An article that appeared Friday on this site, from the National Safety Council, told us of a survey that presents yet another concern for the workers’ compensation industry. It indicated people who suddenly found their work based from home due to the COVID pandemic were more likely to drink on the job as a result. It found…
Becoming Virtual Virtuosi
There are a couple different schools of thought when it comes to the topic of learning how to swim. As a child, I learned to swim through formalized lessons at the Erlton Swim Club of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. There were weeks of lessons where multiple instructors guided shivering young children (it was early summer,…
In Workers' Comp, Inconsistency Remains Our Most Consistent Trait
Oh, what a difference a state line makes. In Florida, a work-at-home workers’ compensation claims professional who tripped over her dog while reaching for a cup of coffee could not receive workers’ compensation benefits. If she moved just a few miles north, over the Georgia border, it would now be a different story. Last week the State…
An Open Offer to State Regulators Regarding Workers' Recovery
Editor’s Note: It has been an extraordinarily hectic few weeks here at WorkersCompensation.com, and Bob has found it difficult to maintain this blog while dealing with the COVID related demands on his business. In the interim, we have decided to offer a few past posts that are near and dear to his heart. He expects to…
Workers' Compensation Should Be Called Workers' Recovery
Editor’s Note: It has been an extraordinarily hectic few weeks here at WorkersCompensation.com, and Bob has found it difficult to maintain this blog while dealing with the COVID related demands on his business. In the interim, we have decided to offer a few past posts that are near and dear to his heart. He expects…
Defining the Essential Worker in the Era of COVID
Are you an “essential worker?” Am I? Does the contribution you make to the economy and society in general through the course of your work make any difference? Are we essential, or not? Doesn’t every position hold some value to the greater good? In the era of COVID-19, there has been a great deal of…
Anonymity, Workers' Comp and the Death of Civil Discourse
Civil discourse in the workers’ compensation industry can at times be a challenge. The adversarial and sometimes acrimonious nature of the work we do doesn’t always bring the best out of people. Still, many people in the industry toil daily to provide necessary services while keeping communications professional and respectful. Understanding and respecting those with…
We Should Have Bought a Different Thermometer
The state of Florida is gradually reopening after weeks of self-isolation and stay at home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, I will return to my office today, following two months of commandeering the family room and generally annoying my wife. The goal here, of course, is to return to some sense…
We Don't Pay for Dumbassery, Do We?
It almost feels like the second in a series, what with this article’s title being so similar to the last one posted in this blog. In that article, we asked, “We Don’t Pay for Viruses, Do We?” (Short answer: Now we do). Today, however, we discuss a completely unrelated topic. Wherein a virus can represent…
We Don't Pay for Viruses, Do We?
As COVID-19 continues to challenge the nation, the workers’ compensation industry is busy grappling with its own questions regarding the impact and responsibilities surround the virus. Compensability for employees who claim they contracted the illness on the job remains a very big question. We have already seen a push in numerous states to extend presumptive…