At the end of the calendar year, workplace holiday celebrations are an experience that many employees look forward to as a highlight of the season. These celebrations are often a long-standing tradition allowing employees to celebrate with their colleagues—and sometimes family and guests.
However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations are evaluating how to engage employees safely this holiday season. Employers find themselves tasked with deciding whether they should cancel, postpone or offer an amended celebration that prioritizes safety—with many choosing to offer a virtual holiday party.
Virtual holiday parties can help increase employee engagement—but also come with a set of challenges. In addition to concerns regarding the coronavirus, holiday events can carry a financial cost and create risks for organizations if employees participate in inappropriate behaviors. This article gives an overview of virtual holiday parties and offers ideas and considerations for employers planning a virtual celebration.
According to firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. who conducts annual workplace holiday party surveys, most employers are either canceling their party altogether or hosting it virtually this holiday season. Their annual survey found that:
These findings show that, while holiday parties are generally popular, employers are adapting to address current realities. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to offering a year-end celebration during the COVID-19 pandemic, and employers have a variety of options to engage their employees safely.
Holiday parties can impact employees in a variety of ways. Specifically, these events can boost:
Additionally, holiday parties can give employees a break from the standard workday and even serve as an informal meeting to discuss next year’s goals and instill company values.
How an organization chooses to celebrate varies by workplace, but employers considering a virtual event may find that many of the shared experiences of a year-end celebration can take place in a remote environment.
A virtual environment won’t always fully replicate the in-person experience that many employees have come to expect for celebrations. Despite this, with careful planning, employers can still plan a virtual event that satisfies employees. Similar to when planning an in-person celebration, there are steps employers will want to take, which include:
Factors such as a budget and how you intend to engage employees may influence what type of celebration makes sense for your organization. Holiday celebrations often involve a variety of activities, and the good news is that many of these can be offered virtually via online platforms or video chat. Examples of virtual holiday celebrations include:
These are some ideas for employers to consider and may require some advance planning. For example, in some cases, employers may choose to provide party supplies for the employee, which would require gathering and shipping those items to each employees’ home before the celebration. Or, employers may need to prepare a list of trivia questions or instructions for guided activities, such as the online escape room.
When it comes to planning for virtual holiday events, employers can consider planning the activity internally or using providers or vendors that specialize in event planning.
Generally, holiday parties carry a cost, and diverting funds to throwing a celebration may not be an option, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although employees may be disappointed due to not being able to participate in a holiday party, employers can lift their spirits in other ways.
Many employees may appreciate a gift or form of recognition as a replacement for their prized holiday party. Alternative methods for recognizing employees can include:
As many organizations encounter financial restraints, holiday celebrations are not a requirement by any means. However, it’s important to consider showing appreciation for employees in some way to boost engagement and morale.
Workplace holiday parties can present a host of liabilities for organizations each year. While virtual celebrations won’t take place at a physical venue, employers should still proceed cautiously. Employees joining an event remotely aren’t immune from engaging in inappropriate behaviors. Holiday parties can remain a risk for employers—but employers can mitigate undesirable outcomes by planning effectively. Best practices include:
These best practices help mitigate the risk of employees engaging in inappropriate behaviors and best ensure that employees have a positive experience.
While holiday celebrations can positively impact a workplace culture—there is also a case for forgoing a celebration. In addition to safety concerns, these events may have a financial cost, and holiday parties can present risks for employers, such as employees engaging in inappropriate behaviors. While virtual events may be able to mitigate common concerns such as excessive alcohol consumption that can lead to inappropriate behaviors, employers should know that poor behaviors can also take place in the virtual environment.
Employers who typically host an annual celebration, but are choosing not to do so this year, should consider explaining to employees why throwing a holiday party isn’t feasible. While some employees will be disappointed in this decision, they’ll still appreciate the sincerity and transparency.
As the end of the year approaches, employers find themselves torn between postponing, canceling or hosting a holiday celebration using safe practices. Employers should consider what type of celebration makes sense for their organization, even if that means not having one this year.
For additional employee engagement resources, contact AHERN Insurance Brokerage.
This article is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice.
© 2020 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
When Cyber Attacks like data breaches and hacks occur, they can result in devastating damage. Businesses suffering from a Cyber Attack can suddenly find themselves in the position of having to deal with business disruptions, lost revenue and litigation.
Unfortunately, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a 400% increase in Cyber Attacks, resulting in 4,000 Cyber Attacks every day.
(Source: Federal Bureau of Investigations)
It is important to remember that no organization is immune to the impact of Cyber Crime. This webinar will show how Cybersecurity and Cyber Insurance work together to make organizations more resilient to Cyber Risks.
