Workers Comp

Workers compensation mental injury benefits would be expanded to all New York workers who suffer from extraordinary stress, under a bill introduced Thursday.   A.B. 5745, which was referred to the labor committee, would strike out language in state law that restricts work-related stress benefits to certain professions — police officers or firefighters, emergency medical technicians, …

New York considers bill to expand mental injury benefits to all workers Read More »

The announcement of the Break Out Awards winners was the most-read story on the Business Insurance website this week. Personnel moves among brokers also drew interest. Source link

An appeals court in Illinois on Wednesday granted a disability award to a firefighter who suffered a stroke but may have had pre-existing conditions. A City of East Peoria for more than 20 years, Charles Melton in 2020 applied for an occupational disease disability pension, alleging a “work-related stroke brought on by exposure as a …

Appeals court grants disability award to ailing firefighter who suffered stroke Read More »

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin approved measures making arson and bomb investigators eligible for a presumption that certain cancers are compensable. Mr. Youngkin on Tuesday signed H.B. 1410 and S.B. 1038, companion measures allowing presumptive cancer coverage for additional law enforcement workers with at least five years of experience. In addition to bomb and arson investigators, …

Virginia governor signs cancer presumption for arson, bomb investigators Read More »

PHOENIX – The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a variety of workplace disruptions, from forcing employers to build an infrastructure supportive of remote work to figuring out how to deal with hybrid or remote workers experiencing mental health crises, a panel of experts said Wednesday. One of the often-overlooked results of the pandemic in workers compensation …

Mental health, other workplace issues plague employment Read More »

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries on Wednesday provided details on a proposal to update the state’s permanent heat rules to increase protections for agricultural, construction and other workers exposed to dangerous outdoor temperatures on the job. Washington’s existing rules already require employers to have an outdoor heat exposure safety program with training, making …

Washington state proposes stricter heat illness prevention rules Read More »

Maryland lawmakers are considering legislation that would expand the state’s post-traumatic stress disorder workers compensation presumption to line workers. A draft of H.B. 1302, made public Wednesday, would add “line worker for a consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility or an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility” to the state’s law on PTSD presumption, of which only …

PTSD eligibility expansions proposed in two states Read More »

PHOENIX – Climate change has hit states’ workers compensation systems, as more severe weather patterns, wildfires and other incidents have resulted in lost worker hours and had detrimental effects on mental health, among other things, a panel of experts said. After a disaster, employers must manage recovery efforts that are outside their usual operations, and …

Climate change creates heightened workers comp exposures Read More »

Two recent appeals court decisions in Pennsylvania have cleared the way for medical marijuana reimbursements for injured workers who qualify for its use, and insurance and legal experts are mixed on whether the move is a good one. Proponents say the rulings provide workers access to a legitimate therapeutic drug, while others say the ruling …

Rulings in Pennsylvania clear red tape for pot reimbursement Read More »

Ruling the Department of Labor failed to cite the correct standard and failed to prove a hospital system did not provide correct masks for its staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission on Friday vacated a $13,653 fine.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 20, 2020, opened an …

Alaska hospital system vacated of COVID mask-related violation Read More »