Straight From The Source Blog by Higginbotham Insurance

If your business only has a physical location in one state, you might think that’s the only state that needs to be listed on your workers’ compensation policy – but think twice. There are multiple situations in which other states might come into play, and this needs to be reported to the insurer.  

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible employees the right to take up to 12 weeks of time off for qualifying reasons. It sounds simple, at least in theory, but there’s a lot that needs to be considered to comply with this law while keeping employees happy and businesses running smoothly. Here are some basics on who is eligible, when to designate leave as FMLA leave, how the FMLA works with the temporary Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and what happens when a company isn’t subject to FMLA.

Should Your Company Implement a Student Loan Assistance Program?

New COVID-19 Guidance for Section 125 Mid-year Election Change Rules

On May 12, 2020, the IRS released Notice 2020-29, which provides temporary flexibility for mid-year election changes under a Section 125 cafeteria plan during calendar year 2020. The changes are designed to allow employers to respond to changes in employee needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance relates to mid-year elections for self-insured and fully insured employer-sponsored health coverage, health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs) and dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs).

Shelter in place orders to help stop the spread of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of family events across the U.S., many of which had been meticulously planned for months in advance. This pandemic highlights the importance of special event insurance. Whether you’re planning a wedding, Quinceañera, baby shower, religious ceremony or other special event, there’s much to consider to make it perfect – determining your guest list, vendors, decorations, food choices and all the small details. The last thing you think about is having an insurance policy for your event. But a special events insurance policy acts as your protection from a variety of claims that might occur on your big day – and in times like these, it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected. 

Insurance rates are rising across most lines of business. This means that your company’s insurance rates may be going up – even if your claims are low. Or, you may find that there are exclusions in your commercial insurance coverage that are important to have covered. You may also see that deductibles are increasing while your premiums are also increasing. If you’re finding yourself in this situation, you may be looking for a new strategy that will help you keep your insurance costs contained and improve your overall risk management program. That strategy might be captive insurance. 

On April 28, 2020, the Departments of Labor (DOL) and the Treasury (Departments) issued deadline relief to help employee benefit plans, plan participants and plan service providers impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Businesses around the world are worried about cyber risks. According to Business Insurance, a 2019 survey from the World Economic Forum found that cyber threats are the number one risk that American and Canadian business leaders worry about. Given this concern, it’s no surprise that interest in cyber liability insurance is increasing. Obtaining cyber insurance is a smart move – but not all policies are the same.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to have an unprecedented effect on daily life, many business owners are looking forward to the future and a return to normalcy. There has been some light at the end of the tunnel recently with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/White House issuing “Opening Up America Again Guidelines," as well as the CDC issuing further guidance for protecting workers when reopening.