As a result of a lawsuit, a Kentucky employer must pay $450,000 to a former employee after throwing him a surprise birthday party. The man, who suffers from panic attacks, had apparently asked his employer not to throw him a surprise birthday party. It was evidently their normal practice for employees. It appears the company, Gravity…
Post-Pandemic Actuarial Cornhole, and Other Useful Return To The Office Tricks
As the Covid pandemic continues its wind down (except for in airports and airplanes where we will apparently remain permanently masked) some companies are now looking at clearing the cobwebs in the office and returning the workforce to their respective cubicles. While many businesses, including mine, have gone virtual, some simply function better when everyone…
Will California Workers’ Comp Go “Woke” With Wage Disparity Benefits?
A bill currently before the California legislature would require that workers’ compensation in the state “increase the payment of disability benefits by the percentage of disparity in earnings between genders.” What does this mean? Probably that more companies will be moving to Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. But it also means that, if signed into law,…
On Taking the Lockton 2022 Workers’ Compensation Survey
The 2022 Lockton Workers’ Compensation Survey is currently underway, and workers’ comp professionals are strongly encouraged to participate. Doing so helps all of us better understand trends and challenges in the industry. This survey will also help pinpoint topics and issues to be included in the agenda for the 2022 Complex Risk Symposium. Survey participants will receive…
Preserving Elementary Elucidations Immediately Upon Interfacing Amidst Impaired Personages
It is often said that words mean things. I’ve actually written that here on the digital pages of my blog, so it must be true. Clear, concise, communication can help overcome hurdles when dealing with challenging issues. Yet, in workers’ compensation, an industry that certainly sees its fair share of hurdles, the art of simple…
A Farewell Fifty Years in The Making, Honoring Vickie Kennedy
I attended a virtual ceremony yesterday honoring Vickie Kennedy, Assistant Director of Insurance Services at Washington Labor & Industries. Vickie retires from the agency tomorrow, after a scant 50 years of service to the agency. Vickie started with the agency in 1971. She advanced through a variety of positions and became Assistant Director of Insurance…
It Turns Out You Can Put a Price On Happiness
They say that money can’t buy happiness. That may be true, but a New Jersey University has figured out a way to put a price tag on it. Centenary University has announced it will now offer a “Master of Arts in Happiness Studies.” And it will only set students back a cool $17,700 to earn…
The Incredibly Lonely Journey
At the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference, concluded yesterday in Colorado Springs, David “Corey” Staver presented the session “The Lonely Journey and Back Again.” Staver is an Accessibility Specialist and CEO of The David Corey Company, providing home modification services for the accommodation of people with impairment. He was the winner of a recent “CompTalks”…
What Is the True Cost of a Crappy Pallet?
Sometimes companies fail to assess the true cost of the equipment and supplies provided to employees. They look at price per unit, or some other measure of direct cost, but often fail to account for or anticipate ancillary expenses associated with an item. And the true cost may be much more than they often think.…
Clogging Our Way Out of Plantar Fasciitis
This may be handy information for the folks who handle “repetitive walking” claims from correctional officers of Illinois’ Menard Correctional Center. And since our industry sees its fair share of foot related issues from a variety of jobs that are hard on the feet, this may be useful to a broader group as well. The good news…