Workers Comp & Safety News – April/May 2024
Stricter New Rules Limit Independent Contractor Hiring
A new independent contractor rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) could spark an increase in misclassification lawsuits and make businesses less likely to hire gig workers, experts say.Read on for details.
New Solutions for Employee Mental Health
More than one in five U.S. adults suffer from mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Read on for details.
How Does the Independent Medical Exam Process Work?
The work of independent medical examiners can directly affect what you pay for a claim. Their findings may help determine whether an injury or illness is indeed work-related, or the extent of a permanent disability. Here are some pointers for working with independent medical examiners.Read on for details.
What Is an Independent Medical Examiner?
An independent medical examiner (IME) examines and documents a claimant’s medical condition. Although IMEs evaluate personal injury and disability cases, we’ll limit discussion in this article to workers’ compensation IMEs. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – February/March 2024
Workers Put Priority on Psychological Health
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), its “2023 Work in America Survey” confirms that workers place an extremely high value on their psychological well-being at work. Read on for details.
AI Delivers 10 to 15 Percent Work Comp Cost Savings
AI’s impact on workers compensation is becoming increasingly important. A report by Deloite suggests that the predictive analytics in workers’ comp alone can deliver a 10 to 15 percent reduction in claim costs. Several software companies and a state rating bureaus have been taking advantage of AI to develop products in the areas of safety, claims processing, fraud detection and claims administration. Read on for details.
Workplace Shootings Not Always Compensable
While gunshot wounds or deaths are not common workplace injuries, they have become more frequent in the past few years. According to an article in TIME, among companies with employer-sponsored health insurance, the rate of total firearm injuries in employees and dependents increased more than fourfold from 2007 to 2020—from 2.6 to 11.7 per 100,000 insurance enrollees. Read on for details.
The Benefits of Structured Settlements
Once a worker suffers an occupational injury while working for you, he or she becomes your responsibility for life. If the injury recurs or flares up, the employer remains responsible for providing the necessary medical treatment. This holds true even years after a relatively minor accident. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – December 2023/January 2024
Finding Alternatives to Opioids: Virtual Physical Therapy
The opioid epidemic continues to ravage communities across America, taking over 41 lives per day. In the workplace that means billions in lost productivity and increased healthcare expenses. Read on for details.
How Second Opinions Can Avoid Unneeded Surgeries and Reduce Costs
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When employees require surgery, the costs can be immense, whether for workers compensation or employee benefits—not only the direct medical bills but also lost productivity from time off work. Read on for details.
Hartford Insurance Says Digital Technology is Changing Workers Comp
As businesses continue to adopt a “digital first” approach, the Hartford Insurance Company says the impact on workers’ compensation will be profound. From safer work environments to the increased use of telehealth, workers’ comp rates and policies will likely continue to shift in the coming years. Read on for details.
What OSHA Regulations Apply to Your Business?
When it comes to workplace safety, ignorance is no defense. OSHA safety and health regulations often apply to all businesses, regardless of size. If you’re not sure which regulations apply to your business, OSHA provides some resources. It has created a Web-based step-by-step guide to help small employers identify some of the regulations that might apply to them. Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – October/November 2023
Is Your In-House Medical Program Causing OSHA Citations?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is devoting more attention to scrutinizing employers’ in-house medical programs for general duty clause violations related to alleged medical mismanagement of injured workers. Read on for details.
NCCI Annual Updates on State Workers Comp Regulations and Legislation
More state legislatures propose PTSD bills; in most states marijuana reimbursement is NOT required and more states are considering legalizing hallucinogens.Read on for details.
Workers Comp Basics: The Four Types of Disability Benefits
In determining the extent of a worker’s injury, doctors evaluate the degree of disability or impairment. The injury may be permanent or temporary.Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – August/September 2023
The Silent Crisis: Rising Mental Health Problems at Work
An undercurrent of mental health issues is disrupting workplaces across the United States, leading to concerns about productivity, engagement, and retention. Read on for details.
Is Workers Compensation the Exclusive Remedy in Workplace Sexual Harassment Cases?
Employees who believe they have been victims of sexual harassment on the job or that they work in a hostile or harmful environment have a right to take action by filing a workers’ compensation claim. As such, employers have the responsibility of maintaining a safe, civil work environment with a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to sexual harassment. Read on for details.
How Does Self-Insured Workers Compensation Work?
According to Statista, the percentage of employees covered by self-funded workers compensation plans increased from 44 percent in 1999 to a record high of 67 percent in 2020. Two years later, during the height of the pandemic, that figure had decreased slightly to 65 percent in 2022, but the trend for employers to self-insure is still on the rise.Read on for details.
Two Types of Excess Workers Compensation Insurance
Specific Excess Insurance limits the amount a self-insured must pay for any single occurrence. After the self-insured pays a Self-Insured Retention (SIR), the insurance company will pay the rest of the claims up to a certain limit. See figure 1., illustrating a $750,000 claim where after the self-insured pays the $500,000 SIR, Specific Excess Insurance pays the rest of the claim ($250,000).Read on for details.
Workers Comp & Safety News – June/July 2023
Costliest Work Comp Claims Come from Car Crashes
According to NCCI data, the costliest lost-time workers’ compensation claims by cause of injury result from motor-vehicle crashes, averaging $85,311 per workers’ compensation claim filed in 2019 and 2020. Read on for details.
AI and Data Science Join Forces to Enhance Workplace Safety
Artificial intelligence (AI) and data science are having a transformative impact on workplace safety. Read on for details.
Addressing the Growing Problem of Mental Health in the Workplace
According to the NCCI’s 2021 report, mental health claims have been increasing in the US. In 2019, mental health claims accounted for 5.3% of all workers’ compensation claims. This is up from 4.8% in 2018 and 4.6% in 2017.Read on for details.
NCCI Update on COVID-19 Court Cases
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, NCCI began monitoring COVID-19-related cases with potential implications for WC insurance. Many of the cases to date have dealt with determinations of whether contraction of COVID-19 is work-related and therefore compensable, or the application of exclusive remedy where employees contract COVID-19 and sue their employers in tort. Read on for details.