After months of negotiations, California labor unions and employers finally came together to help produce SB 863, a new law that overhauls much of that state’s workers’ compensation system.  Everyone agreed that the system needed to be more efficient.  And everyone agreed that some things needed to become less costly.  But the parties to the… Continue Reading Analyses of California’s Workers’ Compensation Overhaul See Unintended Consequences in Primary Care Costs

A recent article (http://www.workerscompensation.com/compnewsnetwork/news/16454-transportation-incidents-are-a-leading-cause-of-workplace-fatalities.html), focusing on the state of Indiana, highlighted the number of car accidents that take place in the course of employment.  The article noted that, not only are car crashes among the leading causes of death in the United States, “[i]n 2011, transportation-related incidents were the leading cause of workplace fatalities in… Continue Reading Work-Related Car Accidents Are Covered Under Workers’ Compensation Systems—But They Can Be Difficult To Prove

Major Employers Imposing Penalties for Unhealthy Workers As reported this week in The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324600704578402784123334550.html), Michelin North America, Inc.—a branch of the worldwide company that employs over 100,000 people—has decided to implement a penalty for some of its less healthy workers.  According to a recent announcement by the tire-maker, employees with high blood… Continue Reading Major Employers Imposing Penalties for Unhealthy Workers

Appellate Division Affirms Award of Temporary Disability Workers’ Compensation Benefits On January 31st, 2011, Michael Johnson—an employee of Hamilton Township’s Water Pollution Control Facility represented by David Schroth, Esq—reached inside a control panel that regulated the flow of sludge for the facility.  The panel malfunctioned, however, and Johnson was severely electrocuted.  He was found semi-conscious… Continue Reading Appellate Division Affirms Award of Temporary Disability Workers’ Compensation Benefits

In late February of this year, a conference was held in Boston on workers’ compensation law.  The event—organized by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI)—highlighted a number of interesting issues.  The primary topic, for example, was long-term opioid misuse, the rising costs associated with this problem, and various potential solutions to it. One other area… Continue Reading Recent Conference Highlighted Successes in Indiana’s Workers’ Compensation System

A violent Christmas Eve in 2008 is now at the center of an unlikely workers’ compensation suit that has found its way up to South Dakota’s highest court. That day, Julie Tassler—an employee at an HSBC bank processing center—was taking her 15-minute break in the office parking lot.  Tassler’s schedule was fairly predictable.  As a… Continue Reading Workers’ Compensation Suit Reaches State Supreme Court

On October 27, 2004, Margaret Adams—an employee of Target Stores, Inc. since 1998—suffered an injury on the job.  Ms. Adams was a warehouse team leader, which meant that she regularly stocked shelves and climbed ladders while lifting 50-pound packages.  On that day, she stepped off the ladder, missed several rungs, and immediately suffered a broken… Continue Reading Target, Inc Not Entitled to Reimbursement of NJ Workers’ Compensation Temporary Disability Benefits

[bs_row class="row"] [bs_col class="col-sm-2"][/bs_col][bs_col class="col-sm-8"] [/bs_col][bs_col class="col-sm-2"][/bs_col] [/bs_row] This week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited F&G Sons Contractors, Inc.—based in Patterson, N.J.—for numerous workplace safety violations, many of which were repeat offenses.  And the company was fined over $70,000.  The citations involved “scaffolding and fall hazards,”… Continue Reading New Jersey Company Cited and Fined for Dangerous Workplace Conditions

Workers’ Compensation: New Jersey Celebrates 100 Years Since the End of the Governorship of Woodrow Wilson—the Father of New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation System In March of 1913—exactly 100 years ago—New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson stepped down as governor to begin his tenure as the 28th President of the United States.  In honor of this anniversary,… Continue Reading New Jersey Celebrates 100 Years Since the End of the Governorship of Woodrow Wilson—the Father of New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation System

A few months ago, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed Assembly Bill No. 2652 into law. Before passage of the new legislation, injured employees were directly and personally on the hook for portions of their medical bills that were disputed by medical providers. An employee could receive medical treatment for a work-related injury in a hospital,… Continue Reading Workers Compensation: Recently Passed New Jersey Law Curtails Balance Billing of Injured Employees