RISICO RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS

CALIFORNIA SB 1159 ENACTMENT

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1159 into law on September 17, 2020, creating a rebuttable presumption of compensability and awarding workers’ compensation benefits to workers who contract COVID-19. Due to the bill being urgency legislation, it becomes effective immediately and requires action by most employers and claims administrators immediately. SB 1159 sunsets on January 1, 2023, unless Legislature acts before that time.

Risico’s Executive, Compliance, Claims and Insurance Services teams have developed resources (available below for download) directed at customers and partners in the Self-Insured, Public Sector, and Agriculture business communities. The resources include summaries of SB 1159’s key elements relevant to each business vertical and a downloadable COVID-19 Reporting Form (available as part of this post) for its customers to utilize pursuant to new Labor Code § 3212.86, § 3212.87, and § 3212.88.

We are committed to supporting our customers and the workers’ compensation community at large as employers and claims administrators begin to enact the new requirements of SB 1159.

COVID-19 Reporting Form – September 23, 2020

The Risico Family of Companies is positioned to adequately respond to COVID-19 related challenges experienced in California and across the country. We remain steadfast in maintaining the safety and well being of our employees, clients, and service partners.

Risico has engaged its Executive Leadership Team and Staff across all business lines in dialog focused on providing a safe work environment and to ensure the continuity of our business day to day. Operational changes that have been implemented as part of Risico’s multifaceted response include:

• Initiating a multi-phase strategy deploying a solution for remote operations;
• Restricting in-person corporate office visits to only essential personnel;
• Working with clients to move recurring in-office client meetings to teleconference, or webinar formats;
• Validating critical functions of the Company’s Business Continuity Plan for enactment, if needed;
• Reinforcing guidance from the CDC with Risico Staff pertaining to responding to actively sick employees and potentially exposed employees; and
• Enacting temporary infection prevention protocols for all individuals entering Risico Headquarters.

With the rapidly developing information, we’ve added a number of trusted resources that share a commitment to
provide guidance for businesses and employers in response to COVID-19.

Posted 03/25/2020