Workers Comp

Commercial insurance premiums increased 8% on average in the fourth quarter, down marginally from the 8.1% rise in the third quarter, according to the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ latest pricing report released Wednesday. The increase marked the 21st consecutive quarter – more than five years – of rising premium rates, though most major …

Commercial insurance premium rate hikes hold steady in fourth quarter Read More »

An Illinois home health care company must pay 69 workers a combined $1.1 million in back pay and damages after a court found the company improperly compensated the employees for hours worked, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Tuesday. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division, found Lee A. McDevitt, …

Illinois home health care company must pay back wages Read More »

Owners of a Texas dental practice have been ordered to compensate two fired workers with a combined $15,706 in back pay after the employees claimed they were terminated for raising concerns about workplace COVID-19 mitigation measures. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday that North Richland Hills, Texas-based dental practice Roger H. Bohannan DDS …

Dentists ordered to pay $15K in back wages against fired whistleblowers Read More »

A Montana bill introduced Tuesday would give employees the ability to choose their treating physicians in workers compensation cases. House Bill 719 states that an insurer, managed care organization or health care provider organization is not permitted to require that an injured worker use a particular treating physician or engage in any act of intimidation, …

Montana bill would allow employees to choose comp treating doctor Read More »

A maximum $15,625 fine for a serious workplace safety violation is set to hit a multiplier in late March, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will begin to fine employers for each instance of a violation. This means 10 construction workers lacking hard hats could potentially mean a $15,625 fine times 10, or $156,250. …

OSHA fines to increase as multiplier goes into effect Read More »

Vermont lawmakers are proposing to expand workers compensation eligibility to additional classes of state employees diagnosed with job-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Police officers, firefighters and ambulance workers are already covered under the state’s PTSD presumption. House Bill 297, filed Tuesday, would add corrections officers, employees of state-run therapeutic community residences or inpatient psychiatric hospitals, public …

Vermont bill would expand PTSD comp presumptions Read More »

Proposed legislation in Montana would make workers who are injured by employer-mandated vaccinations eligible to receive workers compensation benefits. Senate Bill 369, introduced last week, would provide workers comp coverage for employees who suffer “serious adverse events” after receiving vaccines that are a condition of employment. Language in the proposed bill defines “serious adverse events” …

Workers hurt by employee-mandated vaccines would be covered under bill Read More »

Operators of a seafood processing vessel were cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over claims that the company exposed workers to various dangers and unsanitary conditions while at sea.  OSHA on Thursday announced citations against Kodiak, Alaska-based East West Seafoods LLC and its owner for two repeat serious violations, 17 serious violations and …

Seafood company cited for ship dangers, unsanitary conditions Read More »

Workers compensation fraud allegations against an actress in the drama television series “Yellowstone” have gone cold, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. Q’orianka Kilcher had been facing two felony comp fraud counts for collecting $97,000 in benefits following an injury in 2018 while on the set of “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” the magazine …

Stone in the face of ‘Yellowstone’ work comp fraud allegations Read More »

A Wisconsin food safety sanitation company has paid $1.5 million in civil penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found it illegally employed 102 children in hazardous jobs. The DOL said Friday that Kieler, Wisconsin-based Packers Sanitation Services Inc. Ltd. had children ages 13 to 17 working in hazardous conditions during …

Safety firm pays $1.5M for employing minors in dangerous jobs: DOL Read More »