Head Start can override mask and vaccine requirements A federal judge shot down a vaccine and mask mandate by the Biden administration for Head Start, a federal program that pays for preschool for low-income families. The Biden administration issued a requirement that all teachers and staff involved in the program get a COVID-19 vaccine. The […]

Workers comp hike possible  The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has proposed a 4.8 percent increase in the average price employers and workers pay for workers’ compensation insurance next year. If adopted, the increase would mean employers and workers would jointly pay an additional $61 a year, on average, for each full-time employee within […]

Businesses must adjust safety with new hiring More than 30% of workplace injuries involve employees who’ve been on the job for less than one year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This trend is especially true for an industry that relies on temporary and seasonal workers. It’s critical to train workers for their safety […]

MSDs cause most injuries to employers Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), are the most common cause of disability, involuntary retirement, and limitations to gainful employment. In 2020, the National Safety Council reported the private sector experienced more than 247,000 MSD injuries resulting in days away from work. Aside from the human toll and cost for workers themselves, […]

Litigation falls in California for workers comp The number of independent medical reviews used to resolve California workers’ comp medical disputes continued to decline in the first half of 2022, according to the California Workers’ Compensation Institute. CWCI’s latest review shows that 62,859 IMR decision letters were issued in the first half of this year […]

Hotel and motel industry suffers from a spate of injuries, illness The hotel and motel industry experienced 11,320 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Slips, trips, and falls account for 34.6 percent of workers’ compensation claims, a report by Liberty Mutual said. There […]

Data Breach lawsuit can move forward A federal appeals court reinstated a putative class action lawsuit filed by Jennifer Clemens, a former ExecuPharm Inc. employee whose personal information was released following a phishing attack. Clemens was required to provide sensitive personal and financial information as a condition of her employment. A hacking group attacked ExecuPharm’s […]

Legislation support families of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed five pieces of legislation to provide support to 9/11 victims and survivors and their families. The laws will help to remove barriers and delays from Victim Compensation Fund and workers’ compensation claims. The legislation establishes a simplified alternative method for Victim […]

Easing of COVID restrictions Several of the nation’s largest companies, such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan & Chase Co. and Cisco, continue to roll back COVID  mandates. These firms have lifted vaccination requirements and are even hiring unvaccinated individuals again. Steve Bennett, a vice president for workers’ compensation programs, said there’s no basis for COVID-19 presumptions […]

Opioid rates down despite spike during the pandemic The California State Compensation Insurance Fund recently announced that they have reduced the number of opioid prescriptions for the injured workers they provide care for by 82% since 2014. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021, State Fund’s opioid reduction program resulted in […]