New York offering bonuses to workers with ongoing COVID issues
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul launched the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus program this month.
- The program includes $1.3 billion for recruitment and retention bonuses to certain healthcare and mental-hygiene workers.
- The goal is to increase the state’s health-care workforce by 20 percent over the next five years.
- Bonuses will be awarded to eligible workers who make less than $125,000 annually and remain in their positions for at least six months.
South Dakota clarifies workers comp law
- The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled a circuit judge erred in a workers’ compensation dispute when he rejected a company’s argument that workers’ compensation benefits were the exclusive cure.
- The ruling stems from an incident where an employee fell off a roof and died during the construction of a community center and the company paid workers’ compensation benefits.
- However, the victim’s estate wanted more compensation and pointed to the company’s previous violations of OSHA regulations and its own safety rules.
- Justice Patricia DeVaney wrote the evidence does not establish intentional conduct, and the company does not have a track for fatal incidents.
Michigan cleaning service employee killed by a co-worker
- A cleaning service employee has been arrested and accused of killing a co-worker during a dispute at the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan.
- A third-party cleaning service provider employed both co-workers at the plant, General Motors and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.
- Gregory Lanier Robertson, 49, was “unconscious and bleeding” and late pronounced dead at the scene.
- The suspect, whose name was not released, was found standing in a dock area, not far from where Robertson’s body was found.
Ninth Circuit rules on a case involving man struck by lightning
- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that, under Hawaii law, barred claims that Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. somehow improperly handled a workers’ compensation claim.
- Lonnie Larson filed for workers’ compensation under his Liberty policy, claiming that he was struck by lightning during the course of his employment.
- The government approved the claim, and Liberty appealed the determination; Larson and Liberty entered into a settlement agreement.
- The agreement settled and released Larson’s claims against Liberty relating to the incident, the court ruled.