A look at the workers’ comp market

• More than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims from 2016 to 2020 found that 34 percent of workplace injuries happened during an employee’s first year on the job, a recent review by the Travelers found.
• These injuries triggered nearly 7 million missed workdays.
• The most expensive workers’ compensation claims came from employees ages 60 and older.
• The claims were about 140 percent more costly than claims for workers ages 18 to 24.
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Alleged issues with Oregon workers’ comp board

• Employees at the Oregon Compensation Board complained of alleged inefficiency and neglect of duty by those at the top of the agency.
• Constance Wold, the top official, earned $173,434 last fiscal year. Terry Bello, another top official, earned $127,866. They both remain in their positions at the Workers Compensation Board.
• Tom Kelley, a former national chair for the Society for Human Resource Management, asked who authorized this investigation, and why there was no written report.
• Kelly requested and conducted numerous investigations and has never seen an investigation without a formal written report.
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Workers’ comp benefits for responders in Missouri

• A law will go into effect next month in Missouri making it clear that first responders are eligible to claim workers’ compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder incurred as a result of their work.
• The law provides a list of eligible incidents, including directly witnessing the death of a minor and witnessing a person “who has suffered a serious physical injury of a nature that shocks the conscience.”
• A separate provision in the new law allows first responders, such as EMTs, firefighters and 911 operators, to receive benefits for behavioral health care services and treatment for PTSD.
• Kansas advocates are hoping Missouri’s movement on the policy will spur momentum in the neighboring state.
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More help for Nevada workers?

• Employees who work outside have no protections in state law in Nevada, but more regulations may be coming soon.
  Several Western states, including California and Washington, have adopted rules that require employers to provide adequate water, shade and breaks in extreme heat.
• Nevada is not one of them, after an effort to mandate such protections at the legislative level stalled this year, but state officials say such regulations are currently being drafted.
• Instead of specific heat regulations, employers must currently adhere to the ‘general duty’ clause, which requires them to provide a work environment free from recognized hazards, which can include heat.
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