For businesses of all sizes and across all sectors, last year presented significant new and existing challenges. Many widespread conditions that emerged during the first years of the pandemic continued to affect operational stability while rising inflation and the threat of recession created increased market turmoil. Additionally, Russia’s war on Ukraine accelerated commercial instability on a global scale.
Workplace norms and standards are rapidly shifting. To keep pace, most modern business owners share a common goal of creating and maintaining safe, equitable workplaces for all. Yet even the most ethical employers who adhere to best employment practices can be sued by workers who believe their legal rights as employees have been violated. Today, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) has become an important part of the risk management strategy for businesses of every size.
EIG: What brought you to Eastern Insurance?
Workers’ Compensation insurance (“workers’ comp”) covers the cost of medical bills and lost wages when employees are injured or sickened at work. Nearly every state requires businesses with one or more employees to carry it. Workers’ comp is a crucial part of every employer’s strategy for keeping employees safe when they are on the job, even as the definition of “on the job” is changing. Long before the pandemic pushed it to the mainstream, remote work among white collar workers was on the rise.
In April 2020 when the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic erupted, the U.S. shed nearly 21 million jobs. Analysts at the time forecasted a difficult climb back - yet two years later the biggest workforce challenge facing the U.S. economy is not joblessness, but persistent labor shortages that cut across market sectors. In fact, The U.S.
Each year, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases their list of the top 10 most common safety violations to help bring awareness and prevention to hazards in the workplace.
Frigid temperatures, snowstorms, icy roadways and surfaces, and strong winds are all a product of New England winters. These conditions present hazards to everyone, not the least of which are employees who spend a significant part of their workday outside. From illness to injuries, exposure, and even fatalities, it’s important for employers to take necessary precautions to protect them.
Whether you just made your first big purchase and need to obtain an auto insurance policy, or you’ve been working with your local agent for decades, there is a lot of insurance jargon written into your policy that you may not be familiar with. The first step in understanding your coverage and making sure it fully suits your needs is to learn the language.
Whether you’re starting your own small business from scratch or growing a side hustle into a larger business, it’s essential that you understand your insurance options. On average, less than half of all small businesses (500 employees or fewer) will survive beyond five years.