A test case asking whether a federal contractor's employees in "low risk" positions can be mandated to undergo extensive background checks will be heard by the United States Supreme Court.
The case involves workers at the Jet Propulsion Library, located on federally owned land but operated by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) pursuant to a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Three years ago, NASA amended its contract with Caltech to require each employee at the laboratory to undergo a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI), the same background investigation required of government civil service employees.
As part of the investigation, an "Investigative Request for Personal Information" (Form 42), is sent to every applicant's references, employers, and landlords. The form ask questions about whether the recipient has "any reason to question [the applicant's] honesty or trustworthiness" or has "any adverse information about [the applicant's] employment, residence, or activities" concerning "violations of law," "financial integrity," "abuse of alcohol and/or drugs," "mental or emotional stability," "general behavior or conduct," or "other matters."
Under the new policy, the employees are mandated to pass the background check in order to receive admittance to the lab. Caltech also stated employees who failed to clear the background check are considered to have voluntarily resigned.
The lab's employees objected to the background check, arguing that since they work in low-risk positions (that is, they have no access to classified information), the background checks are an invasion into their "informational privacy" under the United States Constitution.
The Supreme Court will review:
1. Whether the government violates a federal contract employee's constitutional right to informational privacy when it asks in the course of a background investigation whether the employee has received counseling or treatment for illegal drug use that has occurred within the past year, and the employee's response is used only for employment purposes and is protected under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a. (workersxzcompxzkit)
2. Whether the government violates a federal contract employee's constitutional right to informational privacy when it asks the employee's designated references for any adverse information that may have a bearing on the employee's suitability for employment at a federal facility, the reference's response is used only for employment purposes, and the information obtained is protected under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
A deadline for the Court's decision is not known at this time.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
When you say catastrophic injury, many people in the insurance field think of brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputations, loss of eyesight or neurological injuries. While these are the more common types of catastrophic injuries, any injury requiring extensive medical treatment and has a long-term and/or permanent impact on a person's life can be a catastrophic injury.
Catastrophic injuries make up only a small fraction of the total number of workers' compensation claims but account for a significant portion of the dollars spent on medical care and treatment of employees. The proper management of these high dollar claims makes a significant difference in the cost of the workers' compensation program. Here are two very important steps to take to minimize the financial impact of the catastrophic injury claim.
Immediate Attention:
When the work comp adjuster receives an obvious catastrophic injury claim, it is imperative for the adjuster to act immediately. The adjuster needs to drop everything else and concentrate on the catastrophic injury claim.
The work comp adjuster contacts the employer and interviews the supervisor and/or other employees who were present at the time of the injury to get a comprehensive understanding of what occurred.
Then the adjuster contacts the employee if the employee is able to speak with the adjuster. If the employee is unable to speak, the adjuster must make immediate contact with the spouse or another family member who represents the employee's interest.
The adjuster makes arrangements to personally meet with the employee and/or the employee's family member at the hospital, preferably same day the injury occurred. The adjuster also arranges for the nurse case manager assigned to the claim to attend the initial meeting with the employee and/or employee's family.
Contact by the work comp adjuster and the nurse case manager with the employee or family member the same day as the accident is reported is critical to the outcome of the claim.
The employee's most pressing concern is surviving the injury. Once the employee is reassured by the medical facility s/he will live, the next thoughts are: “Will I be able to work in the future and how will this accident impact my life with my family and my family’s life?
Attorney Alert!
It’s at this point the employee or a family member remembers the late night television commercial for the local attorney. If the work comp adjuster or the nurse case manager reassures the employee and/or the family the injured person will receive all the medical care needed, and that indemnity benefits will be paid, the probability of the employee hiring an attorney to represent the employee is greatly diminished.
While some plaintiff attorneys have the best interest of the employee in mind, many plaintiff attorneys see the catastrophic injury claim as a neat way to increase their income because the longer the employee is out of work and the more medical care the employee has, needed or not, the bigger the eventual work comp claim settlement. If an attorney is hired, the employee's recovery time will be greatly extended while the amount of defensive medicine practiced by every specialist and medical facility will rise significantly.
Hence, it is critical the work comp adjuster meet with the employee and/or family and establish rapport with them while reassuring them all their medical needs will be meet and the indemnity benefits will be paid.
