Year: 2016

Tomorrow millions of people will sit down with family and friends, and gorge themselves on turkey, stuffing, potatoes, more stuffing, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, bread, again with the stuffing, and pumpkin pie (which, if served correctly will have so much whipped cream on it as to render it completely unrecognizable). It will be an…

For the last couple years, I have done a fair amount of speaking around the country discussing looming technological and demographic changes that will dramatically alter the workers’ compensation industry. In relation to the impact that automation and robotics eventually will have on the workforce, one of the examples I have discussed was the testing…

Having just successfully passed my 56th birthday, I recognize that I am gradually, and quite comfortably, transitioning to the role of easily annoyed old fart. Things that used to irritate me internally are now much more easy to celebrate in public view, as my ability to share that irritation with those around me has improved…

I know, it sounds like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised. Kids’ Chance Awareness Week, which starts this morning and runs through November 18th, is all about awareness. Your awareness; to a cause that is helping kids in need across this country. In case you are not yet aware, Kids’ Chance is an organization…

We are constantly reminded that workplace accidents can happen anywhere, and people can be injured doing obscure jobs we never even think about. I was reminded of that this morning when a story out of New Zealand crossed my Cluttered Desk. According to Radio New Zealand, WorkSafe, New Zealand’s workplace health and safety regulator, has…

We’ve been talking a great deal about the “National Conversation” on workers’ compensation of late. Various groups are taking up the responsibility of guiding and contributing to the discussion; from the Workers’ Compensation Summit to the IAIABC, SAWCA, private companies, other interested groups and beyond. It is all an effort to identify and correct deficiencies…

I was at the CompLaude Awards & Gala last week, listening to the opening speaker, Bill Zachry. Mr. Zachry is the recently retired Group VP of Risk Management for Safeway and Albertsons grocery stores. Still active in the industry, he is currently a board member for the State Fund in California. It was an excellent…

I probably got too close to someone’s Voodoo doll while I was in Salem, Oregon this week. I arrived Tuesday afternoon in preparation of delivering the Keynote presentation at the annual Oregon Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference Wednesday morning. While I felt fine when I arrived, it was while I was returning to my hotel room…

The news, when I first read it, really stunned me. According to the CBC News, the legislature in Saskatchewan passed legislation this week that would allow any worker with any psych issue to file a claim for workers’ comp. Specifically the news service reported: The government says workers will need to provide a diagnosis from…

Honestly, this post will not resemble a “tome” in any way, shape or form. A tome is defined as a “a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one.” This is not a book. It is not going to be large. And Lord knows the word scholarly will never be associated with my work. But it…