Workers Comp & Safety News – August/September 2025
WCIRB 2025 Annual Conference: Key Takeaways for California Workers’ Comp Stakeholders
The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB) hosted its 2025 Annual Conference in July, bringing together industry leaders, actuaries, medical experts, and fraud investigators to explore the most pressing issues shaping California’s workers’ compensation system. Held virtually, the event offered a forward-looking view of cost trends, regulatory shifts, and emerging risks.Read on for details.
Mid-Year Check-In: IRMI’s 2025 Workers’ Comp Watchlist Highlights Key Shifts
As we pass the halfway mark of 2025, the workers’ compensation landscape is evolving rapidly—and not just in cost. The July update from the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) outlines 20 key issues shaping the industry this year, with several themes rising to the top: medical inflation, mental health, AI adoption, and the erosion of exclusive remedy protections.Read on for details.
Worker Classification in the Gig Economy: What Employers Need to Know in 2025
As the gig economy continues to expand—now encompassing over 50% of the U.S. workforce by some estimates—states and federal agencies are tightening the rules around how gig workers are classified. For business owners, brokers, and workers’ compensation professionals, these changes carry significant implications for liability, benefits eligibility, and insurance obligations. Read on for details.
What Is the ABC Test?
To classify a worker as an independent contractor, the employer must prove all three of the following:
A. The worker is free from control and direction in performing the work.
B. The work performed is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – June/July 2025
The Trump Administration’s Shift Away from Disparate Impact: Meritocracy vs. Proportionality
In April 2025, the Trump administration issued an Executive Order aimed at eliminating disparate-impact liability in employment and other areas. Read on for details.
Understanding Subrogation Rights in California Workers’ Compensation
Subrogation is a legal principle that allows an employer or its workers’ compensation insurer to recover costs from a third party responsible for an employee’s injury. In California, this process is governed by Labor Code Section 3850, which grants employers and insurers the right to seek reimbursement for benefits paid to an injured worker.Read on for details.
Reducing Opioid Dependence in Workers’ Compensation: Lessons from California and Beyond
The opioid crisis has posed significant challenges in workers’ compensation cases, where injured workers often receive opioid prescriptions for pain management. Over the past decade, states have increasingly focused on reducing opioid dependence, implementing innovative policies and expanding alternative treatments. Read on for details.
First-Year Workers’ Compensation Injuries
Recent data continues to highlight the risks faced by first-year employees. According to the 2024 Injury Impact Report, 35% of workplace injuries still occur within an employee’s first year. This underscores the importance of proper onboarding and safety training. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – April/May 2025
Georgia Court of Appeals Decision Highlights Workers’ Compensation Risks for Employers
A recent ruling by the Georgia Court of Appeals underscores an important risk for employers in every state when it comes to defending against workers’ compensation claims. Read on for details.
What Business Owners Need to Know About Payroll Companies and Workers’ Compensation
A growing concern among insurance agents in Florida is the increasing role that payroll companies are playing in the workers’ compensation market. While these firms offer convenience, they may lack the necessary expertise to properly advise business owners on workers’ compensation coverage, leading to potential risks and financial losses.
Read on for details.
Understanding the Risks of Employee Misclassification: A Cautionary Tale for Business Owners
A recent case in Pennsylvania highlights the serious consequences of misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Romero Remodeling Co., a Pittsburgh-based construction business, misclassified 192 employees as independent contractors, violating the Pennsylvania Construction Workplace Misclassification Act (Act 72). Read on for details.
Understanding the “ABC Test” for Worker Classification
The “ABC Test,” which is used by many states, including California, is a legal standard used to determine whether a worker should be classified as an employee or an independent contractor. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – February/March 2025
California Workers’ Compensation Market Update (2025)
… The latest report highlights key trends and metrics for 2025, reflecting the ongoing evolution of the market and the impact of various legislative and regulatory changes. Read on for details.
2025 NCCI Annual Updates on State Workers Comp Regulations and Legislation
Here’s a look at how workers comp legislation and rates are trending nationally.
Workers’ Compensation Rate Cuts:
For 2025, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) recommended a 6.1% overall average reduction in workers’ compensation premium rates for the voluntary market. Read on for details.
Insurance Industry Trade Associations Plan to Lobby for Mitigation of Third-Party Litigation Funding in 2025
As the insurance industry continues to navigate the complexities of the modern legal landscape, trade associations are gearing up to make a significant push in 2025 to mitigate the impact of third-party litigation funding (TPLF). Read on for details.
How Employers Can Prepare for Pay Equity Scrutiny
As pay transparency and equity laws gain momentum across the United States, federal and state authorities are increasingly scrutinizing employers to ensure compliance. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – December 24/January 25
Long COVID’s Lasting Impact: Rising Costs and Workforce Challenges for U.S. Businesses
Long COVID continues to pose significant challenges for U.S. businesses, particularly through its impact on employee health and productivity. Read on for details.
Migraine Drugs Emerging as a Workers’ Compensation Cost Driver in California
Migraine medications made up less than 1% of all prescriptions for injured California workers in 2023 but accounted for 4.7% of drug payments, a steep increase from 0.6% in 2018, according to a California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) study.Read on for details.
Despite DEI Backlash Nearly 60% of US Workers Support Current DEI Policies
A landmark Supreme Court decision. A polarized electorate. ESG in the crosshairs. These factors and others are putting Corporate America’s diversity efforts on defense like never before. Read on for details.
What Do Executives Think of DEI?
The political and legal landscape for corporate diversity efforts is increasingly contested. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – October/November 2024
Pros and Cons: Fee Caps on Workers’ Compensation Cases
In August 2024, New Jersey raised the attorney fee cap for workers’ compensation cases from 20% to 25%, aiming to encourage more attorneys to represent injured workers. Read on for details.
Presumption Laws Make Strong Showing Among New Comp Laws Passed
According to a report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), only twelve percent of proposed workers’ compensation bills gained passage this year. Read on for details.
What’s the Difference Between a Stipulation and a Compromise & Release?
There are essentially two types of workers’ compensation settlements: a Stipulated Finding and Award or “Stipulation,” and a Compromise & Release. Read on for details.
Work Comp Fraud Losses Surge Since 2020
As of 2024, workers’ compensation fraud costs U.S. employers and insurers significantly more than previous estimates. Read on for details.