BARKLEY RISK MANAGEMENT BLOG

BARKLEY RISK MANAGEMENT BLOG

HISIG Worker's Compensation Program - Barkley Risk Management & Insurance

Join the HISIG Worker’s Compensation Program

Become a Safety-Driven Employer and Save by Joining HISIG Our members include companies across the home improvement industry, including nurseries and growers. Enjoy great benefits such as: AVERAGE 20% SAVINGS MEMBERS CONTROL PROGRAM INJURY ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM ONGOING CLAIMS MONITORING PROMPT OUTREACH TO INJURED EMPLOYEES DEDICATED CLAIMS TEAM EQUITY OWNERSHIP = EQUITY RETURNS Is Your […]

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USDA Disaster Assistance

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Farmers and Livestock Producers in California Impacted by Floods

California agricultural operations have been significantly impacted by the recent floods throughout the state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Farmers and Livestock Producers in California Impacted by Floods Read More »

IRS Adjusts Health Flexible Spending Account - Barkley Risk Management

IRS Adjusts Health Flexible Spending Account and Other Benefit Limits for 2023

On October 18, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2022-38, which increases the health flexible spending account (FSA) salary reduction contribution limit to $3,050 for plan years beginning in 2023, an increase of $200 from 2022.  Thus, for health FSAs with a carryover feature, the maximum carryover amount is $610 (20% of the $3,050 salary

IRS Adjusts Health Flexible Spending Account and Other Benefit Limits for 2023 Read More »

HR|Bizz Joins Alera Group

We are thrilled to announce…. Through Barkley Risk Management & Insurance, HR|Bizz has joined Alera Group, bringing over 10 years of HR experience and expertise. Lead by Rodney Bolton, HRBizz is a premier consulting firm, working with businesses across the country, providing customized human resources solutions for small to mid-sized businesses.   Barkley is always

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Legal Alert: 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Dissolves 5th Circuit’s Stay of COVID-19 ETS

On December 17, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit (6th Circuit) dissolved the stay of OSHA’s November 5, 2021 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for private employers with 100 or more employees issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (5th Circuit).  As a result of the 6th Circuit’s

Legal Alert: 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Dissolves 5th Circuit’s Stay of COVID-19 ETS Read More »

2021 ACA Reporting Refresher

As we get nearer to the deadline for 2021 ACA reporting, we wanted to provide you with a refresher of some of the requirements for the reporting year.  IRC Section 6055 requires insurance carriers and self-funded employers to report to the IRS and to covered individuals that the persons were covered by minimum essential coverage.

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Biden’s vaccine and testing rules for employers are here. These are the details.

In early September, President Biden announced he was taking steps to get more Americans vaccinated and turn the tide on COVID-19. On Thursday, the administration rolled out two of those steps — two different vaccine rules covering more than 100 million workers. Under this emergency temporary standard, covered employers must develop, implement and enforce a

Biden’s vaccine and testing rules for employers are here. These are the details. Read More »

California Senate Bill 606 to Ramp Up Cal/OSHA Enforcement Authorities

Another hit to California employers, SB 606, takes effect on January 1st, 2022. The far-ranging law substantially increas­es Cal/OSHA’s enforcement powers. Safety professionals and others in the community are already pondering how bad it will be and what to do to prepare for it. These changes to the Labor Code are undoubtedly significant for employers

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Cal/OSHA Modifies Quarantine Rules for Asymptomatic, Unvaccinated Workers

Without any fanfare, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) updated its FAQs for the COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) on Sept. 21, to incorporate new guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Importantly, the CDPH has relaxed its quarantine recommendations for unvaccinated, asymptomatic workers. The ETS, which governs most workplaces in

Cal/OSHA Modifies Quarantine Rules for Asymptomatic, Unvaccinated Workers Read More »

California Legislation Signed to Extend Exemptions from AB 5 for Certain Industries

Governor, Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1561 to extend the sunset dates on the exemptions granted to licensed manicurists and construction trucking subcontractors from the provisions of AB 5. AB 5 sets forth the test for whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee. The exemptions will now sunset on Jan. 1, 2025, providing each industry

California Legislation Signed to Extend Exemptions from AB 5 for Certain Industries Read More »

