Each week, you’ll find specially curated news articles to keep you up to date on the ever-evolving world of insurance and risk management. The articles are divided out between items relevant to Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits/Human Resources, and Compliance. We’ve included brief summaries of each item as well as a link to the original articles.
PROPERTY & CASUALTY
Hawaii Volcano Eruption Has Some on Alert, Draws Onlookers
“The first eruption in 38 years of the world’s largest active volcano is attracting onlookers to a national park for “spectacular” views of the event, and it’s also dredging up bad memories among some Hawaii residents who have been through harrowing volcanic experiences in the past. It was just four years ago that Nicole Skilling fled her home near a community where more than 700 residences were destroyed by lava. She relocated to the South Kona area, only to find herself packing her car with food and supplies this week after Mauna Loa erupted late Sunday.” Full Article
– Insurance Journal
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, HUMAN RESOURCES, & COMPLIANCE
Employer’s Should Note Post-Midterms State Law Changes “As the final tally of ballots comes in for many electoral races across the country, the outcomes of the various state ballot measures that were also part of the Nov. 8 midterm elections could require changes to employers’ policies and procedures.” Full Article – Jackson Lewis
The Speak Out Act–New Law Implements Limits on Confidentiality and Non-disparagement Provisions “On Nov. 16, 2022, the House passed the “Speak Out Act,” which President Biden is expected to sign into law. The Act limits the enforceability of pre-dispute nondisclosure and non-disparagement provisions relating to disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment.” Full Article – Kramer, Levin, Naftails & Frankel
Bankruptcy Doesn’t Shield Employees From WARN Act Layoff Notice Requirements – Unless An Exception Applies “Layoffs often accompany corporate bankruptcy, and employers should be aware of the legal obligations that impact mass layoffs and plant closures. Most notably, the federal WARN Act requires employers to notify the workforce of a mass layoff, a temporary shutdown, or a closure of all or part of a business.” Full Article – Levenfeld Pearlstein
Keeping Up Your Guard: Employee Fraud Warning Signs and Steps to Protect the Business “While hybrid working offers many recognized benefits, it has also given rise to significant ongoing challenges for businesses. One of those, which we discussed at our Hybrid Working Confidential breakfast session earlier this week, is the enhanced risk of employee fraud and data security breaches as a result of a large number of staff working from home, pursuant to their employer’s hybrid working policy.” Full Article – Fox Williams
Quiet Quitting and Today’s Workforce Challenges “The American workforce is in crisis, buffeted by one challenge after another – some recent, and some, like demographic changes, that have been building for decades. At a recent employment law seminar – our first in-person employment program since 2019 – Pierce Atwood brought together clients from health care, higher education, accounting, the nonprofit sector, and other industries to discuss both short- and long-term solutions to these challenges.” Full Article – Pierce Atwood
An Employer’s Guide to the World Cup “Although professional soccer does not drive quite the same amount of interest among the U.S. populace as, say, football (Go Ravens!) or basketball, the World Cup is still one of the major sporting events in the world – and there are likely many employees who are following it rather closely. And unlike last time in 2018, the U.S. team has qualified for the tournament, so there may be some patriotism at play here. So we thought we might offer employers some guidance on World Cup issues in the workplace.” Full Article – Shawe Rosenthal
STATE & INTERNATIONAL COMPLIANCE
In addition to the RISQ Review, RISQ Consulting also provides a resource that features changes and updates to State and International Compliance measures. We’ve included brief summaries of each item below, and also provided links to the original articles if you’d like to read further.
WASHINGTON D.C.
D.C. Voters Pass Initiative 82– Phasing Out Tipped Minimum Wage by 2027
“On November 8, 2022, Washington D.C. voters overwhelmingly passed Initiative 82 or the “District of Columbia Tip Credit Elimination Act.” As a result, the tip credit for D.C. tipped wage workers will be gradually phased out by 2027, at which time employers must pay their tipped employees the applicable D.C. minimum wage rate and eliminate the use of any tip credit.” Full Article
– Littler Mendelson
CALIFORNIA
2023 California Minimum Wage Update
“The start of the new year will bring many changes to California’s state and local minimum wage laws. California employers would be wise to take note of the following changes—set to take effect on January 1, 2023—that will impact both non-exempt and exempt employees.” Full Article
– Davis Wright Tremaine
MISSOURI
Missouri Voters Approve Legalization of Recreational Marijuana- What Employers Need to Know
“On November 8, 2022, citizens of Missouri voted to amend the Missouri Constitution, making the cultivation, sale and use of recreational marijuana legal under certain circumstances. The approval of Amendment 3 follows the passage of Amendment 2 in 2018, legalizing the production and sale of medical marijuana throughout Missouri.” Full Article
– Worklaw Network
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave Publishes 2023 Workplace Poster, Workforce Notifications and Rate Sheets
“On November 15, 2022 the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) published its 2023 Paid Family and Medical Leave (“PFML”) workforce notifications, including the poster, notices, and rate sheets, all available here.” Full Article
– Morgan, Brown and Joy
ILLINOIS
Labor–Friendly “Workers’ Rights Amendment’ Passes in Illinois
“The Illinois Constitution Amendment 1 (commonly referred to as the “Workers’ Rights Amendment”) has received enough votes to secure its passage. Citizens of Illinois voted on the Amendment on November 8, 2022, but delays in tabulating the votes resulted in a formal announcement on November 16, 2022 of the Amendment’s passage.” Full Article
– Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff
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