Medical Management:
The intensive involvement of the work comp adjuster in the initial stages of the catastrophic injury claim is of paramount importance. However, as the claim progresses, and new work comp claims arrived on the adjuster's desk, the need for a medical specialist to continue to assist the employee becomes necessary.
Early medical management is essential to achieve the best possible medical outcome. The highly trained nurse case manager (NCM) who was with the adjuster at the initial meeting with the employee and/or the employee's family takes over the day to day medical management of the claim.
The NCM becomes responsible for insuring the employee receives proper medical care throughout the life of the claim. This continuity of the medical care is critical to the best possible medical outcome for the employee. It also prevents the medical care from drifting and prevents the work comp claim from becoming an even bigger claim.
The NCM works with the employee to guide the employee and the employee's family through the significant life changes following a catastrophic injury. As the employee goes through hospitalization, rehabilitation, return to home and community and, hopefully, an eventual return to work, the NCM controls the pace of the step-downs in medical facilities and medical care.
Along the way to recovery, or maximum medical improvement short of recovery, the NCM continues working with the treating physicians, medical specialists, consultants, therapists, rehabilitation provider and life-care planners, if the employee is unable to return to work. For those employees who are permanent and totally disable and never able to return to work, the continuing involvement of the NCM is necessary. The expertise of the NCM in managing the medical aspects of disability and in determining the appropriate home-based care will impact the overall cost of the catastrophic work comp claim.
Summary:
Catastrophic injury claims not appropriately managed by the work comp adjuster and the nurse case manager quickly spiral out of control, drastically increasing the overall cost of the claim. (workersxzcompxzkit)
Immediate attention to the employee's medical needs by the work comp adjuster and the nurse case manager, along with the continuing control of the medical care by the nurse case manager, has the positive impact on the overall cost of the work comp claim.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
An Ohio-based petroleum refinery has paid $969,182 in back wages to 173 workers after the Department of Labor accused the company of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime rules after switching the employees to a 12-hour shift.
The department alleged the violations began when the Husky Energy Corp. changed from 8-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts for some of its workers, resulting in alternating workweeks of 60 and 24 hours. According to the department, the company allegedly established an “adjusted” rate whereby all these hours were compensated at the same rate, instead of paying time and one-half an employee’s regular rate for the resulting overtime hours.
The company was also accused of failing to include a shift differential in overtime pay calculations. An employer is not required by law to provide a shift differential, but if one is paid, then it must be included as part of the employee’s regular rate of pay for purposes of computing overtime. (workersxzcompxzkit)
Husky Energy Corp. agreed to pay the $969,182 in back wages to its employees and to establish bona fide rates upon which time and one-half for overtime hours would be calculated in the future. The company also agreed to include the shift differentials in the regular rate for purposes of calculating overtime in the future.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
A bill (HB1012 passed in March) originally focused on limiting spying on workers claiming they were injured on the job, was recently amended to center on how investigations are conducted and what evidence is admissible in administrative hearings on workers’ comp claims.
HB1012, sponsored by Colorado Representative Sal Pace, limited surveillance of suspected fraud cases and imposed a $1,000 fine compounded daily against insurers who broke the new rule.
However, its scope was amended in the House Appropriations Committee who removed the provision limiting surveillance in suspected fraud cases and dropping the proposed fine. The bill now focuses on the practices of investigators conducting surveillance and admissible evidence.
The bill’s new wording proposes to exclude from administrative hearings evidence obtained by investigators viewed as acting in an intimidating or harassing manner. It also seeks to require investigators, when questioned by their subjects, to admit they are spying and for whom, otherwise the evidence they obtain would carry no weight in an administrative hearing.
The amended bill also provides a provision that videos collected at the time of surveillance must be presented to the claimant’s treating physician for review and interpretation.
Opponents argue that the videos should speak for themselves, and that many times video footage is introduced into evidence in other court proceedings without corroboration or input provided from expert witnesses.
(workersxzcompxzkit)
A Senate committee is slated to hear testimony on the bill.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published a proposed rule addressing the “reasonable factors other than age” (RFOA) defense under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The agency is soliciting comments from the public by Monday, April 19, 2010. The proposed rule follows a March 31, 2008, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on disparate impact under the ADEA.
