workers’ compensation News

Portland Audit Suggests Moving Public Safety Employees to Workers’ Comp

A Portland, Ore., audit is recommending the city move firefighters and police officers currently covered by the City of Portland Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FDPR) system into the city’s workers’ compensation program. Doing so would help to reduce …

Minnesota Workers’ Comp Claims Decrease

Minnesota workers’ compensation claims have fallen 44 percent relative to the number of employees from 1997 to 2009, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). According to the “2009 Minnesota Workers’ Compensation System Report,” “Minnesota’s workplaces have …

Illinois AG: Workers’ Comp Bill Doesn’t Go Far Enough

Illinois’ attorney general has praised parts of the recently approved workers’ compensation overhaul, but she says it would be a “gross overstatement” to call the system reformed. Lisa Madigan said even with the overhaul, the standard for proving that taxpayer …

Ohio Man Guilty of Fraud, Illegally Collected $30,000 in Workers’ Comp

Frank Fogle, a Barnesville, Ohio, (Belmont County) truck driver, has been sentenced for fraud after he concealed his employment in order to continue receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Fogle was found guilty in a Franklin County courtroom of a fifth degree …

Illinois Workers’ Comp Commission Welcomes New Administrator

Bob Devereaux has joined the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission as Fraud Prevention and Efficiency Controller. He comes to the Commission from the private sector where he has held a variety of positions in accounting, finance, operations, internal audit and internal …

Advocates Say Mass. Temp Agencies Need Oversight

Blue collar workers hired through temporary staffing agencies often aren’t paid fairly and have difficulties filing workers’ compensation, according to a new study by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Workers advocates say the problems are caused by documentation deficiencies …

West Virginia Offers Firefighters Relief on Workers’ Compensation

West Virginia’s volunteer fire departments looking to offset anticipated increases in their workers’ compensation insurance premiums can turn to a website launched by the state auditor’s office. Auditor Glen Gainer’s office was tasked by the Legislature with developing a program …

Calif. Appeals Court Declines to Review Workers’ Comp Decision

Fifth District Court of Appeal in California has refused to review the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board’s(WCAB) en banc decision in State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) v. WCAB (Almaraz). This means that the Sixth District Court’s decision on the Workers’ Compensation …

Calif. Temporary Total Disability Rates to Increase

As predicted by the California Workers’ Compensation Institute, the temporary total disability rate in California for 2012 will increase to $1010.50. The state Division of Workers’ Compensation announced the minimum and maximum temporary total disability (TTD) rates for 2012 will …

West Virginia Reports State Agencies’ Workers’ Compensation Data

State figures show the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety had the worst workers’ compensation record among state agencies over the past five years. The department had $10.8 million in claims and paid premiums totaling $18.4 million. …