It’s important to…
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Aug
13
2020

Serious Injury Reporting to Cal/OSHA

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Failure to report or reporting of a serious workplace injury or illness or death can land an employer a civil penalty of not less than $5,000 under the California Labor Code. If you have employees, you need to understand the procedures for reporting these incidents and what you need to report. What Is A Serious Injury? Cal/OSHA defines an employee’s serious injury or illness as: One that requires inpatient hospitalization for a period in excess of 24 hours for other than medical observation. A loss of a body part. A serious, permanent disfigurement. When Must I Report A Serious Injury?…
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Jul
14
2020

10 Potential Causes of Employee COVID-19 Lawsuits

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

The novel coronavirus has caused immeasurable suffering, both physical and economic. For employers struggling to stay in business, there are a number of ticking timebombs they must try to avoid to keep employees and customers safe, and keep their business afloat. With so much still unknown, this is a fraught time where mistakes in managing their workforces could lead to employee COVID-19 lawsuits. 10 Potential Causes of Employee COVID-19 Lawsuits Workplace safety Businesses that still have employees working on-site run the risk that a single infected worker may send the virus ripping through the entire workforce. While workers’ compensation laws…
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Jul
14
2020

Workers’ Comp Claims For COVID-19 May Not Be as High as Expected

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

There is some good news coming out in terms of workers’ compensation claims for COVID-19 in California. Overall workers’ comp claims tied to the coronavirus may not be as numerous and as costly as originally thought. Gov. Gavin Newsom in early March announced that any worker who is reporting to a worksite in California and contracts COVID-19 will automatically be eligible for workers’ comp benefits on the presumption that it was contracted at work. This announcement came after the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau filed a recommendation for special rules that would exempt COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims from an employer’s…
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Jul
13
2020

Concerns Rise Over Individual Coverage HRAs

by CoreMark | posted in Blog, Newsletter

Employers, health insurers, regulators and hospitals are all raising concerns about the Trump administration’s rules issued last year that allow employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) that employees can use to purchase health plans on the open market, called Individual Coverage HRAs (ICHRA). The rules continue to receive pushback from small business groups, insurers, regulators and others, who say that employers who want to go this route are facing a bureaucratic nightmare. One of the biggest concerns is that employers will use the opportunity to move older and sicker workers from their group health plans to exchanges, in order to reduce…
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