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Business News
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
These new regulations will mandate insurance companies to recompute premium charges for policyholders to reflect reduced risk of loss consistent with Commissioner Lara’s April 13 and May 15, 2020 bulletins, and will result in savings for many policyholders as businesses continue to struggle financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“California’s business owners have been hit hard by COVID-19,” said Commissioner Lara. “Workers’ compensation premiums should reflect that many employees are performing less risky duties, and my Order will provide some financial relief for employers when they need it most.”
Under these emergency regulations, employers are permitted to reclassify an employee if the employee’s duties have changed to a clerical classification that has reduced risk than the employee’s previous classification.
This reclassification will reduce the employer’s premiums for employees who are a lower risk because they are now working from home even though they may not have previously done so.
This change would be retroactive to March 19, 2020, the first day of the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order, and conclude 60 days after the order is lifted.
"We applaud Commissioner Lara's efforts to meet the needs of California's small businesses as they continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis," said Mark Herbert, Vice President, California for Small Business Majority. "These new rules will allow small business owners to correctly reclassify their workforce if their duties have changed, helping businesses keep more money in their pockets as they respond to a decline in revenue and adapt their business models. These rules will also ensure small businesses are better positioned for the long-term by protecting them from future increases in workers' compensation premiums due to COVID-19. This kind of smart action will ensure our state's job creators and innovators have the tools they need to succeed after this crisis."
These emergency regulations also exclude from premium calculations the payments made to an employee, including sick or family leave, while the employee is not performing duties of any kind for the employer.
Typically, these payments would be used as a basis for the employer’s workers’ compensation premium. This change will lower the employer’s rate by reducing the amount of payroll assessed, and the employer will not pay premium for paid workers who are otherwise being furloughed.
“These changes provide clarity to employers while helping to share any financial costs of work-related COVID-19 cases among all employers – not just those who found themselves at the center of the epidemic,” said Mitch Steiger, Legislative Advocate for the California Labor Federation, who is also a member of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau Governing Board. “In doing so, both workers and employers most affected by this crisis can more quickly begin the process of recovery.”
This new regulation will also exclude claims related to a COVID-19 diagnosis from being included in future rate calculations so that employers are not penalized with higher rates due to COVID-19 claims.
Insurers will also be required to report injuries involving a diagnosis of COVID-19 which will allow the Commissioner’s statistical agent – the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau Governing Board – to keep track of COVID-19 injuries, and will aid in the board’s future analyses of the workplace and market impacts.
The new regulations will go into effect on July 1, 2020.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
"As California businesses emerge from survival mode and embark on various stages of re-opening, now is the time to develop strategies that can help companies get the jumpstart they need and grow in innovative ways," said Treasurer Ma.
The first webinar, Strategy for Success: Quickly Re-imagining Your Business & Growth Strategy, will be Tuesday, June 23, at 1 p.m. and will provide actionable ways for businesses to reimagine their branding and growth strategy to maintain a viable market presence.
Attendees will learn steps to identify the "new important," explore different ways to deliver core benefits, find an alternative market position and prioritize growth strategies.
The second webinar, Idea Magnets: Attracting Ideas to Pivot & Restart, will be Tuesday, June 30, at 1 p.m.c and will focus on quick and easy steps business owners can take to dependably attract innovative ideas to help pivot and restart business.
Attendees will walk away with a list of big questions to generate ideas and methods to imagine new ways to deliver brand benefits, leverage current disruption to set the stage for breakthrough thinking, and to find future-oriented ideas in other business models.
"It is my pleasure to work with Treasurer Ma to help California small businesses not only jumpstart their businesses as they re-open, but to use the disruption to help them grow in innovative ways," said Mike Brown, who is also author of Idea Magnets: Seven Strategies to Cultivate and Attract Creative Business Leaders.
Both webinars are free. They will include downloadable guides to help put the strategies discussed in the webinars into action. At the end of each presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to get Brown’s expertise on their business challenges.
Registration is available at www.bit.ly/jumpstartCA .
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
This guidance also applies to esthetician, skin care, and cosmetology services; electrology; nail salons; body art professionals, tattoo parlors, and piercing shops; and massage therapy (in non-healthcare settings).
The recommended effective date of this guidance is no sooner than June 19.
These industries are not authorized to immediately reopen in Lake County, local officials reported.
Officials said this guidance includes stringent protections intended to support a safe, clean environment for workers and customers. For example, workers and customers at nail salons, tattoo parlors and massage businesses must wear face coverings.
This guidance is instructive on how businesses should operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, to reduce the risk of transmission. Local health officials should decide when the sectors covered by the guidance can resume operations following their review of local epidemiological data including cases per 100,000 populations, rate of test positivity, and local preparedness to support a health care surge, vulnerable populations, contact tracing and testing.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
“We stood with our community when we elected to close our doors due the statewide effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and we continue to stand with them with the business modifications we have made with their health and safety in mind,” casino management said in its reopening announcement.
The casino’s reopening plan includes a phased approach and is following the policies, practices, and guidelines established by the California Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and OSHA.
In the coming days, as the casino prepares to reopen its doors, it will welcome back its employees.
“On their return, all employees will receive training on COVID-19 safety and sanitation protocols. Plus, all employees are required to wear personal protection equipment, have their temperature checked before each shift and follow the revised safety guidelines at Konocti Vista Casino & Resort,” casino management said.
In addition, Konocti Vista is implementing new safety enhancements for its guests.
These new measures range from noncontact temperature screening and modifying the gaming floor to allow for social distancing, to requiring all guests and employees to wear face masks or face coverings before entering the casino.
“It was with much care and thought that we prepared these new safety measures and guidelines and we have outlined them in detail below for your consideration,” casino management said.
“We know that things are going to be different for everyone as businesses reopen and there are going to be evolving changes, but we know we can make it through this together,” Konocti Vista management said. “We look forward to welcoming you back soon!”
New hours
Konocti Vista announced the following new hours of operation.
Casino: 8 a.m. to midnight.
Players Club: Sunday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight.
Convenience store: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Snack shop: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (take out only)
Orders can be placed via phone at 707-262-3247 or by guests in our safe distancing line in the casino.
Temporary closures of some facilities remain in effect
The casino management said the following facilities and amenities remain closed temporarily:
– Table games, hotel, restaurant, bar and event center.
While the RV park is available to self-efficient RVs, showers, bathrooms and laundry are still closed.
The marina is open and gas is available for purchase but the boat launch remains closed.
Konocti Vista Casino Safety Program
Casino management offered updates on the following safety measures, noting the health and safety of its employees and guests is the No. 1 priority.
Non-contact temperature screening: Points of entry will be limited to allow our security team to conduct noninvasive temperature checks utilizing the non-contact temperature device. Employees or guests confirmed to have a temperature over 99.5°F will not be allowed entry to the property and will be directed towards appropriate medical care.
Physical distancing: Guests will be advised to practice physical distancing by standing at least six feet away from other groups of people not traveling with them while standing in lines, using elevators or moving around the property. Slot machines and other physical layouts will be arranged to ensure appropriate distancing. Employees will be reminded not to touch their faces and to practice physical distancing by standing at least 6 feet away from guests and other employees whenever possible. All resort outlets will comply with, or exceed, local or state mandated occupancy limits.
Gaming distancing: KVC is utilizing a new software from Casino Trac to create a social distancing gaming experience. All machines are active but in standby mode until money or a player’s club card is inserted. Once inserted the system will disable two machines to the right and left of the machine being used and is not usable if disabled. When a guest cashes out or removes their players club card it will lock until cleaned and service. The system then sends an alert to the monitoring station indicating the machine needs to be cleaned. Once cleaned the machine will be sent back to standby and is ready to be played.
Hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizer dispensers, touch-less whenever possible, will be placed at key guest and employee entrances and contact areas such as driveways, reception areas, hotel lobbies, the casino floor, restaurant entrances, meeting and convention spaces and elevator landings.
Front of the house signage: There will be health and hygiene reminders throughout the property including the proper way to wear, handle and dispose of masks. Table game electronic signs will also be used for messaging and communication.
Back of the house signage: Signage will be posted throughout the property reminding employees of the proper way to wear, handle and dispose of masks, use gloves (in positions deemed appropriate by medical experts), wash hands, sneeze and to avoid touching their faces.
Employee and guest health concerns: Casino employees have been given clear training and instructions on how to respond swiftly and report all presumed cases of COVID-19. The casino will be ready to provide support to guests. Employees are instructed to stay home if they do not feel well and are instructed to contact a manager if they notice a coworker or guest with a cough, shortness of breath, or other known symptoms of COVID-19. Employees and guests who are exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19 while at the property are instructed to immediately notify their manager (employees) or hotel security (guests).
Case notification: If the casino is alerted to a presumptive case of COVID-19 at the resort, staff will work with the SNHD to follow the appropriate actions recommended by it.
Konocti Vista Casino & Resort is located at 2755 Mission Rancheria Road, Lakeport, telephone 707-262-1900.