Firms rate their health insurers for quality, value: How did yours fare?
Firms rate their health insurers for quality, value. Most employers are not satisfied with their health plan.
Wellness
Keep employees safe: 7 ergonomic tips for home
It’s great to work from the couch … except maybe for the aching back, tired eyes and sore neck. They’re nasty results of ergonomic sins we need to avoid. And most brought home or picked up unsafe habits – ergonomically speaking – that have or will lead to unnecessary pain, discomfort and even injury. More […]
New COVID-19 screening rules: What’s allowed, who’s paying
As employers grapple with how to screen employees for the coronavirus upon returning to the workplace, several federal agencies have issued new testing rules and guidance. In June, there were two big coronavirus testing developments: • The EEOC issued a new ruling on June 17 that said employers are prohibited from requiring mandatory antibody testing. […]
2021 health insurance premiums: Will COVID-19 drive them higher?
In a normal year, the American Academy of Actuaries outlines the factors driving health insurance costs for the next plan year. However, things are tricky this year due to the coronavirus. Yes, COVID-19 cases are resulting in some sky-high hospital bills, such as a Seattle man whose two-month stay cost $1.1 million. Yet, at the […]
Mitigating the risks of returning to work
The COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically changing how businesses operate. We’re attempting to re-open the economy and return to work as the virus continues to ravage the country. While some organizations and industries made the transition fully to remote work, others are either returning to in-person operations — or have been in-person this entire time. Those […]
OSHA: New return-to-work guidelines
While most employers are in various stages of return-to-work plans, OSHA has just issued a 24-page guide for employers that includes recommendations on workplace accommodations, as well as social distancing and face masks. 3-phase approach OSHA’s Guidance on Returning to Work recommends a three-phase approach: • Phase 1: Make remote work available if possible. To […]
Return-to-work plans should include employees’ input
While no one knows exactly how workers will react when employers call them to return to work in offices, factories, retail and other facilities, there is one thing that’s certain – basing your decision on guesses will make the process harder than it should be. Yet, according to an ongoing survey by HR and benefits […]
Feds, states cracking down on surprise (COVID-19 and other) medical bills
Even though the feds mandated health insurers cover the cost of COVID-19 tests in the CARES Act, there’s been a rash of patients receiving “surprise” medical bills. The earlier legislative push to stop surprise medical bills, which has been overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, is back in force. The Trump administration will possibly include it […]
Return to work: EEOC issues new accommodation guidelines
As employers direct their remote or furloughed employees back to the workplace, many are trying to accommodate the individual needs of some of their employees. However, they shouldn’t exclude pregnant or older workers, or those with children, in their return-to-work plans, according to new EEOC guidance. “Even if motivated by benevolent concern, an employer isn’t permitted […]
