Workers’ Comp Decrease in Colorado

November 9, 2023

Rates decline in Colorado

  • Workers’ compensation rates in the “loss costs” portion of premiums will be reduced 3.4% next year, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance.
  • This will be the 10th consecutive year without an increase to this measurement in workers’ compensation insurance, meaning the loss costs component has declined 51.5% over the decade.
  • Loss costs are the average cost of lost wages and medical payments of workers injured during their employment.
  • Factors that may increase or decrease workers’ compensation costs include frequency of injuries, duration of claims, number of treatments for each claim, severity of injuries, increasing medical costs, and overall costs to cover workers’ compensation claims.
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Police officers want better workers’ comp

  • Police departments in Georgia gathered in solidarity at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office because they believe there are major flaws in the state’s workers’ compensation program.
  • Henry County Corporal Daniel Podsiadly, who was recently injured in the line of duty, was forced only to receive 2/3 of his pay while he was recovering, putting a huge strain on his family.
  • Officers are pushing for new legislation that can give an injured officer 100 percent of their pay.
  • “We have to change the paradigm concerning how we make sure our officers are taken care of,” said Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett, Henry County.
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New laws impact workers’ comp

  • About 25 states have expanded their use of telehealth in worker compensation.
  • While telehealth services can reduce immediate medical costs, they bring up new questions about the quality and effectiveness of remote treatments.
  • Several states are also considering legislation to clarify the status of gig workers and whether they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
  • Employers in similar industries might face reduced workers’ compensation liabilities.
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Heat Protection for Workers is Debated in Florida 

  • The Miami-Dade County commissioners will debate establishing the first county-level workplace heat protections in the United States.
  • About 32 million people in the United States work outdoors. However, none of them are protected by any workplace heat safety regulations.
  • While OSHA has published guidelines on heat safety, they are voluntary and not enforceable. Only three states — California, Washington, and Oregon — require companies to give workers breaks on hot days to cool down.
  • The proposed rules in Miami-Dade would require construction and agriculture companies to enforce training in heat illness warning signs, as well as a mandatory 10-minute break every two hours under a cool, shaded area on hot days. These rules would be the strictest in the country and company failure to follow them would result in up to $2,000 in fines per violation.
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