Competition good for market
- Wyoming and Montana are among states with the highest workers’ compensation costs in the nation.
- The report, from the Idaho-based Mountain States Policy Center, used data from the National Academy of Social Insurance to show how competition can help lower workers’ compensation expenses and improve outcomes.
- Wyoming is one of only a few states with a “monopoly” on its worker’s compensation system and the lack of competition has led to increasing rates.
- Employers in Montana can choose to purchase their workers’ compensation from the state, from private companies, or can self-insure, leading to declining rates.
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Cap on comp bill heads to West Virginia governor
- A bill that would cap some of the damages West Virginia workers and their families can receive if their employer deliberately puts them at risk on the job is headed to the desk of Gov. Jim Justice.
- The Republican governor has not indicated whether he will sign the legislation.
- Justice has been criticized for unsafe working conditions at his family-owned coal mines.
- Democratic Sen. Mike Caputo of Marion County said the bill is bad for workers, injured workers and even worse for bereaved spouses.
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Spike in compensation claims
- The number of COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims in New Brunswick rose 533% between the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 and the end of 2022
- The number of accepted claims jumped nearly 1,521%.
- The 2022 claims alone cost more than half a million dollars, including loss of earnings and medical aid.
- The province’s three-year total exceeds $1.4 million, according to figures from WorkSafeNB.
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Town has low workers comp claims
- Sulphur Springs, Texas, had one workers’ compensation claim in February.
- The claim occurred when a police officer received minor lacerations while making an arrest.
- The towns had four liability claims during the month.
- Two lawsuits were for damages to private fences when trees in a local park fell.
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