Along with requesting comments on its substance, the previous NPRM asks whether the EEOC should provide additional information on the meaning of the RFOA defense. Most commenters backed addressing the issue and, accordingly, the EEOC is publishing a new NPRM on RFOA. The NPRM has been coordinated with other federal agencies and reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
The proposed rule states the RFOA defense applies only if the challenged practice is not based on age and that a neutral practice that disproportionately affects older workers can be justified only by showing that the practice is objectively reasonable when viewed from the perspective of a reasonable employer under like circumstances. The proposed rule sets forth non-exhaustive lists of factors relevant to determining whether a factor is “reasonable” and “other than age.”
Under the proposal, factors relevant to determining whether an employment practice is reasonable include but are not limited to:
- Whether the employment practice and the manner of its implementation are common business practices;
- The extent to which the factor is related to the employer's stated business goal;
- The extent to which the employer took steps to define the factor accurately and to apply the factor fairly and accurately (e.g., training, guidance, instruction of managers);
- The extent to which the employer took steps to assess the adverse impact of its employment practice on older workers;
- The severity of the harm to individuals within the protected age group, in terms of both the degree of injury and the numbers of persons adversely affected, and the extent to which the employer took preventive or corrective steps to minimize the severity of the harm, in light of the burden of undertaking such steps; and
- Whether other options were available and the reasons the employer selected the option it did.
Under the proposed regulation, the factors relevant to determining whether a factor is “other than age” include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The extent to which the employer gave supervisors unchecked discretion to assess employees subjectively;
- The extent to which supervisors were asked to evaluate employees based on factors known to be subject to age-based stereotypes; and
- The extent to which supervisors were given guidance or training about how to apply the factors and avoid discrimination.
The EEOC will consider the public comments received and will make appropriate changes based on those comments. (workersxzcompxzkit)
A proposed final rule covering this and the March 2008 proposed rules will then be coordinated with other federal agencies and reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget prior to becoming effective.
A plan to sell Oklahoma's workers' compensation insurance agency is opposed Attorney General Drew Edmondson because businesses may then be required to pay higher rates. Edmonson said pending legislation would lead to privatization of CompSource Oklahoma, bad news for businesses and consumers.
CompSource was formed in 1933 to keep workers' comp prices affordable and competitive. It serves as a last resort for high-risk employers who are unable to afford private insurance.According to Edmondson, if CompSource Oklahoma is acquired by another insurer, prices could increase and new and beginner companies may not be able to afford workers' comp insurance.(workersxzcompxzkit)
CompSource reportedly writes approximately 35% the state’s workers' comp policies.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Smart employers have a safety program to reduce the number of workers' compensation claims. Smarter employers integrate ergonomics, the science of designing the job, equipment and the workplace to fit the worker, into their safety program to reduce, even further, the number of work comp claims.
The number of work comp claims caused by repetitive motion strains or cumulative trauma can be significantly reduced through ergonomics. The return on investment of properly executed ergonomic programs have been estimated as high as 16 to 1, i.e., $16 saved for each dollar invested. Here are some suggestions on how to create an ergonomics program to increase productivity, reduce employee turnover and reduce or eliminate your ergonomic related work comp claims.
Ergonomic Assessment:
Management should address the following:
1. A determination of the amount of resources, personnel and time needed to start and maintain an effective ergonomics program.
2. A determination of who — the risk management department, the safety department, the health and wellness program, or someone else — will be in charge of making decisions and implementing the changes.
3. The establishment of a system to identify problem areas and the elimination of the risk factors that could cause injury.
4. A record keeping system to track work comp injuries and the furniture, equipment or machinery involved in the injury.
5. A regular scheduled review of the effectiveness of the ergonomics program.
Work Space Design:
The factors to consider in evaluating and creating an ergonomically-sound workplace should include at minimum the following areas:
1. A review of the work place as a whole as well as a review of each department and each individual workspace to maximize the total workspace and equipment.
2. Adapting the work space to the worker (rather than the worker trying to adapt to the work space) to reduce the risk of injury.
3. A review of the workflow and the administrative controls in place.
4. Reduction or elimination of work place stressors such as noise, vibrations, dust, heat, cold, etc.
5. An analysis of the risk factors of each job and the potential solutions for removing the risk factors
6. An analysis of the ways to make the work process(es) more efficient.
7. Researching and implementing solutions such as better placement of furniture or equipment or the obtaining of new, ergonomically compatible furniture or equipment.
