UA Blog
IRS Lowers 2022 Employer Health Plan Affordability Threshold to 9.61% of Pay Cost-Sharing
The IRS announced that employer-sponsored health coverage will satisfy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affordability requirement next year if the lowest-cost, self-only coverage option an employer offers does not exceed 9.61 percent of an employee’s income. The threshold in 2021 was 9.83 percent. It had risen from 9.78 percent in 2020.
Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers: Using Generational Understanding to Hire & Keep Your Best People
If you didn’t get a chance to view our recent presentation at the ACRC Conference in Ft Lauderdale last month, featuring Chris Stickney and Levi Gelineau, it was very informative and helpful for our audiences. We hope you will take the opportunity to watch our presentation on YouTube.
Important Notice: 2020 Anthem Small Group MLR Rebates Mailed at the End of August
What is MLR? The medical loss ratio provision of the ACA encourages health plans to spend most of the premium dollars they collect on healthcare costs rather than overhead. It’s a ratio of insurance premiums to claims costs and is usually expressed as a percentage....
There is No End in Sight in the Fight Over How Uber/Lyft Classify Their Workers
Yahoo Finance Tech – A judge this week struck down a California ballot initiative championed by Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash that let companies treat so-called gig workers as contractors rather than employees. But the battle between labor advocates and those companies could rage on for years, experts say.
How COVID is Affecting Mental Health: Younger Generations Hit the Hardest
Gen Z and millennial employees have been struggling more with their mental health than older generations during the pandemic. The Standard found that 71% of Gen Z and 59% of millennial employees have reported a mental health issue during the pandemic, compared to 36% of Gen X and 22% of baby boomers.
Best Economy Cars for 2021 & 2022
The short answer is an economy car is an automobile that is designed for low cost purchase and operation. Typical economy cars are small, light weight, and inexpensive to buy. Economy car designers are forced by stringent design constraints to be inventive. According to Edmunds, the most economical cars are those that consume the least amount of fuel. These are typically vehicles with hybrid powertrains. Hybrids can generate and store electricity for use while driving by harvesting the forces created during braking, or by siphoning small amounts of engine power.
Hospitals are Required to Transparently Post Their Prices Online, But Are We Actually Seeing Them?
Many hospitals around the country have started sharing their prices online in compliance with a recent federal rule. Price variations are supposed to be available in stark black and white under a Trump administration price transparency rule that took effect at the start of this year. It requires hospitals to post a range of actual prices — everything from the rates they offer cash-paying customers to costs negotiated with insurers.
To Recruit & Hire the Class of 2021, You Need to Boost Your Benefits
Companies are facing the tightest labor market seen in decades, so they must compete in the fight for talent, and there is one feature that is often overlooked: employee benefits. The talent shortage the market is currently experiencing means qualified professionals have more choices than ever when it comes to their workplace, which is why companies must find ways to get creative with benefits and stand out from the competition. However, while many companies are offering sign-on bonuses, increased salaries or flashy perks to win over talent, meaningful benefits can outweigh them all.
Can a Drought Cause Damage to My Home? Does Insurance Cover It?
Droughts can be caused by a number of different factors and impact our communities, businesses, and lives in a number of ways. Fires, climate and weather changes are the biggest contributing factors. Prolonged droughts can have devastating economic consequences, especially farming and agriculture, which affects the economy as a whole. But beyond the large scale damage, droughts can have a much more personal and direct impact on California homeowners. The effects of a severe drought aren’t just limited to farmland – they can reach right up to your home’s door step, or more specifically, “beneath” your home!
Webinar, July 13th: NEW Long Term Care Mandate for Washington Residents
New for 2022 is the Washington State Mandate for the WA Cares Fund (formerly the LTC Trust Act) which creates a publicly funded, long-term care benefit providing a basic level of long-term care for working Washington residents. In this webinar, we will cover the following aspects of this new mandate and how it affect Washington residents and beyond.
Getting Ready to Hit the Water? Be Sure Your Boat & Water Toys are Covered!
Summer is upon us! After the year we’ve all had, it’s no wonder people are out in droves – planning vacations, making travel arrangements, and in particular, boarding their boats! But before you jump head-first into the water, be sure you have the proper insurance coverage!
Changes in California: Webinar – Top 10 Revisions to COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules for Employers
After months of calls for modification to Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), California is about to adopt significant changes to the standard in light of the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the proliferation of vaccinations. State officials...
Webinar, June 8th: Post Pandemic Hiring: Top 10 Tips
Please join us on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 10:30AM to 11AM (PDT) for our next webinar: “Post Pandemic Hiring: Top 10 Tips.” In this webinar, Sabrina Baker, CEO of Acacia HR Solutions will be discussing the unique situation companies are facing right now recruiting and hiring in a post pandemic world. Lack of talent, rising wages and an intensely competitive market make recruiting more challenging than it has been in years.
California Motorcycle Enthusiasts: Enjoy the Spring! But Make Sure You’re Properly Insured
Ah, the great outdoors. There’s nothing like Springtime in California. Scenic coastal rides overlooking the ocean… or mountain trips taking in the new spring blooms filled with color and radiance. The weather is still cool, yet warming up and absolutely beautiful. But, don’t forget those California requirements. You need the right motorcycle coverage and United Agencies can help get you the best insurance policy available for.
Labor Shortages, Jobless Benefits and Traversing the Road to Recovery
While the global spread of the coronavirus has resulted in staggering damage to the economy and businesses around the world, hiring is still a top priority for many organizations. Talent acquisition is more important than ever, but it looks very different today in the “new normal” landscape we find ourselves in.
Webinar, May 4th: The Great Disruption & its Aftermath: Economic Outlook Post-Pandemic, Post-Elections
Join us for a big picture perspective from Dr. Mira Farka on how the pandemic affected (and continues) to affect the economy, and how we are looking toward a brighter future through a V(accine) shaped recovery. While our short term outlook includes vaccines, government support, the grand re-opening, and a resilient recovery, we also have to consider the risks: inflation, asset bubbles, and federal debt.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, An Issue that Continues to Plague U.S Roads & Highways
The latest statistics are in. Distracted driving, commonly referred to as the “hangover effect,” is a lasting mental distraction that continues up to 27 seconds after a driver uses their mobile device, even while stopped at a red light, stop sign, or while their vehicle is parked.
Webinar, Tues. Apr. 13, 2021: New CA COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
Please join us on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 10AM to 11AM (PDT) as we cover California’s newly enacted SB 95, which dramatically extends and expands employers’ obligation to provide supplemental paid sick leave to employees impacted by COVID-19.
Using the New Mercury Insurance App Keeps You Connected 24/7
Just as a quick reminder, you can download the new Mercury App, which puts you “in the
driver seat” 24/7. The new app is easy to use and makes staying connected effortless.
Important Facts to Know About the NEW COBRA Subsidy
The recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) contains a number of financial aid measures to help Americans coping with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a 100% subsidy of COBRA continuation coverage premiums for a period of up to six months. The subsidy provisions are set forth at Title IX, Subsection F of ARPA, Section 9501, titled “Preserving health benefits for workers.” The following fast facts on the COBRA subsidy will help employers prepare for more detailed guidance and model notices that are soon to follow from the Department of Labor.
