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The average cost of a data breach in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of $10.22 million, even as the global average cost dropped 9% to $4.44 million, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025.  The firm attributed the 9% rise in U.S. breach costs to regulatory fines and “higher detection…

Many parents and kids may be excited for school to start after a long summer. However, the new school year may come with new or recurring challenges. Working parents with school-age children often need to establish new routines, manage an influx of activities, prepare healthy meals and snacks, and help ease any back-to-school anxiety. The…

On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a key component of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) preventive care mandate. As background, the ACA requires non-grandfathered health plans and health insurance issuers to cover a set of recommended preventive services without imposing cost-sharing requirements, such as deductibles, copayments or coinsurance, when the services are…

Direct damage coverage is a major component of commercial property insurance. It helps pay the cost of repairing or replacing an organization’s property after it has been damaged or destroyed by a covered loss. Generally, five essential policy requirements must be met for this coverage to apply.  1. Direct Physical Damage  First, the loss must…

President Donald Trump recently signed a major tax and spending bill, commonly referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBB Act), into law. The OBBB Act includes changes for employee benefit plans, including the following:  For more help on what this means for your organization, contact Ollis/Akers/Arney Human Resources Consulting. © 2025 Zywave,…

As the workforce ages, employers must adapt to ensure the safety and productivity of  their older employees. Many baby boomers are delaying retirement or reentering the  workforce, so the number of employees aged 55 and older is rising. While these workers  bring valuable experience and engagement to their roles, they also face unique safety  challenges…

Phishing attacks, in which cybercriminals manipulate users into disclosing sensitive information or installing malware through fraudulent communications, have been a persistent cybersecurity threat, often resulting in significant financial and reputational damage. Recently, cybercriminals have begun leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to power these attacks, making them more convincing and difficult to detect.  As this evolving risk…

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are a smart, tax-advantaged way to save for medical expenses.  Funds in an HSA can be used for various eligible health care expenses, such as copays, prescriptions,  dental care and vision-related costs. The accounts are often used to help offset the higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs that come with a high-deductible health…

Employee engagement refers to an employee’s emotional connection and commitment to their organization and its goals. It is often reflected in their loyalty, motivation and willingness to advocate for the organization. Engagement is a critical factor in driving retention and productivity.  According to a report from Gallup published in early 2025, the percentage of engaged…

Personal health care literacy refers to being familiar with health care basics, understanding common medical terms and navigating health care information effectively. Improving your health care literacy can help you avoid unnecessary spending, stay healthy and prevent health problems. Consider these tips to help you take charge of your health:  Health care literacy is essential…