N.J. police officer suing township
- Ravino Johnson, Berkeley (N.J.) Township Police Department’s first Black police officer in 45 years, is suing the township for discrimination.
- Johnson claims that he was forced to resign rather than being paid worker’s compensation and receiving accommodations for a work injury.
- Johnson accused Township Administrator John Camera of denying him “reasonable accommodation” for a work-related injury.
- Camera allegedly told Johnson to resign or he would be fired, but Johnson’s injury is unclear.
Florida farmworkers want more protections
- The Farmworker Association of Florida is calling on the state and national governments to enact better heat standards and workers’ compensation.
- A report from a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization shows heat exposure played a role in the deaths of up to 2,000 workers each year.
- The Farmworker Association of Florida found that heat-related illnesses or injuries contributed to at least 170,000 work-related injuries annually.
- OSHA has recommendations for employers around heat but there are no set rules.
New York Gov. signs worker’s compensation legislation
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation restoring the ability of thousands of New York businesses to access low-cost workers’ compensation.
- The coverage will be provided through the New York State Insurance Fund, New York’s largest workers’ compensation insurer and a centerpiece of the State’s low-cost insurance market.
- New York law requires businesses to secure workers’ compensation coverage, which most obtain through NYSIF or a private insurer.
- unlike private insurers, NYSIF insures any employer that applies for coverage regardless of risk at the lowest possible cost to maintain a solvent fund.
Mining firm not covered for workers’ comp after employee death
- Workers’ compensation laws do not apply to a worker named John Kelly, who was killed in a workplace accident in Western Pennsylvania.
- The Mining Company of Pennsylvania LLC workersʼ compensation and employer liability policy does not apply to a suit brought by their family of Kelly because he was not an employee of Dana Mining Co.
- The workers’ comp policy only applies to workers employed by the company.
- Brickstreet Mutual Insurance Co. announced the findings.