After Veto by Governor Chris Christie, NJ Senate Cannot Bring Back Workers Comp Bill The Thomas P. Canzanella Bill, aka S1778, was vetoed by Governor Chris Christie in July. Now, officially, the New Jersey Senate has failed to revive the workers comp bill that would expand the ability to apply for benefits for first responders. The bill was named for Thomas P. Canzanella, a firefighter from Hackensack who spent several weeks at Ground Zero after 9/11. He championed workers comp coverage for occupational diseases endemic to first responders … [Read more...]
Oregon Insurance Regulators Threaten to Decertify Workers Comp Group
August 5, 2013 by
If Employers Cannot Come Up with Funds, Regulators Will Shut Down Self-Insurance Workers Comp Trust On Monday, July 29th, insurance regulators in Oregon said they had taken the first steps to decertifying a self-insurance trust, and would completely shut it down next week, if employers did not come up with $750,000 for workers comp. According to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, the Oregon Employers Trust Inc must increase its security deposit to $3.95 million, based on membership growth and estimated claims … [Read more...]
Compromise Reached in California Workers Comp Legislation
July 17, 2013 by
Bill Restricting Pro Athletes from Filing Workers Comp in California Reaches a Compromise The controversial California workers comp bill aimed at professional athletes has been updated in a compromise, according to state legislators. AB 1309 was proposed by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea in February as a way to help prevent exploitation and reduce problems in the California workers comp system. The workers comp system in the state currently allows professional athletes and other non-residential workers to apply for workers comp if they have … [Read more...]
Paralyzed Fort Worth Officer Could Lose Workers Comp Benefits
July 14, 2013 by
Officer Paralyzed on Duty Could Lose Workers Comp Benefits in Ruling A police officer from Fort Worth, who was paralyzed from the chest down, could lose her workers comp benefits, or see her benefits cut in half, in a city council vote on Tuesday, July 9th. Lisa Ramsay was shot in the chest 10 years ago while trying to arrest a suspected drug dealer. The injury paralyzed her from the chest down, leaving her with huge medical bills and constant health problems. Although Ramsay is able to work part-time, she says that she needs benefits, … [Read more...]
Former NFL Coach Joins Pro Athletes’ Workers Comp Fight
July 4, 2013 by
Former Coach Fights for Athletes’ Workers Comp Rights in California As California workers comp bill AB 1309 makes its way through the legislature, intense debate has sprung up about whether or not the bill is fair to professional athletes. The bill – AB1309, proposed by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) – changes the rules for professional athletes to file for workers comp in the state of California. The current “loop-hole” in California workers comp law allows retired professional athletes to file in the state – regardless of where … [Read more...]
Study Shows Workers Comp Hospital Payments Higher Than Group Health
June 26, 2013 by
New Study Shows that States Could Save Money on Workers Comp Payments A new study that surveyed 16 states shows that in half the states shows that hospital outpatient surgeries on shoulders for workers comp injuries were at least 43% - about $2,000 – higher than private insurance payments, ie group health payments. The study was called Comparing Workers Compensation and Group Health Hospital Outpatient Payments, and is the first study to compare private insurance/group health payments to workers comp. The study compared 16 large states … [Read more...]
Jim Carrey Paid Workers Comp After All
June 14, 2013 by
Clerical Error Leads to Accusations, but Comedian Paid Workers Comp Accusations last week that actor and comedian Jim Carrey is a “bad boss” turned out to be false - he does, in fact, pay his workers comp premiums. Breaking news from TMZ last week accused Carrey of failing to pay for workers comp for his employees at his New York City art studio, Church of the FFC. Turns out, however, that Carrey did pay the premiums, and a clerical error from his workers comp insurer led to the confusion and a massive fine. Reportedly,the New York State … [Read more...]
Ohio Supreme Court Rules Workers Comp Does Not Cover Mental Health
June 11, 2013 by
Workers Comp Can Go To Mental Health Only When Related to Physical Injury The Ohio Supreme Court decided on June 5th that workers comp could only cover mental health problems if they were related to a physical injury that occurred on the job. In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court sided with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation against former truck driver Shaun Armstrong, who worked out of Cincinnati. Originally, Armstrong filed a workers comp claim for post-traumatic stress disorder related to a vehicle accident that occurred in 2009 … [Read more...]
Ohio Workers Comp Board OK’s $1 Billion Rebate to Employers
June 5, 2013 by
Workers Comp Board in Ohio Grants Massive Rebate to Local Employers After a flurry of activity in the last week of May, on Friday, May 31st, the Ohio Workers Comp Board officially granted $1 billion rebate to 210,000 Ohio employers. In a separate, but also interesting, action, the Ohio Workers Comp board passed a 2.1% reduction in base workers comp rates for employers. “This rebate is possible largely because of the excellent results we’ve gotten on our investments,” said Nicholas Zuk, the BWC Board of Directors chairman. According to … [Read more...]