EEOC and DOJ OK Mandatory Workplace Vaccine Policies

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has updated its COVID-19-related guidance about COVID-19 vaccination of employees, including mandatory vaccination policies, vaccination incentive programs, and confidentiality requirements. Click here for the EEOC FAQ. According to EEOC’s guidance, federal law does not prevent an employer from requiring all employees present in the workplace to be vaccinated for

EEOC and DOJ OK Mandatory Workplace Vaccine Policies Read More »

Legal Alert: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Pharmacy Reporting

Employers that sponsor group health plans of any size, including government employers, should keep their eye on the developing rules for this upcoming reporting that begins in December 2021. In December of 2020, a stimulus relief bill (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) was signed into law, which provided relief for health FSAs and DCAPs, among other

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LA County Back to Requiring Masks Indoors

Share on linkedin LinkedIn The LA County Public Health Department issues an order requiring everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks indoors starting Saturday night. In the face of steadily increasing COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, Los Angeles County will again require people to wear masks in indoor settings beginning Saturday night, regardless of their

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Heat Advisory In Effect

Cal/OSHA is reminding all employers to protect outdoor workers from heat illness as excessive heat watches have been issued throughout California. The temperature is forecast to exceed 100 degrees in many parts of the state this week. Employers in California must take steps to protect outdoor workers from heat illness by providing water, rest, shade

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CalOSHA: Masks Off for the Vaxed

Share on linkedin LinkedIn The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has published the latest version of its COVID emergency standard, on which it will vote later this week. The big change: Fully vaccinated employees will not have to wear masks indoors if unvaccinated coworkers are among them. The move comes after an outcry from employers that the

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Wellbeing Newsletter June 2021

Happy Summer!  Thank you for viewing our monthly Wellness newsletter.  We hope that these articles continue to help leaders across the country equip their employees with powerful, and holistic, wellbeing education.  Career Wellbeing The 12 New Leadership Books to Read This Summer – Organizational psychologist, Adam Grant, shares some of his picks for the most exciting

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Agribusiness a Prime Target for Cyberattacks

Share on linkedin LinkedIn Technological advancements allowing agribusinesses to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve yields are leaving the industry vulnerable to cyberattacks. Precision agriculture relies on remote sensing, global positioning systems and communication systems to create data analytics, big data and machine learning. The use of this technology allows farmers to precisely apply agricultural

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Wellbeing Newsletter – April 2021

When it comes to wellbeing, employers often find themselves challenged by how to approach a shift from a traditional wellness model to a comprehensive and holistic program that supports the whole person. Below you’ll find a curated list of wellbeing resources. Feel free to share these resources, as appropriate, with your team. Have a safe and

Wellbeing Newsletter – April 2021 Read More »

Ventura County Moves into Orange Tier

The California Department of Public Health announced today that several counties in Southern California are now eligible to move into the less-restrictive orange tier starting tomorrow, April 7, 20201.  These counties include Ventura, Riverside and San Bernadino.  Los Angeles and Orange counties are already in the orange tier.  Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and other

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New CA Law Update – CFRA Law for Employers of 5 or More Employees & COVID-19 for Large Employers

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a number of bills that will affect California employers in 2021.  This new legislation greatly expands family and medical leave of absence requirements for all employers with at least 5 employees in California. This new legislation, SB1383, expands the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) and requires employers with 5 or more employees to

New CA Law Update – CFRA Law for Employers of 5 or More Employees & COVID-19 for Large Employers Read More »

OSHA 300 Electronic Submissions

Compliance Update:  ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS OF YOUR WORKPLACE INJURY & ILLNESS RECORDS ARE DUE TOMORROW, MARCH 2, 2021 Employers in California that have establishments meeting one of the requirements below are required annually to electronically submit Form 300A injury and illness data: All establishments with 250 or more employees, unless specifically exempted by section 14300.2 of title 8 of

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Safety Meetings: Everything You Need to Know to Run them Well

Let’s face it: most meetings are a waste of time. But not safety meetings. Less than an hour every month or every few months can save your company hundreds of hours—as well as significant expense and human tragedy—you might otherwise spend responding to a workplace incident. Safety problems aren’t cheap. Effective safety meetings ensure workers, managers,

