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#workplace-safety

Workplace Safety

Workplace safety programs, employer obligations, and injury and illness prevention practices for small and mid-size businesses

California Workers' Comp Just Got More Expensive: What the September 1 Rate Decision Means for Your Budget

California's advisory pure premium rate for workers' compensation rose 6.6% to $1.65 per $100 of payroll on September 1, 2026 — the second consecutive annual increase after a decade of declines. Here is how the benchmark actually reaches your bill, how to estimate the impact from your own payroll, and five levers — classification checks, clean audits, X-mod management, shopping the renewal, and monthly accruals — that keep the increase small.

Self-Insured Groups for Workers' Comp: When Pooling Risk Beats a Traditional Policy in 2026

A workers' compensation self-insured group lets similar small employers pool contributions into a shared trust instead of paying premiums — trading a carrier's profit margin for joint and several liability. Covers how SIGs work, the accounting for contributions, dividends, and assessments, and who should stay with a traditional policy.