Resources

ERISA Fidelity Bonds

FIDELITY BOND BASICS A fidelity bond protects the employee benefit plan against losses due to fraud or dishonesty. A fidelity bond must name (or identify)…

Performance Review Trends in 2019

What does the term “performance review” mean to you? To many people, it means sitting down at the end of the year with a manager…

Welcome 2019 Interns!

We’re excited to welcome our 2019 internship class! This years intern class includes students from Millikin University, Illinois State University, University of WI – Whitewater,…

Must Love Animals

This month our Chicago office visited PAWS Chicago. Our visit started with an introduction to the organization and its mission. PAWs is doing amazing work!…

How Can Employers Prepare for the Growing Legalization of Cannabis?

The legalization of cannabis continues to grow across the United States with Michigan’s recent entry as the 10th state to join on suit for recreational…

HHS Moves for More Drug Price Transparency

Beginning in May of last year, the Trump administration began searching for ways to curb out- of-control prescription drug costs—referring to the initiative as American Patients First.…

Marijuana in the Workplace

Marijuana, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating it has a high potential…

Drive Down Workload with Professional Safety Consulting Services

Replacing hazardous substances with less hazardous alternatives reduces risk and cost associated with OSHA compliance. A Horton client in Wisconsin requested assistance to evaluate compliance…

The C-Suite of Corporate Education

Do You know the True Advantages of Learning Management? If you are an organization that does not currently utilize a learning management system (LMS), you…

OSHA Electronic Recordkeeping – Update

Constantly changing dates for submission of data to OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application (ITA) has created confusion for many employers. The deadline for submission of information…

6 HR Trends to Monitor in 2019

A new year brings new issues for HR professionals to contend with. Some challenges are similar to previous years (overtime uncertainty), while others are more…

CMS Focuses on Improving Nursing Home Safety

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shared a new initiative aimed at improving nursing home safety. The move comes after increased pressure…

2019 Health Plan Compliance Deadlines

Employers must comply with numerous reporting and disclosure requirements throughout the year in connection with their group health plans. This Compliance Overview explains key 2019…

Will We See New Federal Overtime Rules in March?

By Carlos Arévalo, Partner at SmithAmundsen LLC Last Fall, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it intended to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)…

Illinois Appellate Court Ruling Sheds Light On Triggering Event For Insurance Coverage On Public Sector Claims

By Ryan Taylor, Partner at Tressler LLP An Illinois Appellate Court recently ruled that the Circuit Court of Cook County erred in dismissing a complaint and…

New Prime vs. Oliveira Supreme Court Decision: What Fleet Owners Need to Do Now to Avoid Litigation

Unanimous Supreme Court decision gives independent contractor owner/operators options when it comes to employment conflicts. Institute these four best practices to reduce exposures for your…

5 Steps to Starting a Cyber Response Plan

Most organizations have some form of data protection in place. While these protections are critical for minimizing the damages caused by a breach, they don’t…

A Reflection on Deploying E-Learning Practices in Open Enrollment, Today

Whether you are a small, privately owned business or a large, publicly-traded company with global operations, there is one time of year that proves stressful…

Are you prepared in case you get stranded in your vehicle?

According to the Department of Transportation, 22% of all vehicle crashes and 16% of the fatalities – in the U.S. – are due to severe weather…

Surviving the Chill: Top Tips for Preparing Your Home for Record Low Temperatures

When freezing temperatures are forecasted, safeguarding your home becomes a top priority. Our comprehensive guide will arm you with crucial knowledge and effective strategies to…

Drive Down Risk Through a Partnership with a Qualified Safety Consulting Firm

Effective safety programs are one of the best ways to reduce the risk and cost of preventable accidents. The relationship between two businesses requires the…

Drive Down Risk Through Stop Work Authority

Avoiding injury requires empowerment of all employees to stop work when significant hazards are identified. Stop work authority is a safety program where all employees…

Another Fortune 500 Company Falls Victim to CyberCrime

By Tony Hopkins, CPCU, CIC, CRM Lessons from Marriott’s Starwood Database Hack In late November, another major brand, Marriott, made headlines for a recent cyber-attack. According…

Emergency Response Safety for Schools

Most school districts and individual schools have emergency management plans in place. However, they are not always practiced regularly, coordinated with community resources, updated regularly…