TITLE | What’s a Risk? Cyber Threats During COVID-19
PRESENTER | Adam Abresch, CIC, CCIC, CLCS | Acrisure Cyber Practice Leader
DATE | Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
TIME | 11AM to 12PM PDT
COST | FREE!
By attending this webinar, you will learn:
-What’s at risk for your business
-How these attacks are occurring
-What these attacks can cost a company
(Please Note: This webinar does not count towards MCLE credit.)
AHERN Insurance Brokerage is a proud agency partner of Acrisure, a top 10 global insurance broker. Our relationship with Acrisure allows us to provide our clients access to policies, resources, and expertise often outside the reach of stand-alone agencies. Along with competitive pricing, our service is backed by dedicated, local customer service.
High-profile cyber attacks on companies such as Target have raised awareness of the growing threat of cyber crime. Recent surveys conducted by the U.S. Small Business Administration suggest that many small business owners are still operating under a false sense of cyber security based on their company’s size.
When it comes to cyber attacks, small does not equate with safe. In fact, a cyber attack could be even more detrimental to a small business than to a large corporation. The National Cyber Security Alliance reports that 60 percent of small and mid-sized businesses go out of business within six months of an attack.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, costs related to ransomware demands and damages is estimated to reach $20 billion per year by 2021. Can your company afford the costs, loss of productivity, and public relations fallout associated with a cyber attack?
Start Simple
Even if you don’t currently have the resources to bring in an outside expert to test your computer systems and make security recommendations, you should take action to help reduce your risk of falling victim to a cyber attack.
Cyber Support
AHERN Insurance Brokerage can help you develop cyber coverage and protocols to keep your business on track. Please contact us discuss your specific needs and concerns so we can update your cyber preparedness. You can also call (800) 282-9786 to speak with an AHERN Professional or complete this online application to receive a no-obligation quote for Cyber Liability insurance.
AHERN Insurance Brokerage is a proud agency partner of Acrisure, a top 10 global insurance broker. Our relationship with Acrisure allows us to provide our clients access to policies, resources, and expertise often outside the reach of stand-alone agencies. Along with competitive pricing, our service is backed by dedicated, local customer service.
At AHERN Insurance Brokerage, we are dedicated to keeping you up-to-date and informed when critical notifications (such as these) directly impact you, your clients, and your business.
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed two bills into law: SB1159 and AB685. These place immediate requirements on California employers and will remain effective from September 17, 2020 through January 1, 2023.
Please review this information carefully as these obligations carry severe administrative penalties (up to $10,000) for failure to comply.
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Earlier this year, the Governor released Executive Order N-62-20. This provided criteria for how to handle cases of COVID-19 if an employee claims they contracted the virus while performing their job. It also created a “rebuttable” presumption for COVID-19, which means the claim of becoming infected while performing one’s job stands unless the employer has other evidence that the infection took place outside of work.
The Governor’s newest bill, SB1159, extended this “rebuttable” presumption until 1/1/2023. Another critical component of this bill requires California employers to report all known (or reasonably known) Employee positive tests for COVID-19 to their claims administrator. This obligation applies even if the employee is not making an allegation of workplace exposure.
For Positive Tests on (or after) September 17, 2020
ALL OF THE FOLLOWING must be reported directly to your current workers’ compensation carrier within 3 business days of being notified that your employee tested positive for COVID-19:
1. TEST RESULT: Report that an employee tested positive. Do not identify the employee by name unless the employee claims the infection was work-related.
2. DATE: Report the date the employee tested positive. This is the date the test was taken.
3. ADDRESS: Include the address of the specific place(s) of employment where the infected employee worked during the 14-day period before testing positive.
4. EMPLOYEE TOTAL: First, please take note of the date your employee tested positive. Second, with that date in mind, please note the number of employees who came into work within 45 days before this date. Businesses must report the highest number of employees who came to work (at the same locations where the infected employee worked) in the 45-day period before the infected employee’s last day on-the-job.
For Positive Tests between July 6, 2020 and September 17, 2020
1. TEST AMOUNTS: Report all known positive tests by October 29, 2020.
2. TEST RESULT: Report that an employee tested positive. Do not identify the employee by name unless the employee claims the infection was work-related.
3. DATE: Report the date the employee tested positive. This is the date the test was taken.
4. ADDRESS: Include the address of the specific place(s) of employment where the infected employee worked during the 14-day period before testing positive.
5. EMPLOYEE TOTAL: First, please take note of the date your employee tested positive. Second, with that date in mind, please note the number of employees who came into work within 45 days before this date. Businesses must report the highest number of employees who came to work (at the same locations where the infected employee worked) in the 45-day period before the infected employee’s last day on-the-job.
