Report uncovers widespread abuse by state corrections and institution safety officers

• The New York State Inspector General alleged the abuse of a workers’ comp loss wage benefit provision by state corrections and institution safety officers.
• A report blames a 2016 labor agreement with the state’s correction agency’s Security Services Unit for creating incentives for employees to stay out of work and collect wages, which in turn has contributed to staffing shortages and overtime work for other employees. and morale problems.
• Inspector General Lucy Lang said the report was previously given to the Office of Employee Relations as it details “egregious workers’ compensation abuse” by corrections facilities’ security staff.
• The OER is being asked to use the workers’ comp report as it negotiates the terms of a new labor agreement covering correction officers.
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Immunity not waived in sexual harassment suit in Houston

• The First Court of Appeals in Houston reversed a ruling denying the city governmental immunity from claims brought against it for sexual harassment and retaliation.
• A supervisor allegedly sent Evernecca Carter, who worked for the city’s Solid Waste Management Department, inappropriate text messages.
• Following an incident, Carter filed a charge alleging sex discrimination with the EEOC and reported the supervisor’s conduct to the city’s Office of Inspector General.
• Her supervisors refused to submit a workers’ compensation claim for her, so she filed this lawsuit against the city, alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and workers’ compensation retaliation.
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Workers’ comp merger won’t affect client companies.

• Compre Group Holdings Ltd. agreed to acquire a workers’ compensation legacy portfolio from Sunz Insurance Co., a provider of workers’ comp coverage to the staffing and PEO industries.
• The deal includes claims and liabilities from 2020 and prior; however, the merger will not affect client companies.
• “For our clients, there is no interruption,” said Rick Leonard, president of Sunz. “For us, it’s business as usual. We are still going to manage those claims and close those claims out.”
• The deal will give Sunz the additional capacity to bring in more business, Leonard said. Customers will not notice the change.
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Swiss airline provider faces scrutiny for safety

• There is a clamor for more worker safety inspections, safer conditions, and higher wages for service provider Swissport International AG at several U.S. airports.
• OSHA enforcement records show Swissport facilities at six U.S airports were inspected for safety hazards based on worker complaints in the past month.
• Swissport provides passenger and cargo services
• Service Employees International Union’s National Airport Campaign. The union helped the workers file the complaints.
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