WC news News

Claimants Out of Work More Likely to Die or Develop Serious Health Issues: Study

When workers drop out of the workforce due to a debilitating injury, they are more likely to develop serious health problems and an elevated risk of death, studies by West Virginia University researchers have shown. “The results suggest that disability …

Florida House Votes to Loosen Child Labor Laws a Year After Tougher Immigrant Statute

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A year after Florida enacted a law making it more difficult for employers to hire immigrants illegally, a move that has reportedly exacerbated a labor shortage and has added to property insurance repair costs, the state …

Georgia Bill Would Expand PTSD Help for Responders But Not Through Workers’ Comp

After three years of starts and stops, a bill is moving through the Georgia legislature that would provide mental stress benefits for first responders – not through workers’ compensation but through a relatively new type of supplemental insurance program. So …

OSHA Fines Georgia Plumbing Contractor $186,000 After Fatal Fall Down Manhole

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined a Georgia plumbing contractor more than $184,000 for failing to take safety measures to prevent a fatal fall last summer. Robert Hall, a 34-year-old father of four, was asked to crawl …

NCCI: Wage Growth Likely to Continue Workers Comp Payroll Growth

Despite a “significant slowdown” in job growth in 2023, a new National Council on Compensation Insurance briefing shared that “wage growth will likely continue to drive workers compensation payroll growth throughout 2024.” “Employment gains slowed in 2023 from 2022; however …

Three in Miami Charged with Workers’ Comp Payroll Fraud

Three Miami-area construction labor suppliers have been charged with underreporting payroll and shorting their workers’ compensation insurers more than $220,000 in premiums. Juana Ledezma and Luis Ledezma, associated with Superior Group Management Inc., were arrested in mid-January after an investigation …

Are Some Florida Workers’ Comp Judges Bending to the Political Winds on Fees?

Attorney fees in Florida workers’ compensation cases seem to be part of a story that will never end, and a state appeals court has added new life to the story with decisions that give support to both sides of the …

NCCI President and CEO Donnell to Retire Early Next Year

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) said President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Donnell plans to retire in February 2025 after about 10 years with the organization. “It’s been such a privilege to lead this organization and this amazing …

Tennessee Chalks Another Drop in Workers’ Comp Loss Costs

Workers’ compensation loss costs in Tennessee will drop an average of 9.4% for the voluntary market starting March 1, marking the 11th straight decrease for the state. The decrease follows declines of 10.2% in 2023 and 5.6% in 2022, the …

OSHA Fines Mississippi Poultry Plant $212,646 in Death of 16-year-old Worker

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration this week fined a Mississippi poultry processor $212,646 – an amount set by law – after a 16-year-old was pulled to his death inside a deboning machine last summer. Mar-Jac Poultry MS LLC in …