Please note these regulations only apply to businesses with 5 or more employees. All reports must be done in writing and submitted directly to your current workers’ compensation carrier.
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You also need to be aware of the second bill, Assembly Bill 685. This bill will be effective on January 1, 2021 and requires California businesses to notify their employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 at their worksite within one business day. Additionally, record keeping obligations are included in this bill. We request that employers review this link so that they can review the requirements and take appropriate steps to ensure overall OSHA compliance.
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If you have any questions regarding this important notice, please feel free to contact your AHERN Producer or Account Manager.
We hope that you, your employees, and your families are staying safe during this time.
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AHERN Insurance Brokerage is pleased to share this material with its customers. Please note, however, that nothing in this email communication should be construed as legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for general informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness.
Plan sponsors of group health plans providing prescription drug coverage to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage are required to satisfy certain notice requirements.
Background
Individuals must enroll in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage when first eligible (generally, at age 65). If they do not do so, they are subject to a permanently higher monthly premium when enrolling at a later date. A key exception to this general rule is for individuals who do not enroll when initially eligible because they are enrolled in other prescription drug coverage which is creditable. Coverage is considered creditable if it is at least as good or better than the actuarial value of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. The required notice of creditable coverage (or notice of non-creditable coverage) is designed to help individuals determine the timing of when they must enroll in Medicare Part D.
Determining whether a prescription drug plan is creditable
Generally, prescription drug coverage under an employer group health plan will be creditable. There is a safe harbor method of determining creditable coverage status. The requirements are easily satisfied. However, for qualifying high deductible health plans (HDHPs) offered in connection with a health savings account (HSA), the HDHP may not be creditable unless it is expected to pay, on average, at least 60% of participants’ prescription drug expenses. It may be necessary to obtain actuarial advice to make this determination in connection with an HDHP.
Notice requirements
Penalty for Noncompliance
Fortunately, there is no penalty for employer/plan sponsors who do not comply with the notice requirement. However, if the employer provides retiree prescription drug coverage and claims a subsidy under Medicare Part D (only a minority of employers do so) providing the notice is a precondition to obtaining the subsidy. Even though there is no penalty for noncompliance for most employers, it is still advisable to comply to assist participants in helping them to determine when they need to enroll Medicare Part D.
CMS Reporting
In addition to the participant notice requirement, employer/plan sponsors are also required to disclose to CMS whether their prescription drug coverage is creditable or non-creditable. The disclosure is required on an annual basis within 60 days after the beginning of each plan year. The CMS reporting is electronic. (Visit the below website for more information.)
cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-Coverage/CreditableCoverage/CCDisclosure.html
Click here to download a copy of this AHERN Benefits Brief.
Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and there are a plethora of ways in which attackers can access networks. As protectors of sensitive information, it’s important that law firms are conscious of IT security and take steps to protect themselves from threats.
To learn more about how cyber threats can affect your law firm and steps you can take to mitigate your risk, please register for our webinar, “Cyber Threats – How to Make Your Firm Resilient to Cyber Risk.” In this webinar, you will learn about:
TITLE: Cyber Threats: How to Make Your Firm Resilient to Cyber Risk
PRESENTER: Adam Abresch, CIC, CCIC, CLCS
DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
TIME: 11:45AM to 1:00PM PST
COST: FREE for San Diego ALA Members
In this FREE webinar, you will learn more about:
• The Numbers behind Cyber Risk
• What’s at Risk for your firm
• The Cost of a Cyber Breach
• The Solution
You will also receive a Cyber Risk Exposure Scorecard to better understand where you may be vulnerable to the new reality of cyber criminals.
Cyber awareness and protection is becoming essential for law firms of all sizes and areas of practice. We hope you can join us for a very informative hour!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
As the Cyber Risk Practice Leader at Acrisure, Adam is responsible for designing custom Cyber, Crime and Technology solutions for Acrisure clients across the globe. Adam is also a guest lecturer at Fordham University, Hofstra University and leads Cyber Liability education for over 250 Acrisure Partner Agencies throughout the country.
Adam is a frequent speaker and thought leader on Cyber Risk, including featured presentations at NetDiligence, the Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS) Cyber Conference and the New Jersey and New York City Bar Associations. Adam graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and maintains a Certified Insurance Counselor designation (CIC), Cyber COPE Insurance Certification from Carnegie Mellon/Chubb and was the recipient of NetDiligence’s 2019 Toby Merrill Rising Star Award.
Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and there are a plethora of ways in which attackers can access networks. As protectors of sensitive information, it’s important that law firms are conscious of IT security and take steps to protect themselves from threats.
