In a live demonstration of the importance of workplace safety, the nations attention yesterday was riveted on two unfortunate window washers after they became stranded on a partially collapsed platform 700 feet over Manhattan. These two hard-luck cleaning engineers found themselves dangling precariously off the side of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in…
In the Eye of the Storm, What's Next for SAIF?
For those of us who have been following the saga of John Plotkin and his unexpected termination from Oregon Insurer SAIF, we appear to have entered the eye of the storm – the quiet period where we anxiously wait in anticipation of whatever comes next. It is that phase beyond the initial shock and anger,…
My Childlike Brain is Headed to Las Vegas….
It must be November, because I am going to be yet another year older; and I am once again headed to Las Vegas. Next week is the 23rd Annual National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference, being held November 19th thru 21st at Mandalay Bay. It is the annual sojourn that many of us make to…
Wrangling With John Burton Over the Future of Workers' Comp
I had the honor of working on a pretty unique project earlier this year, and I have been unable to write about it publicly until now. The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) publishes an annual Peer Review Journal, and the editor, Robert Aurbach, asked me to participate in a series to…
Shuffling to Independence Through Thoughtful Accommodation
I traveled to Toronto this weekend to attend the funeral of an uncle, my father’s brother. I flew from Sarasota, and met my almost 95 year old father who was flying in from New Mexico to attend the services. Even though he still drives and owns two businesses, he suffered a fall a few years…
My Home Depot Reminder of the Claims That Would Not Die
I am not a particularly handy person around the house. Fortunately for me, what I lack in actual ability for home repair I make up for with an eternal optimism about my capabilities. This compensatory effect, however, is not shared by my wife. It does not prevent her from normally leaving the house when these…
Farewell to Uncle Dave
Sometimes life isn't all about workers' compensation. Sometimes it's about family. I have several wonderful Uncles, but truth be told, I had a favorite. It was my Uncle Dave. He was a stand up guy. A terrific father and husband. A truly gentle soul, and an extraordinarily funny man. Funny to beat the band. David…
Oklahoma Wheels of Justice Stall, While Injured Workers Wait and Wonder
The Oklahoma State Workers' Compensation Commission has refused to hear appeals involving injured workers' claims for over two months, choosing to wait for the Attorney General's Office to issue an opinion on whether the commission can close its deliberations to the public. Apparently two commissioners believe state laws related to the matter are not well…
More Court Filings and Some Good News at SAIF
I am headed out the door for a few days of vacation (more like a staycation, as the honeydo list is long and in need of attention), so this will be (for me) relatively short and to the point. There has been some interesting movement in the ongoing SAIF/John Plotkin saga this past week, including…
Beating Fat Employees with a Stick
The increasing girth of the average American is becoming a pretty weighty issue, and employers tired of having paint scraped off door frames are beginning to take notice. Some are beginning to turn away from incentive based health programs to efforts that actually punish employees or restrict benefits for those who do not participate. Excessive…