News Digest 5-12-2022

 

Wyoming is deadliest state to work

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Wyoming consistently has one of the highest occupational fatality rates in the country, consistently in the top five. In 2020, the state led the country in that dubious statistic. Jackson Hole News & Guide

 

House approves workers’ comp reform for federal firemen

The U.S. House on Wednesday voted 288-131 to pass legislation aimed at making it easier for federal firemen to claim federal disability benefits in connection with a number of chronic health conditions. Last month, the Labor Department set up a special claims unit to handle workers’ compensation requests and waiving the requirement they provide evidence to prove a causal relationship between their work and their condition. Government Executive

 

Florida: DeSantis signs measure clearing legal questions around protecting gig workers

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a measure to clarify the relationship between businesses and independent contractors during a state of emergency. The measure, which takes effect July 1, allows businesses to support independent contractors during a state of emergency without fear of being accused of an improper employee-employer relationship, and outlines several situations that can’t be used as evidence against a business in a lawsuit over lost or unclaimed wages, workers’ compensation benefits, employee benefits, and more. Florida Politics