Employee Involvement:
There will be a need to train all employees — from new hires to senior management — on the proper way to perform each task . Areas of consideration include:
1. Involving employees in identifying problem areas that need to be corrected.
2. Soliciting recommendations from the staff in improving the work process and work flow.
3. Assessing the physical capability and health of each employee to perform their assigned task(s).
4. Teaching the employees proper body mechanics (for example not to slouch in their office chair or proper hand/finger placement on a keyboard).
5. Education and training programs should be developed for your specific business.
The proper use of equipment to avoid repetitive strain injuries. (workersxzcompxzkit)
6. The training of employees to self-monitor their compliance with proper ergonomics
Summary:
A properly constructed ergonomics program will have a positive effect on your company by improving productivity, improving employee morale, reducing the number of injuries, reducing the extent of injuries and lowering your work comp cost. All of these positive changes from an ergonomics program mprove the bottom line for your company.
Rebecca Shafer, J.D./Consultant, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. She can be contacted at: RShafer@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Often you see references to “Best Practices” in the handling of workers' compensation claims without an explanation as to what they are or what the insurance industry standards are for handling work comp claims. While “Best Practices” vary slightly from insurance company to insurance company, here is a synopsis of the basic standards of how the insurance adjuster handles work comp claims.
1. Coverage:
The very first thing a work comp adjuster does is verify the coverage by checking the policy number, policy dates and insured name.
2. 3 Point Contacts:
The adjuster makes voice contact (in person contact on severe claims) with the employer, the employee and the treating physician within 24 hours of the claim being reported to the claims office. Proper contact involves an exchange of information with the employee, the employer and the doctor's office, not just leaving a voice mail or sending a form letter. On claims of questionable compensability or with subrogation potential, a recorded statement from the employee needs to be obtained.
3. Investigation:
The adjuster addresses all issues affecting coverage, compensability, subrogation, extent of injuries and benefits within 14 days of the receipt of the claim.
4. On-going Contacts:
Consistent and on-going contact with the employee (or attorney), the employer and the medical providers is essential to getting the employee back to work as quickly as possible.
5. Data records:
All data input is completed within 72 hours of receipt of the claim. These sample data items must be correct on every claim: loss location codes, body part codes, and description of injury codes.
6. Reserves:
The initial file reserves are usually set at the completion of the 3-point contacts and within 72 hours of the claim being reported. Once the adjuster obtains the initial medical records, the reserves are reviewed for accuracy. Any subsequent medical records or other information impacting the value of the claim usually results in a reevaluation and changes in the file reserves. On severe claims where the file remains open for an extended period of time, the reserves must be checked for accuracy ever 6 months.
7. Average Weekly Wages:
The adjuster obtains information documenting the employee's wages within 14 days of receipt of the claim.
8. Compensability:
The basis for the acceptance or the denial of a claim is documented in the file within 14 days of receipt of the claim.
9. Payment of Benefits:
The file clearly outline how the indemnity benefits were calculated and confirm the benefits were paid on time (varies per jurisdiction).
10. ISO Filing:
The index filing is completed within 14 days of receipt of the claim. (Most companies have gone to index filings on only the lost time claims). If the index filing reflects a prior claim, the work comp adjuster follows-up with the prior insurer for information on the prior claim.
11. First Reports (Claims Handled by TPAs):
When claims are handled by a third-party administrator (TPA) rather than the insurer, it is standard for the TPA to provide a report to the insurer within 14 days outlining the coverage, jurisdiction, compensability, medical management, benefits, subrogation (if applicable), subsequent injury fund (if applicable), reserves, payments and action plan.
12. Status Reports (Claims Handled by TPAs):
Regular scheduled status reports updating the insurer on file developments are completed by the TPA's work comp adjuster. Depending on the status of the claim, the status reports may be every 30 days, 60 days or 90 days, however important developments on the claim is immediately reported to the insure.
13. Action Plans:
The file contains an outline of the steps the adjuster plans to take to bring the file to a conclusion. The outline contains a date for each issue, problem or concern to be resolved.