Safety Meetings: Everything You Need to Know to Run them Well Read More »

Special Open Enrollment 2021

President Joe Biden signed a package of health care-related executive orders on Thursday, January 28, 2021, that, among other initiatives, will reopen HealthCare.gov for a special, three-month enrollment period starting on Feb. 15, 2021. That means Americans without health insurance have a chance to check out their state’s health insurance marketplace options offered through the Affordable Care Act,

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CA Stay-At-Home Order Lifted

California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has lifted the regional coronavirus stay-at-home orders across the state as of Monday, January 25, 2021.  The previous order imposed on Dec. 10, 2020, banned gatherings outside a household and shuttered or restricted many businesses. With virus cases and hospitalizations more stable now, the state allows counties to resume outdoor dining

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PPP Round Two

After much deliberation, on December 21, 2020, Congress finally agreed to approve a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Included in that amount is $284 billion for a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  While based on similar principles as the first round of PPP funding

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OSHA 300 Logs Reminder

The OSHA 300 Log is part of a federal requirement pertaining to safety in the workplace.  Many employers with more than 10 employees are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses, including work-related COVID-19 cases. (Certain low-risk industries are exempted.) Minor injuries requiring first aid only do not need to be

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Wellbeing During the Holidays

Your Barkley Team wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season as we approach the end of 2020. Below you’ll find this curated list of wellbeing resources.  Feel free to share these resources, as appropriate, with your team.   Have a safe and healthy holiday season! Career Wellbeing Returning to Work After Lockdown: Lessons from

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November Wellbeing

When it comes to wellbeing, employers often find themselves challenged by how to approach a shift from a traditional wellness model to a comprehensive and holistic program that supports the whole person. Below you’ll find this week’s curated list of wellbeing resources.  Feel free to share these resources, as appropriate, with your team. Have a

November Wellbeing Read More »

Ventura County Moves to Red Tier

Moving Into Tier Two – The Red Tier: What Restrictions Have Been Lifted As of Tuesday, October 6, 2020, COVID-19 stats continue to improve in Ventura County which has allowed our county, and other counties in California, to move into the less-restrictive Red Tier/Tier Two, under the restrictions set in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

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Community Resources

Community. What does it mean? com·mu·ni·ty: 1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. 2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Has anyone else felt even closer to their community despite having to shelter in place?

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COVID-19 Resources

The health and safety of our clients and partners is our top priority as well as the continued success of your company and our communities. We have put together a thoughtful list of some important resources to assist you during these trying times of the Coronavirus outbreak. We will update and release more information as

COVID-19 Resources Read More »

New I-9 Form

Good Afternoon, Please see below for an important update from our friends at HRBIZZ on the new I-9 Form. Today, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an updated form I-9 that is effective January 31, 2020.  While USCIS is allowing employers a three-month grace period, during which the old form (dated 07/17/2017) may be used, we recommend using

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OSHA Increases Fines for 2020

2020 is here, which means new rules and regulations are in store.  OSHA is no exception.  Just as we have seen in the past, our friends at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have increased their fine amounts for 2020.  Lucky us! The new maximum civil penalty is $13,494. That’s a $234 increase from last year,

OSHA Increases Fines for 2020 Read More »

OSHA 300 Logs

It’s Time to Post Your OSHA 300 Logs Did you know? The #1 thing OSHA looks at when determining and conducting an inspection is your OSHA 300 Log. The OSHA 300 Log is part of a federal requirement pertaining to safety in the workplace.  Many employers with more than 10 employees are required to keep

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New 2020 W4 Form

Important News – IRS Releases New W4 Form for 2020 The IRS has just released an updated W-4 form to be used effective 01/01/2020 (download the new form below).  All new employees hired as of January 1, 2020 must complete this new version on the form.  Current employees are not required to complete a new form unless

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Construction Risks

The AGC/FMI 2019 Risk Management Survey was recently released and covers the top-rated Construction Industry risks of 2019 as well as the most expected risks the industry faces in 2020. In addition to the risks the industry faces, construction companies were surveyed on best ways to mitigate these risks. To read the full report, please

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