Senate Bill Could Cut Workers Comp for All Federal Employees A bill currently in the US Senate proposes several changes to cut the costs of the US Postal Service, which lost $5 billion in the 2013 fiscal year. However, the bill makes some subtle proposal changes to the federal workers comp legislation, which could effect more than just postal service employees. The proposed bill, which has already been approved by Homeland Security and the Governmental Affairs Committee, proposes to cut some payments made through Federal Employees’ … [Read more...]
California Workers Comp Proposes to Track Opioid Prescriptions
April 23, 2014 by
California Division of Workers Compensation Proposes Guidelines for Opioid Prescription Coverage The California Division of Workers Compensation has posted proposed changes to the guidelines concerning workers comp coverage of opioid prescriptions used to treat worker injuries. “Opioid misuse is a national concern. California is on the forefront of providing appropriate care and improving outcomes by issuing these guidelines,” said Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker. The guidelines were posted on the DWC’s online … [Read more...]
Omaha Store Manager Receives Full Workers Comp for PTSD
April 18, 2014 by
PTSD, Anxiety Treatment Covered Under Workers Comp for Store Manager The Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court ruled last year that a store manager who was shot 9 times for reporting an earlier robbery should receive temporary total disability benefits and workers comp to help his treatment. As of Friday, April 11th, of this year, the decision has been upheld by a higher court after the workers comp ruling was appealed. Matthew Kim is, according to courts, entitled to workers comp and disability benefits to help treat his post-traumatic … [Read more...]
Tina Fey Fined for Failing to Pay Workers Comp
April 4, 2014 by
New York Court Rules Tina Fey to be Fined for Failing to Pay Workers Comp Comedian and television star Tina Fey has been fined by New York workers comp court for lapsing on required employee insurance since 2012. The New York State Workers Compensation Board ruled on Friday, March 28th, that the writer and actress owed $79,000, reportedly for both lapsed workers comp coverage and “penalties.” The bill reportedly covered the period between November 20th, 2012, and February 2nd, 2014. However, the bill was sent to an outdated office … [Read more...]
Massachusetts Says No to Workers Comp Rate Hike
March 31, 2014 by
After Battle, Massachusetts State Agencies Have Agreed to No Workers Comp Rate Increase Massachusetts state agencies and the state’s Workers Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau have agreed not to raise workers comp rates after all. The state’s Attorney General, Martha Coakley, announced the settlement agreement on Friday, March 21st. She says the agreement will save Massachusetts businesses $75 million in workers comp rates. Originally, a 7.7% rate increase was proposed by the workers comp insurance industry, particularly large … [Read more...]
Arizona Workers Comp Bill Shelved Until Next Year
March 28, 2014 by
Arizona Shelves Workers Comp Bill Until 2015 Session A bill in Arizona that proposed to prohibit workers from filing workers comp lawsuits if they were denied workers comp payments has been shelved for one year, until 2015. The proposed bill, HB 2455, passed the House Committee on Insurance and Retirement 4-3, and will advance to the Rules Committee. HB 2455 proposes to give exclusive jurisdiction of bad faith claims against workers comp companies to the Industrial Commission of Arizona. If the Industrial Commission determines that the … [Read more...]
New Workers Comp Bill Could Protect Sandy Hook Victims
March 24, 2014 by
Witnesses and Victims of the Sandy Hook Shooting Could Receive Expanded Workers Comp Public employees and teachers who witnessed the horrible Sandy Hook school shooting could, thanks to a new bill passed by the Connecticut Legislature, receive expanded workers comp benefits. While some benefits were expanded just after the terrible tragedy in 2012, payments did not cover continued mental health treatment needed to help emergency workers and teachers at the school recover from their post-traumatic stress disorder and return to … [Read more...]
Newton Police Officer Requests Workers Comp for PTSD
March 19, 2014 by
Police Officer Requests Workers Comp for PTSD from Newton School Shooting A Newton police officer has suffered such severe PTSD after responding to the Sandy Hook School shootings in 2012 that he has not yet returned to work, and says he will need workers comp to help him while he continues to recover. Thomas Bean, a 38-year-old husband and father of two, says he faces an uncertain financial future because he does not believe he can return to his law enforcement career. “I can’t even touch a gun,” he said. Bean stood before members of … [Read more...]
Workplace Bullying Can Increase Workers Comp Costs
March 12, 2014 by
New Study Shows Bullying in the Workplace Can Increase Workers Comp Costs for Employers A new study suggests that bullying and mistreatment in the workplace can lead to increased costs for employers, including through raising workers comp costs, absenteeism, and disability claims. Researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, in 2010 bullying at work accounted for 5.5% of absences due to reported illness. Workplace bullying – which includes insults, intimidation, gossiping, and withholding information – can … [Read more...]
Medical Marijuana Legalization Raises Workers Comp Questions
March 9, 2014 by
States with Legal Medical Marijuana Use Struggle to Understand Workers Comp Impact Although marijuana is still technically legal at the federal level, 20 states and Washington DC have passed laws allowing marijuana to be used for medical reasons (additionally, Washington State and Colorado allow recreational marijuana use). However, with marijuana dispensaries becoming more common, state regulators are now beginning to question whether medical marijuana should be covered under workers comp insurance. “I think that most insurance companies … [Read more...]
