Businesses could pay more for workers’ comp in Washington The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is proposing a 4.9% increase in the average hourly rate employers and workers will pay for workers’ compensation insurance next year. If adopted, the increase would mean employers and workers on average would jointly pay an additional $65 […]

Healthy workers’ comp market in Montana The Montana State Fund announced a $35 million dividend declaration to more than 24,000 policyholders across Montana. MSF is the state’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company and the largest workers’ compensation insurance company in Montana and insures approximately 24,000 employers This is the 25th consecutive year MSF has declared […]

Major penalties for New York workers’ comp fraud Juan Escobar was sentenced to six months in jail for defrauding the New York State Insurance Fund of nearly $3 million in insurance premium payments. Escobar, who previously pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree, will also have to pay $400,000 in restitution to New […]

Feds look to crack down on longshoremen’s workers’ comp The U.S. Department of Labor proposed revisions for assessing penalties against employers and insurance carriers for the violation of reporting requirements under the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. The proposed rulemaking focuses on the process used to assess civil penalties against entities that fail to […]

Temporary employment agency pays fine, sentenced to prison A Dorchester, Massachusettes, woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for tax and fraud offenses in connection with her operation of a temporary employment agency.Dam Ngoc Luong, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one year and one day in prison […]

Obesity provides challenge for workers’ comp Should weight loss drugs be approved under workers’ compensation laws? The impact of new treatments and breakthroughs in medicine is nothing new to workers’ compensation systems. The advent of weight loss drugs and their potentially staggering costs should cause any employer or carrier to be concerned. The cost impact […]

  Injured driver fighting for workers’ comp The New Jersey Supreme Court is hearing an appeal concerning whether an employee while injured while driving to his place of employment should be compensated under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Henry Keim was employed by Above All Termite & Pest Control and was seriously injured in an early […]

Oregon to see rates decline Oregon employers will on average, pay $0.90 per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation costs in 2024, down from $0.93 in 2023, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. The pure premium rate will also drop by an average of 6.7% in 2024, under a DCBS proposal. […]

Proposed law calls for more civil penalties The U.S. Department of Labor wants to revise current procedures for imposing and appealing civil money penalties established by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. The act protects workers disabled by on-the-job injuries that occur in U.S. waters or in areas used for loading, unloading, repairing, or […]

  Kroger to pay massive fine for opioids The Kroger Co. has reached an agreement in principle with plaintiffs to settle the majority of opioid claims that have been or could be brought against the Company by states, subdivisions, and Native American tribes. Kroger has agreed to pay up to $1.2 billion to states and […]