Blog
Ridgemark Insurance Services
Trends Pushing Auto Insurance Rates Higher
Automobile insurance companies are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of collision insurance claims, and that's forcing them to raise rates at a steady clip. In 2019, the industry paid out $62.6 billion in losses for damage to personal vehicles and $5.4...
How the L.A. Fires May Affect Your Commercial Property Insurance
The fires that have ravaged large swaths of homes and businesses in Los Angeles are likely to significantly alter the California commercial property insurance market. Policyholders may need to brace themselves for surging premiums, policy non-renewals and uncertainty....
It’s Time to Post Your OSHA Form 300A
Employers with 10 or more employees must post their completed OSHA Form 300A by Feb. 1 and keep it posted in their workplace until April 30. The form must be posted where the company usually posts other employee notices, like minimum wage and workplace safety notices....
Many Group Health Plan Users Make Costly Mistakes
Employees who are unfamiliar with how to access care using their group health insurance can inflate your plan costs and how much they pay out of pocket. Those who may not use their health plan much, or at all, may end up going to the emergency room for an issue that...
Employee Surveillance Doesn’t Boost Productivity, but Breeds Resentment: Study
As more people have been working remotely over the last few years, some employers have turned to employee-tracking software to ensure that these staff are working while on the clock, and to boost productivity. Tools like activity monitors and locations trackers,...
Protect Outdoor Workers in Areas Affected by Wildfire Smoke
Cal/OSHA has issued a warning to employers located near the Los Angeles fires to take steps to protect their outdoor workers against unhealthy air quality. Wildfire smoke contains a number of harmful pollutants but the main danger to anyone outside in smoky conditions...
A New Cyber Security Threat Businesses Cannot Ignore
An allegedly Chinese state-sponsored hacker campaign dubbed "Salt Typhoon" has infiltrated major cell phone providers, including AT&T and Verizon, potentially exposing your company's communications to threat actors. The attack has been described as the most...
AB 5 Exemption for Construction Trucking Operators Expires
A temporary exemption that construction trucking providers had enjoyed from the controversial AB 5 law, sunsetted on Dec. 31. AB 5, which took effect in 2021, created a higher standard for determining who is a worker or a contractor in California. This expiration will...
Top 10 New Laws and Regulations Affecting California Employers Part 2
6. PAGA reform In July 2024, Gov. Newsom signed into law two measures aimed at curbing rampant abuse of the Private Attorney General Act, which has become a costly thorn in the side of businesses in California. PAGA allows workers who allege they have suffered...
Top 10 New Laws and Regulations Affecting California Employers Part 1
With 2025 now upon us, so is a slew of new laws and regulations that will affect California businesses. Every year, laws passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor take effect, and 2024 was a busy legislative session in Sacramento. The end...