EEOC Issues New COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines for Employers

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has affirmed that employers can mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees, subject to some limitations. The EEOC's updated guidance offers direction regarding employer-mandated vaccinations, accommodations for employees who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief, and certain implications of pre-vaccination medical screening questions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Asking a patient pre-screening questions is a routine part of a vaccination. These questions may constitute a "medical examination" as defined by the ADA. An employer must be able to show that the inquiries are…

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Don’t Make These Mistakes When Posting OSHA Form 300A

Employers with 10 or more employees must post their completed OSHA Form 300A by Feb. 1 and keep it posted in their workplace until April 30. The form must be posted where the company usually posts other employee notices, like minimum wage and workplace safety notices. Form 300A summarizes the total number of fatalities, missed workdays, job transfers or restrictions, and injuries and illnesses as recorded on Form 300. The penalty for OSHA posting violations is $13,260. The Summary (Form 300A) requires the following information from the Form 300 Log: The total number of non-first-aid occupational injury and illness cases.…

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Employment-Related Lawsuits Explode during Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does the number of workplace-related lawsuits filed by workers across the country against their employers. The pandemic laid the groundwork for new local, state and federal laws and regulations governing a number of workplace issues like workplace safety, family and medical leave and remote work. And it created new challenges for employers who were forced to close operations, lay off and furlough workers and organize new work arrangements. The surge resulted in a record number of COVID-19-related class-action lawsuits, the majority of them concerning disputes over:  (1) Alleged failure to provide a safe working…

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Workplace Sexual Harassment Moves Online During Pandemic

With so many people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, logic would dictate that instances of workplace sexual harassment would have plummeted since people are not in the office or any other facility together.  Logic would be wrong. Sexual harassment of employees by other employees or superiors has moved online, according to recent reports. In fact, since the pandemic has started, the nonprofit Stop Street Harassment found that there has been a 20% increase in sexual harassment complaints among American workers. The increase is not surprising considering an earlier study by Stop Street in 2018, which found that 41%…

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8 Tips for Improving Electrical Safety on Construction Sites

The construction industry has the highest percentage of electrical fatalities out of all industries. While electricity is a crucial component in a construction project's success, it poses a risk of harmful shock, horrific burns or fatal electrocution. These accidents can occur when workers come into contact with power lines, wiring, transformers or other electrical machinery. Fortunately, there are steps that companies can take to minimize the dangers. The following are eight tips on how to improve electrical safety in the construction industry: Provide personal protection вЂ” Electrical safety in the industry starts at a personal level. All the electrical work personnel…

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Survey: Commercial Insurance Rates to Continue Rising in 2021

The commercial insurance rate hikes that have been ongoing since 2017 are expected to continue into 2021 with double-digit increases for most lines of insurance, according to a new report. The survey of insurance executives by Alera Group Inc. forecasts that commercial rates will increase across all lines nationwide by an average of 11.6% this year. While the rate hike percentages will certainly vary from state to state, it predicts that workers' compensation will see the lowest rate average rate increase of 4.7%, while the highest is forecast to be for medical malpractice insurance at 17.5%.  The rate increases continue…

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Why Every Business Needs Non–Owned Auto Coverage

Even businesses that own fleets of autos sometimes use vehicles that do not belong to them. Often, a business asks an employee to run an errand or visit a customer or vendor using that employee's car. The organization may become legally liable for anything an employee acting on its behalf does while behind the wheel. Lawsuits and accompanying legal costs may confront the business if they have an accident. Many business automobile insurance policies cover this situation, but they do not do so automatically. The standard Insurance Services Office Business Auto Policy uses numbered symbols to identify covered autos for…

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Getting a Handle on Commercial Auto Insurance Rates

While most companies focus on driver training to help reduce the chances of accidents pushing up their insurance premiums, many executives have been frustrated to see their rates climb. The top two factors affecting your commercial auto premiums are your history of claims and the driving records of your individual drivers. To get a handle on your insurance rates you should focus on hiring on mature, experienced, responsible drivers. Once you have selected solid people, the next step is to enforce safety standards and provide them with adequate rest and the tools they need to drive safely. New technologies and…

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