Florida becomes latest state to approve a decrease in workers’ comp
- Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky issued a Final Order granting approval to the National Council on Compensation Insurance for an overall workers’ comp rate decrease of 15.1%.
- The rate decrease applies to new and renewal workers’ compensation insurance policies effective in Florida as of Jan. 1, 2024.
- “A decrease in workers’ compensation rates means lower insurance costs for employers, allowing them to put more money back into their business, where it belongs,” said Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
- The state hosted a recorded, virtual public hearing regarding the Workers’ Compensation Rates and Rating Values submitted by NCCI.
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Shoulder injuries cause longest duration of temporary disability benefits
- The average duration of temporary disability benefits in workers’ compensation lost-time claims increases with the age of the injured worker, according to a new report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance.
- However, after age 40 this increase becomes less significant.
- The report also shows that shoulder injury claims in comp have the longest average duration of temporary disability benefits, with an average of 123 days.
- The construction and utilities sector has the longest average and median duration of temporary disability benefits out of all economic sectors at 116 days and 74 days respectively.
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Minneapolis tables workers’ comp vote
- The Minneapolis City Council committee tabled a vote to approve settlements in another round of workers’ compensation claims by police officers to December
- Council members rejected the first claim in these types of cases, signaling a possible shift in how these things are handled.
- Minneapolis’ policy and government oversight committee already rejected a worker’s comp settlement for the first time since the murder of George Floyd and the unrest that followed.
- This move could mean the city council will no longer be rubber-stamping these claims.
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Injuries on small dairy farms not always reported
- Congress has banned federal officials from investigating worker deaths, injuries, and complaints on farms with fewer than 11 workers unless those farms have employer-provided housing at temporary labor camps.
- In New York and Vermont, worker advocates claim they don’t bother calling investigators when workers die or get hurt on small farms because they’re so used to the agency saying it can’t investigate.
- In Wisconsin, investigations are opened for dairy worker deaths on small farms when those farms provide housing to immigrant workers.
- In these cases, federal investigators called that housing a temporary labor camp that gives it jurisdiction to inspect.
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