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According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 10% of America's workers are dependent on one substance or another. Another found that 22.5% of respondents admitted to using drugs or alcohol during work hours. The most common substance used during working hours is cannabis.

For employers, the costs are great if they have someone on staff who has a substance-abuse problem. It behooves them to ensure that the group health plan they offer their workers is comprehensive amid this growing problem. Here's what your plans should cover for your staff.

Employment background checks are not just for executive-level management. A thorough background check should be performed to avoid making any assumptions about an employee's history.

To help you get started, here are some essentials of a complete background check:.

After an employee is injured on the job, recuperation times can vary, but every day they are away from work, the claim cost increases and your productivity suffers. 

By implementing a program that offers a good incentive to return, you can reduce the risk of paying more benefits than necessary. Here's what to do.

Employers and employees can use handbooks as communication tools. If a handbook is written carefully, it can help establish expectations for workers and describe what they can expect from the employer. Also, handbooks are important legal tools.

They outline rights that employees are required to be informed of, and they also outline the legal rights of employers when it comes to termination and other issues.

To make sure your handbook covers all the bases, you'll want to follow these tips. 

Many people love their RV, particularly if they have the luxury of being able to hit the road for weeks at a time to far-flung places around the country. But when it comes to insurance, it's often an afterthought.

Typically, RV owners will just add their motor home to their personal auto policy, but that can leave them with significant coverage gaps, particularly if they stay in their vehicle for large amounts of time. Here's the danger of relying on a standard auto policy to cover your RV.

Fed-OSHA is getting closer to releasing proposed language for a heat illness prevention standard.

The news comes as our summers get hotter and more parts of the country regularly battle sweltering heat waves, it's imperative that employers take steps to protect their outdoor workers. 

Here's what you can expect from OSHA's rulemaking and how you can get started on a heat illness prevention plan to protect workers today.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, legislators and business groups have struck an agreement to reform a law that has become a costly thorn in the side of employers operating in the state, the Private Attorneys General Act.

The deal averts a showdown over a business-backed initiative slated to be on the November ballot that would repeal the law outright. The reform legislation seeks to keep the law intact while limiting frivolous litigation by allowing employers to make things right after a PAGA action has been filed. Here's what's going on.

Changes are once again coming to Fed-OSHA's Hazardous Communications Standard, which governs the handling of chemicals and other dangerous substances.

OSHA's final rule, which takes effect July 19, 2024, will bring the standard in line with the latest update to the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Affected firms will have to update any alternative workplace labeling as well as their HazCom program, and provide any additional employee training for newly identified physical, health or other hazards. Compliance deadlines are staggered.

Insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Part D (drug) plans are likely to raise their rates by more than usual for 2025 as a number of factors have increased their claims costs.

Health care is suffering from the same inflation as we've seen in our personal lives as hospitals are hit with higher costs for materials, wages and operating expenses in general. Additionally, big changes are coming to Part D plans, that are good news for seniors who use a lot of medications, but will also drive up premiums.

Here's a look into the Medicare crystal ball for 2025.

Experts estimate that about $60 billion is lost annually due to Medicare fraud. 

Since Medicare fraud can affect any senior, it is beneficial to be proactive about preventing it. Here's how you can do that.

Finding a retirement community that is right for you can be tricky. After all, people move to retirement communities for many different reasons: to be free of the responsibilities associated with home ownership, for a change in climate, to pursue interests like golf, to be near family and friends, for companionship (because they are single, divorced or widowed), or because they want to live where the medical help they need will be readily available.

Here's a primer on how to make the best choice for your situation.

When you're shopping for a Medigap insurance policy, it can be tempting to focus on one number: The monthly premium. For several reasons, however, it is wise to consider various factors.