From Bob's Cluttered Desk

Oh to be in Oregon, where the subpoenas are flying and the state’s normally absentee Governor tuned in just long enough to check out on Friday. John Kitzhaber, just weeks into a record setting fourth term, resigned amidst a growing scandal related to his fiancé, influence peddling, dirty politics and clean energy. The point of…

I thought of this yesterday morning in the shower, and admittedly have not had the opportunity to fully flesh the idea out. Fortunately, failing to think something completely through has never prevented me from writing about it, so what the hell. I might as well let this one rip. I participated Tuesday in a Twitterchat…

I have to warn you. I feel a rant coming on. My conservative, politically INcorrect side just can’t bear it anymore. I have to say something, and I sense my wording will be offensive to some; especially if you are an entitlement weenie. You can’t say you were not warned. Sorry about your right to…

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory caused quite the stir last Wednesday in his annual “State of the State” address. During that speech he claimed that that more 40 percent of the approximately $150 million per year the state incurs in workers compensation costs for its injured employees was related to “fraud and abuse”. Saying, “Our…

It will be a first for me. In fact, it will probably be a first for all of the participants, as well as the workers' compensation industry. The first workers' comp “Twitterchat” will happen tomorrow at 2:00PM eastern. This event consists of several industry leaders (I am reticent to use that term to describe myself,…

I have said it numerous times, both in my blog and at many speaking engagements around the country. People outside of workers' compensation, the employers and employees we serve, have no understanding of who we are, what we do, or how we do it. Workers' comp is a mystery to those outside the system; a…

Well, the rumors are true. Oregon Insurer SAIF has made it official. They are looking for a new president & CEO. They posted the position almost a year from when the last one started the job. I hope they can have one hired by the anniversary of his departure. That is just three short months…

If you watched the Super Bowl, you likely saw the ads. There were two of them; the first a rather vague reference to a “new way to pay” coming to a McDonalds Restaurant near you. It showed happy, laughing, dancing and prancing people all ostensibly having the time of their life ordering a Big Mac…

Business Insurance is reporting that an Australian woman has been denied a claim she says is related to an injury she suffered on the job. She claimed a work injury caused her to gain weight and as a result she is in need of breast reduction surgery to alleviate the pain she is experiencing. The…

Timely response and clear communications are critical elements for handling workers’ compensation claims. However, when it comes to gathering information and managing a claim properly, “timing” might be just as important as “timely”. A story out of Ft. Worth, TX this morning highlights the fact that proper communication and timing should be part of a…