From Bob's Cluttered Desk

Forbes recently offered a well intentioned list of things we all should do to start our workday called “14 Things You Should Do at the Start of Every Work Day”. I thought I would review the list and see how it helped me improve my already stellar performance. Following is my “diary” for the day.…

This week our company will be announcing a new expansion of our WorkCompResearch.com Compliance library with the addition of comprehensive Settlement data for almost all jurisdictions across the country. While we have continually worked to improve and expand the WCR product since its launch in 2007, the real story here is the strategic partnership behind…

Imagine that your job was so unimportant that you could suffer a massive stroke in your office and no one noticed. For five days. Although no one seems to be talking about it in quite that manner, that is apparently what happened to a Computer Specialist at the University of Southern Maine last month. He…

If you go to the website www.texasworkerscomplaw.com today, you will be told that it is currently undergoing maintenance, and is not available. That is not entirely a true statement. In fact, it is likely a complete falsehood, albeit an understandable one given the circumstances. The reality is that www.texasworkerscomplaw.com, a blog written by Texas attorney…

While I was out of the office last week, it was announced that this blog, “From Bob's Cluttered Desk”, was once again selected by LexisNexis as one of 2012's “Top 25 Blogs” for the workers' compensation industry. Within the list, this is one of 4 blogs honored in the “National Blog” category. This is the…

We've heard that our continually struggling economy has been particularly harsh on businesses in the northern manufacturing states. It has been acknowledged that Michigan, with its heavy reliance on the auto industry, has been especially hard hit. I am sure there is much truth to that, but it was not in evidence by what I…

Normally I would refer to proposals such as the ones being considered in Australia as “Nanny State” regulation, but this doesn’t even rise to that ignominious level. No, this is pure Sissy State stuff. Safe Work Australia has outlined a draft code of practice designed to address bullying in the workplace. These codes would be…

I just wanted to make a quick post to thank everyone who extended such kind wishes and support after the passing of my mother. It has been a long week, but we are traveling home today (Sunday), and look forward to the return of normalcy tomorrow (as normal as my life can be, anyway).  Her…

Today’s mobile technology brings many opportunities, but has definitive challenges and pitfalls for those of us who spend a good amount of time, well, working in a mobile environment. I certainly learned that the hard way last week. As I wrote Friday, it had already been a challenging week. But there was one more surprise…

The day was already not going well. I was headed to Detroit to speak at the fall conference of the Michigan Self Insurers Association, and had boarded my flight in Tampa. After a 40 minute delay over a hydraulic leak, the airline announced that the flight would be cancelled. I was put on a plane…