Report uncovers widespread abuse by state corrections and institution safety officers The New York State Inspector General alleged the abuse of a workers’ comp loss wage benefit provision by state corrections and institution safety officers. A report blames a 2016 labor agreement with the state’s correction agency’s Security Services Unit for creating incentives for employees […]

Report identifies workers comp risks in construction industry Higher material and commodity prices increased the need for protection against property damage during construction, according to Selective’s General Contractors Risk Report. The labor shortage created a need to hire more inexperienced workers, resulting in increased incidents of injury and workers’ compensation claims. Responsibility for subcontractors’ errors […]

California adopts workers’ compensation rating The California Department of Insurance fully adopted the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s September 1, 2023, regulatory filing. A separate decision on the advisory pure premium rates is still pending. Approval of this regulatory filing clears the way for employer X-Mods to be updated and increases the threshold for experience […]

Workers shortages can lead to workers’ comp issues in restaurant industry A shortage of workers in the restaurant industry is leading to more expensive and complex claims in workers’ comp even as claim frequency declines. Marsh released its Restaurant Industry Practice 2022 Report and held a companion webinar, 2022 Restaurant Industry Loss Cost Trends. The […]

Price comparison results, price trends in workers’ comp The WCRI released an updated version of its study that compares prices paid for a similar set of medical professional services for treating injured workers across 36 states and monitors price changes from 2008 to 2022. Prices paid for a similar set of professional services varied significantly […]

Nation’s workers’ comp system differs from rest of world The U.S. has a well-developed workers’ comp system, but helpful to compare it with systems in other countries to gain insight into alternative approaches. In countries such as Canada, Australia, and most European nations, workers’ compensation is typically provided under a universal healthcare system. This means […]

Decree prohibits the exchange of compensation info. The Department of Justice filed a proposed amended complaint and consent decree to resolve claims that George’s Foods LLC conspired with poultry processors for years to suppress workers’ wages by exchanging comp information. George’s Foods provided significant and voluntary cooperation to the Justice Department’s investigation. The department previously […]

  Small businesses struggling with workers’ comp Amputations led to some of the most expensive claims, costing nearly five times the average, followed by electric shock and multiple trauma injuries. On average, the injuries analyzed resulted in 71 missed workdays. Injured employees from small businesses missed an average of 79 workdays. Strains and sprains accounted […]

Indiana court upholds denial of workers’ comp claim A man who didn’t file his worker’s comp claim in Indiana until 30 months after his accident is not entitled to benefits because his claim was not timely, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed. On Dec. 5, 2018, Richard Sharp, who worked in Louisville, was […]

Federal court rules for emplyee A federal court in Tacoma, Washington, found that the U.S. Postal Service wrongfully retaliated against an employee for reporting an injury and applying for workers’ comp benefits. The court’s action follows an investigation by OSHA that found the USPS terminated the worker in retaliation for filing an injury report. The […]