December 30, 2025 Workers compensation has been one of the few lines of commercial insurance coverage where buyers haven’t been hit with significant increases over the past seven years, a trend set to continue in some states. In November, Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky approved a 6.9% rate cut for policies incepting after Jan. 1, 2026. That followed a 1% decrease the state approved  last year. The story about the approval of the 2026 decrease was the second-most

December 29, 2025 Washington — OSHA issued seven  letters of interpretation  in 2025 to help “ensure the consistent and transparent application of federal workplace safety and health standards.” The first of the letters addresses  permit-required confined spaces . The others  cover situations including: Powered industrial truck training programs Software for OSHA  recordkeeping Engineering controls for benzene and 1,3 butadiene Stair angle and tread depth requirements “From c

December 23, 2025 A baking company's worker classification strategy backfired when a federal court saw through it Federal court shuts down employer strategy of forcing workers to form corporations as workaround to employment law protections.   In a decision handed down December 22, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that employers cannot dodge employment protections simply by requiring workers to create corporations and sign contracts throug

December 19, 2025 Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules require employers to report qualifying employee deaths or hospitalizations to OSHA, and to record such incidents on their OSHA 300 logs. Recently, we had a client with an employee who apparently suffered a non-work-related cardiac event at work and fell from a slightly elevated platform. The employee died at the accident scene, but the employer could not readily determine whether the death was a result of t

December 18, 2025 Resource helps employers identify safety gaps before serious incidents occur. WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The National Safety Council and NCCCO Foundation have launched a free tool to help employers eliminate serious incidents and fatalities (SIF). The  Organizational Safety Gap Analysis Tool  identifies weaknesses in safety systems before incidents occur. The need is clear. After decades of progress, U.S. workplace fatality rates have plateaued at more than 5,000 a

December 17, 2025 What Do You Think? The exclusivity rule protects employers from injured workers’ negligence lawsuits and from potentially large money judgments. But what if an employer assigns an employee to temporarily work for another company? Can the employee sue the second company if he’s injured? A recent case involving a laborer answers that question. He tripped and fell on a piece of asphalt while excavating and sued the company supervising the work for negligence. P

December 18, 2025 In an increasingly complex regulatory environment, employers may face unannounced visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These visits can take the form of Form I-9 inspections, worksite enforcement actions or inquiries involving individual employees. While such events may be disruptive, having a well-developed workplace response supports legal compliance, protects business operations and promotes employee confidence. Why a response plan matter

December 15, 2025 Overview U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented major changes to Employment Authorization Document (EAD) policies. These updates end the automatic 540‑day extension for most EAD renewals and reduce the maximum EAD validity period to 18 months for certain categories, including adjustment of status applicants, asylum seekers and refugees.   End of Automatic EAD Extensions (Effective October 30, 2025) The Interim Final Rule (IFR), pub

December 12, 20205 In Florida, two recent court rulings and a number of laws enacted in 2025 will directly impact employers. This article summarizes the two cases and the new laws, which address open carry of guns, medical marijuana use by employees, restrictive covenants with employees, workers’ compensation rules, and insurance coverage for fertility preservation services. Quick Hits In 2025, Florida enacted new laws concerning restrictive covenants with employees, workers’

December 11, 2025 A Florida bill demanding all businesses use a federal database to check employees’ immigration status cleared its final House committee Thursday, despite silence from the Senate.   HB 197, co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Berny Jacques and Kiyan Michael, is one of the few bills the House has fast-tracked without a Senate companion. It would expand a 2023 law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to require all employers — not just public businesses and larger priv

December 11, 2025 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Wednesday announced that it has issued seven new interpretation letters aimed at clarifying federal workplace safety and health requirements, part of a wider push by the administration to offer more compliance guidance to employers.   The letters, released this week, provide official explanations of how OSHA standards apply in specific workplace situations, ranging from confined-space hazards to recordkeep

December 10, 2025 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today that it has issued seven letters of interpretation to ensure the consistent and transparent application of federal workplace safety and health standards. As part of the Trump Administration's broader emphasis on compliance assistance, OSHA's letters of interpretation provide official explanations of the agency's requirements and how they apply to specifi