To learn more about how cyber threats can affect your law firm and steps you can take to mitigate your risk, please register for our webinar, “Cyber Threats – How to Make Your Firm Resilient to Cyber Risk.” In this webinar, you will learn about:
TITLE: Cyber Threats: How to Make Your Firm Resilient to Cyber Risk
PRESENTER: Adam Abresch, CIC, CCIC, CLCS
DATE: Tuesday, September 15, 2020
TIME: 11:30AM to 12:30PM PST
COST: FREE for Golden Gate ALA Members ($18 for Guest of a Golden Gate ALA Member)
In this FREE webinar, you will learn more about:
• The Numbers behind Cyber Risk
• What’s at Risk for your firm
• The Cost of a Cyber Breach
• The Solution
You will also receive a Cyber Risk Exposure Scorecard to better understand where you may be vulnerable to the new reality of cyber criminals.
Cyber awareness and protection is becoming essential for law firms of all sizes and areas of practice. We hope you can join us for a very informative hour!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
As the Cyber Risk Practice Leader at Acrisure, Adam is responsible for designing custom Cyber, Crime and Technology solutions for Acrisure clients across the globe. Adam is also a guest lecturer at Fordham University, Hofstra University and leads Cyber Liability education for over 250 Acrisure Partner Agencies throughout the country.
Adam is a frequent speaker and thought leader on Cyber Risk, including featured presentations at NetDiligence, the Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS) Cyber Conference and the New Jersey and New York City Bar Associations. Adam graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and maintains a Certified Insurance Counselor designation (CIC), Cyber COPE Insurance Certification from Carnegie Mellon/Chubb and was the recipient of NetDiligence’s 2019 Toby Merrill Rising Star Award.
AHERN Insurance Brokerage and Acrisure Compliance Solutions are excited to present the third edition (Sept-Dec) of our webinar series calendar for 2020. These webinars are open to anyone interested in learning more about these topics. Registration links to each webinar are linked below.
Navigating the Complex Landscape of Wellness Programs
Wellness programs encompass a wide variety of benefits and present a particularly challenging set of regulations and requirements for employers. During this webinar, we’ll cover common features of wellness programs, highlight important compliance considerations, and offer tips for tackling some of the trickiest issues.
Speaker: Deborah Hyde, JD
Timely ADA Issues for Employers
The ADA continues to evolve as one of the more complicated components of Human Resources made even more difficult for employers as a result of the pandemic. This webinar will analyze some of the difficult traditional areas of the ADA to administer, as well as some novel issues that only exist as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaker: Jeremy Hertz, JD
2020 ACA Reporting: Preparations for ALEs and Sponsors of Self-Insured Coverage
As employers begin preparing for another year of ACA reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056, we will provide an overview of the reporting requirements, detail the mechanics of the reporting process, cover state-specific reporting requirements, and discuss IRS actions related to these obligations. This webinar is suitable for both experienced employers and employers new to the reporting process.
Speakers: Deborah Hyde, JD and Colleen Gole, JD
HR Considerations for 2021
2020 was a rollercoaster for employers and Human Resources departments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Heading into 2021 there are many issues both immediate and well into the future that will be impacted by the pandemic. However, traditional Human Resources initiatives and strategies are still just as important as they have ever been. This webinar will address both pandemic-related concerns heading into the New Year as well as more traditional initiatives that HR departments should be considering moving forward.
Speaker: Jeremy Hertz, JD
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has released its long-awaited free online sexual harassment prevention training courses. The training courses are available here. Employees must be paid for time spent taking this training.
The Law
California law requires all employers with five or more employees to provide one hour of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to nonsupervisory employees and two hours of training to supervisors and managers once every two years. (Employers with 50 or more employees were already required to provide training to supervisors.) Current employees must receive training by January 1, 2021. Beginning January 1, 2021, new supervisory employees in workplaces of five or more employees must be trained within six months of assuming their supervisory position, and new nonsupervisory employees must be trained within six months of hire.
Employer Requirements
Employers must retain a record of all employees’ training for a minimum of two years. At the end of the training, employees will be able to save, print, take a screenshot, or email their certificate of completion. Make sure employees know how they should save the certificate before they begin.
Employers must also provide employees this poster, this fact sheet, or equivalent information. To learn more about these requirements, please see the DFEH’s Frequently Asked Questions.
Training Will Not Save Progress
The training module will not save an employee’s progress, so if employees refresh or reload a page, they may have to restart from the beginning. Ensure that employees take the training at a time when they can complete it in one sitting and that they are aware that refreshing or reloading could cause them to lose their progress.
If you have any questions or we can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us at (800) 282-9786 or email us at [email protected].
