POLITICAL:

The DOL has announced a final rule implementing President Biden’s executive order raising the federal contractor minimum wage to $15 an hour. January 20, 2022, is the deadline by which this new rate must be incorporated into new contracts.

ECONOMIC:

The 2022 Global Medical Trends Survey found that cost of healthcare benefits will be volatile in the upcoming year. This is largely driven by COVID-19 surges in different regions at different times. Insurers expect U.S. costs to increase by 7.6%.

SOCIAL:

Career growth and development are among the top reasons employees remain at a company. However, over half of employers don’t offer a clear path for advancement, a fact that is likely fueling the Great Resignation.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

How to avoid these all-too-common mistakes in your email communications.

TECHNOLOGY:

Organizational culture can drive business performance. But with the shift to a virtual or hybrid workplace, executives may worry about weakening organizational culture and subsequent lower levels of engagement, performance and innovation.

LEGAL:

With the ETS vaccine mandate held up in the courts, and as OSHA has paused preparation for implementation and enforcement pending that litigation, it is unclear what employers should do about the Dec. 5, 2021, compliance deadline and the Jan. 4, 2022, testing-requirements deadline.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

The COP36 climate change conference in Glasgow has finally framed climate change as a public health issue. Climate change is likely to impact benefits and health insurance claims, and in fact, probably already has.