LexisNexis Communities Highlights Hot Topics WC In Review
The Workers Compensation Law Community Powered by Larsons on LexisNexis offers an interesting look at WC this week:
Ronald E. Weiss and Ronald Balter analyze in “New York Workers’ Comp Stakeholders Continue to Absorb 2007 Reform Changes,” found here, “During the past year, stakeholders in the workers’ compensation system in New York have continued to absorb legislative and administrative changes initiated by the 2007 reform. Maximum indemnity rates are now indexed to two-thirds of the State Average Weekly Wage.”
The Law Community also takes a look at the Workers Compensation Board policy on firearms here by examining what the policy is, how it affects law enforcement and what notification rules are.
They also take an insightful look into a Florida pizza delivery man who was fired after being robbed. See complete article here. Reporter Michael Miller notes the man is suing Domino’s, his former employer, “claiming (they) cruelly denied him workers’ compensation for his injuries from that night and then unlawfully fired him.”
In the Pittsburg Post-Gazette, writer Gina Passarell comments on how the Steelers football team does not have to pay attorney fees in a workers’ comp case. The incident (see full story here) is related to a former player’s WC case in which he suffered injuries while with the team. “The team argued he was not ‘disabled’ since he went on to play for other pro teams, the Commonwealth Court has ruled,” Passarell wrote. “Pennsylvania law automatically provides attorney fees to prevailing claimants when employers contest a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, unless that protest is ‘reasonable.’ “
Working Immigrants Blog Looks at Pew Study
Working Immigrants, a weblog about the business of immigrant work: employment, compensation, legal protections, education, mobility, and public policy writes this week that net migration from Mexico fell to zero.
“According to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center, ‘The largest wave of immigration in history from a single country to the United States has come to a standstill. After four decades that brought 12 million current immigrants—more than half of whom came illegally—the net migration flow from Mexico to the United States has stopped—and may have reversed, according to a new analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center of multiple government data sets from both countries.’ “The blog takes a deeper look into this study here.
TDI-DWC Approves 7 Companies to Self-Insure for Workers’ Compensation Claims
According to Stuart Colburn, shareholder in Downs Stanford, P.C. , the Texas Department of Insurance, Division Workers’ Compensation reports here The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) approved seven renewals of the Certificates of Authority for companies to self-insure their workers’ compensation claims for a one-year period under the TDI-DWC Self-Insurance Program. These companies collectively employ approximately 27,900 employees in Texas.
The report notes, “Under Texas law, certain large, private companies can self-insure for workers’ compensation claims, while retaining the protection of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act for the company and for its employees. To qualify, a company must have a minimum workers’ compensation insurance unmodified manual premium of $500,000 and meet other requirements subject to annual review.”
Capital Community College Offers Live Classes in Risk Management
Capital Community College of Hartford, CT is now offering these live instruction classes in ARM:
ARM 54: Risk Assessment (PRFD 5359-2176)
Tuesdays/Thursdays from 5 PM – 9 PM
May 8 – June 14, 2012
$699 plus textbook
ARM 55: Risk Control (PRFD 5360-2177)
Tuesdays/Thursdays from 5 PM – 9 PM
June 19 – August 2 (excluding July 3 & July 5)
$699 plus textbook
ARM 56: Risk Financing (PRFD 5395-3602)
Tuesdays/Thursdays from 5 PM – 9 PM
September 25 – Nov. 1
$699 plus textbook
To register by phone, call (860) 906-5130. Contact Carol Vassar-Pettit with questions, cpettit@ccc.commnet.edu.
Advisen’s Casualty Insights Conference Coming May 1
Register here for keynote speakers, Allied World’s Lou Iglesias, Navigators’ Stan Galanski, and Arch’s Mark Lyons and an all-star Risk Manager panel.
The casualty conference at the McGraw Hill Conference Center is free for risk managers and insurance buyers; Advisen Clients are $395; general registration is $495. Further, eight CE credits are available for $125.
Other speakers include: Mitchell J. Auslander of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Alfred Bergbauer of Marsh and Carmelite Bertaut of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann LLC
Broadspire Promotes Erica Fichter to Senior Vice President of Medical Management
Broadspire, a TPA WC claims administrator and medical management service provider, has named Erica Fichter to senior vice president of medical management services.
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Fichter will oversee a staff of more than 500 clinical professionals and support personnel located throughout the United States. Broadspire has the fifth largest medical management company in the country, with integrated services including: medical bill review, field and telephonic case management, utilization review, physician review, the BOLD® Network preferred provider offering and chronic pain management. “With this array of services, Broadspire’s cost containment results are typically 10 to 15 percent better than those produced by other TPAs and managed care companies,” they claim.
Note: If your company has any developments you’d like to share, please send them to us at: mbstack@gmail.com
Author Rebecca Shafer, JD, President of Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is a national expert in the field of workers compensation. She is a writer, speaker, and publisher. Her expertise is working with employers to reduce workers compensation costs, and her clients include airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. She is the author of the #1 selling book on cost containment, Workers Compensation Management Program: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%. Contact: RShafer@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
WORKERS COMP MANAGEMENT MANUAL: www.WCManual.com
MODIFIED DUTY CALCULATOR: www.LowerWC.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.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.
©2012 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact us at: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
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