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A recent federal court decision has vacated key portions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's 2024 harassment guidance related to gender identity and sexual orientation.

While the ruling injects uncertainty into federal enforcement practices, it does not eliminate all legal protections for employees, nor does it give employers a free pass to ignore related compliance concerns.

As America's workforce ages, employers are facing a shift in the cost and complexity of workplace injuries. While older employees bring experience, reliability and institutional knowledge, they also tend to file more expensive and longer-lasting workers' compensation claims.

New data reveals that employees aged 60 and older saw the highest increase in new workers' compensation claims between 2020 and 2024. These claims are 35% more costly than those filed by younger workers, and recovery periods are on average nine days longer. If you have older workers in your ranks, you may want to take extra steps to ensure their safety and manage their claims if they are injured.

As the Trump administration returns to aggressive tariff strategies, business owners across the country are once again bracing for impact. On-again, off-again tariffs aimed at key trade partners like China, Mexico and Canada are creating a volatile environment where forecasting costs, securing materials and delivering products on time are increasingly difficult.

The unpredictability of these policies is creating ripple effects through global supply chains, threatening many businesses' margins, operational stability and customer relationships.

In today's increasingly connected world, cyber threats are no longer just a problem for businesses — individuals are also increasingly being targeted by online scammers and malicious criminals.

The average household now contains over 20 internet-connected devices, from smartphones and laptops to smart TVs, baby monitors and voice assistants, all of them vulnerable entry points for hackers who aim to steal data, hold digital assets hostage or commit financial fraud.

For companies that rely on fleets of vehicles to deliver goods, transport equipment or provide services, distracted driving is a risk that can pose an existential threat to the company.

Collisions resulting from inattentive driving can lead to serious injuries, costly vehicle damage and insurance rate hikes or cancellations. Preventing distracted driving is not only the right thing to do for your drivers' and the public's safety but also essential for protecting a company's bottom line.

With today's volatile markets, many people are anxious about having control of their money and easy access to cash.

Whole life insurance can address their concerns, providing living benefits for today and death benefit protection for the future through a provision known as "living benefits." If you have a permanent life insurance policy such as whole life that has accumulated a cash value, you may be able to borrow against it.

Here's how you can borrow accumulated funds in your policy for emergencies, investments or vacations.

There is one choice you have to make when you first become eligible for Medicare that can cost you if you don't act in a timely manner: signing up for a Part D plan, which covers drugs dispensed at pharmacies.

Those who do not enroll in a Part D plan (or a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage) when they are first eligible for Medicare may face a penalty unless they already carry equal or greater coverage from a private entity, like an employer health plan. The Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty is a surcharge added to your monthly Part D premium for life.

In response to rapidly rising pharmaceutical costs and new legislation, some Medicare Part D insurers have been raising rates, removing certain drugs from their list of covered medicines and even discontinuing plans, according to a report.

While insurers have been slowly dropping Part D plans over the last five years, they have stepped up the pace for 2025. There are 464 stand-alone Part D plans available nationwide this year, a 35% decrease from 2024 and the lowest number since the program began in 2006.

Here's what's going on and what you should do to ensure you still have access to your preferred medications.

Millions of seniors with Medicare Part D plans could see lower out-of-pocket costs for some drugs thanks to the second round of federal drug price negotiations now underway.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is currently negotiating prices for 15 additional high-cost drugs, with new prices scheduled to take effect in January 2027. While Part D plan insurers will reap the most benefits of lower-priced pharmaceuticals, beneficiaries may end up paying less out of pocket before their deductible kicks in.

What drugs are on the list and who might they benefit?

Being predisposed to developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease is something many adults worry about.

However, experts say that it could be possible to delay the progression of these diseases by taking steps to improve our health, particularly for individuals who have diabetes, are obese and/or smoke.

Studies show that taking steps to address these factors — dropping weight, improving blood-sugar levels or quitting smoking — can significantly reduce the chances of developing dementia or Alzheimer's. There are also other ways Americans can keep their minds active and help prevent the development of these two diseases. 

The state is working on new regulations that will toughen enforcement of defensible space around homes in areas at risk of wildfires.

The current round of rulemaking by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is on Zone 0 — the area that stretches from the physical building out to five feet. Under legislation passed in 2022, the board is required to complete its rulemaking for Zone 0 by the end of 2025. If you live in an area that is susceptible to wildfires, you'll want to read this.

Driving at night is more dangerous, even though there is often less traffic than during daylight hours. In fact, nighttime crashes are three times more fatal than those that occur during the day. We don't see as well in the dark, glare from streetlights can sometimes make it harder to see and there are more drunk drivers on the road.

But sometimes we have no choice but to drive at night. In those cases, consider these tips to reduce your chances of getting into an accident.