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HR Compliance Bulletin header image The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law March 11, 2021, provides a 100% subsidy of premiums for employer-sponsored group health insurance continued under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) and similar state continuation of coverage (mini-COBRA) programs.

ARPA subsidies cover the full cost of COBRA or mini-COBRA premiums from April 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021, for employees (and their qualifying family members), if the employee lost or loses group health insurance due to an involuntary job loss or reduction in work hours.

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Risk Insights header image Commercial properties have varying characteristics and a range of fire risks—highlighting the need for sprinkler systems that suit their unique features.

While many properties utilize wet pipe sprinkler systems, which store water within their pipes and distribute it when individual sprinkler heads are activated by exposure to heat, this type of system isn’t a viable option for all buildings. That’s where a dry pipe sprinkler system can help. Instead of water, the system’s pipes are filled with pressurized air or nitrogen. This air keeps a remote valve closed until a fire activates the sprinkler system. After activation, the air exits the pipes—opening the valve and allowing water from the system’s riser to be distributed.

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Risk Insights header image Although small in size, fusible links play a significant role in ensuring the success of various fire suppression fixtures within commercial properties.

Generally speaking, fusible links—which can be connected to fire doors, windows, vents and more—consist of two metal pieces bonded together with a fusible alloy. In the event of a fire, this alloy will melt and the two metal pieces will separate following exposure to high temperatures, thus automatically closing or activating the fixture the link was connected to and promoting adequate fire suppression capabilities. For instance, if a fusible link was connected to a fire door, the separation of the link would ensure the door closes during a fire, blocking flames and smoke from trveling to different areas or fire divisions throughout the affected property.

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Risk Insights header image In the event that a fire occurs at your commercial property, having measures in place to slow the spread of the flames and minimize potential damages is crucial.

That’s where fire doors can help. These doors are specifically designed to withstand the extreme heat of a fire for a period of time, temporarily blocking flames from traveling from one area of a building to another.

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Tens of thousands of organizations around the world using Microsoft’s Exchange Server have been compromised by a cyber campaign suspected to have ties to China.

This campaign exploited software vulnerabilities to seize control of systems and steal data, according to researchers. Security researchers at Volexity first detected the hack in January, according to Microsoft. Volexity has provided a full overview of the technical details on its website. FireEye’s Mandiant also reported evidence that the campaign hit U.S. retailers, local governments, a university and an engineering firm. Cybersecurity blogger Brian Krebs reported at least 30,000 U.S. organizations could be affected, among them being small businesses and municipalities.

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News Brief header Using preliminary data, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently revealed its top 10 most frequently cited standards in the 2020 fiscal year.

This information is valuable for businesses of all kinds, as it helps them identify common exposures that affect their workforce and gives them the information they need to plan their compliance programs. For 2020, the top 10 most cited standards were as follows:

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Attending gatherings increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Generally speaking, the safest way to celebrate is to gather virtually, with people who live with you, or outside and at least 6 feet apart from others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidance on ways to safely gather.

How to Make Small Gatherings Safer

The CDC recommends taking the following general steps to make small gatherings safer during the pandemic:

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News Brief header In a recent report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released findings on mask mandates and on-premise dining at restaurants.

Notably, the research found that—within 20 days of implementation—mask mandates were associated with a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates. In addition, the findings indicate that allowing on-premises restaurant dining was associated with an increase in daily COVID-19 case growth rates 41–100 days after mask mandate implementation and an increase in daily death growth rates 61–100 days after mask mandate implementation.

News Brief header The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine.

Such individuals have been given the go-ahead to resume many activities that have been on hold since the beginning of the pandemic.

What’s Changed

According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, like the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. According to the guidance, people who have been fully vaccinated:

Legal Update Header On March 1, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2021-20 to provide guidance for employers claiming the 2020 employer retention tax credit.

This tax credit was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to encourage employers to keep employees on their payroll, despite experiencing economic hardships related to COVID-19.

Employer Eligibility

Employers can claim the tax credit if they: