Insurance commissioner urges carriers to cut workers comp premiums 14 percent

[Source: Los Angeles Business Journal] California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is urging insurance carriers in the state to cut the workers compensation premiums they charge employers by 14 percent. Thursday Jones lowered his suggestion for the average premium rate to $2.19 per $100 of employer payroll, which represents a 14 percent drop on average from Read More…

Fading college dream saps U.S. economy of productivity miracle

[Source: Bloomberg News] For decades, a growing pool of college graduates poured into the U.S. labor market, boosting productivity and shaping America’s status as the world’s dominant economic power. That driver of growth is diminishing. Enrollment has declined every year since peaking in 2011, according to the Census Bureau and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Read More…

EEOC issues guidance on retaliation

[Source: California Chamber of Commerce] This week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its final Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues. [https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/retaliation-guidance.cfm]. The final guidance was issued after a period of public comment that started in January. Federal and state law both prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees or job applicants who Read More…

Poor at 20, poor for life

[Source: The Atlantic] A new study indicates that from the 1980s to the 2000s, it became less likely that a worker could move up the income ladder. It’s not an exaggeration: It really is getting harder to move up in America. Those who make very little money in their first jobs will probably still be Read More…

Irvine’s economic success story

[Source:  Orange County Register] The OC center of innovation, technology and creativity is an employment powerhouse. By night, 250,000 people call the dynamic and diverse city of Irvine home. By day, that number more than doubles. Irvine is the region’s job engine, and it’s a shiny, high-tech one that attracts a highly educated, highly skilled Read More…

How good environmental legislation goes wrong

[Source: Los Angels Times Op-Ed] The California Environmental Quality Act is a valuable protector of this state’s resources. It guides planning by forcing agencies to consider the environmental implications of proposed projects. CEQA is also a woefully blunt instrument that thwarts economic growth and, perversely, can actually harm the environment. That’s exactly what’s happening with Read More…