14. Medical Management:
The work comp adjuster knows the nature of the injury, the cause of the injury, the treating physician's diagnosis, the prognosis, the treatment plan and the return-to-work status. On severe claims, the adjuster coordinates/supervises the nurse case manager's involvement in the claim.
Where applicable, the adjuster (or the nurse case manager) provides the treating physician with the necessary information for utilization review and pre-certification.
If the adjuster's office utilizes a medical bill review company to verify proper billing, the adjuster must be sure the medical bills are provided to the vendor for processing.
15. Return to Work:
The adjuster coordinates with the employer and the medical provider the employee’s to return to work as soon as possible on modified duty or full duty, as appropriate.
16. Subrogation:
As part of the investigation, the adjuster determines if any third party can be held responsible for the employee's injury. If so, the adjuster places the third party and their insurer on notice of the intent to subrogate. Once the claim is concluded, the adjuster or the designated subrogation adjuster pursues recovery of the amount paid on the claims.
17. State Filing:
Properly completes and files on time, all state required forms.
Subsequent Injury Fund/Other Offsets:
In the jurisdictions with a subsequent injury fund, the fund is placed on notice of the claim as soon as medical information reflects the potential for recovery from the fund.
The file reflects how social security disability benefits, short-term or long-term disability benefits, unemployment benefits or any other benefits the employee is receiving will impact the amount paid on the claim.
18. Litigation Management:
All files requiring defense counsel are assigned to counsel on time. The initial assignment of the file to defense counsel provides instructions to counsel on how the adjuster wants to proceed on the claim. Any issues or disputes are brought to defense counsel attention with a request for counsel's recommendations.
A litigation budget is submitted by the defense attorney outlining the projected cost of defending the work comp claim.
The adjuster provides defense counsel with on-going instructions on how the adjuster wants to proceed on the claim. All reports from the defense counsel are reviewed and answered as appropriate. All billing from defense counsel are reviewed and approved, if appropriate or questioned, if needed.
19. Diary:
When the adjuster completes the initial 3-point contact, all further activity on the file is planned and placed on the adjuster's calendar for completion. All issues noted in the Action Plans are given a diary date for completion. The diary is kept current until the file is completed.
20. Progress Notes:
Every activity completed by the adjuster is noted in the file notes. The file notes are clear, comprehensive, concise and understandable. (workersxzcompxzkit)
If the adjuster completes each of these “Best Practices,” the quality of the work comp claim file reaches a high standard and claim resolution is appropriate.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
The Transport Workers Union is backing a Tasmanian Coroner's call for all trucking companies to introduce random drug testing. Coroner Chris Webster made the recommendation recently after an inquest into the death of 27-year-old truck driver. The inquest also found a passenger in the truck suffered major injuries.
The driver reportedly had toxic levels of ecstasy in his system when he lost control of his truck at Mount Arrowsmith on the state's west coast early last year.
The union's Leeroy Doble stated most of Tasmania's major transport companies have drug and alcohol policies in place, and the union backs random drug testing.
"Yes we're all for it, we're quite happy to work with companies and set up a drug and alcohol policy but we don't condone urine sampling for the privacy reasons," Doble commented.(workersxzcompxzkit)
According to Doble, drug use is not a common thing in the industry. "This is actually the first time I've heard of a driver with that chemical in his system," he added.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
A 4% plus rate increase in workers’ compensation premiums requested by the insurance industry, faces opposition from Martha Coakley, Attorney General for Massachusetts. The rate increase, if accepted by the Commissioner of Insurance, would cost small businesses and other employers more than $40 million in extra premiums Coakley said.
"Businesses, particularly small businesses, are already struggling in these difficult economic times and cannot afford to overpay for insurance coverage," Coakley remarked. "We have serious concerns about the insurers' proposed rate hike and the additional strain it would put on employers. Businesses are mandated under state law to purchase workers' compensation insurance, and they deserve fair rates to ensure that they can comply without having to layoff additional workers." (workersxzcompxzkit)
Coakley said, her office will intervene in the rate proceeding to protect the public interest and work to halt the unnecessary increases.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: Robert_Elliott@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com or 860-553-6604.
Podcast/Webcast: Claim Handling Strategies
Click Here:
http://www.workerscompkit.com/gallagher/podcast/ Claim_Handling_Strategies/index.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.
©2010 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
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