We spend a great deal of time talking about ways that the workers’ compensation system could be improved. Much of that conversation centers around how adjusters and claims professionals could do their job better; how they could change their methods to get better results. Rarely, if ever, in these conversations have we really discussed the…
Jeff Bezos and Other Scummy Social Media Scammers
With the advent of social media, we find ourselves dealing with an ever-increasing quantity of suspicious and annoying spammers and scammers. People like Jeff Bezos and others are clogging our social media accounts asking to be our friends, contacts, followers or connections. What is up with all that? We must first state unequivocally that the…
E-Scooters Could be the Death of Your Company
Colorado workers’ compensation insurer Pinnacol Assurance issued a news release last week urging employers to reconsider their employee’s use of electronic scooters. It seems that use of these now ubiquitous urban nuisances not only make your employees look damned ridiculous, they can also present a workers’ compensation risk for your company. Jim McMillen, Pinnacol’s director of…
Employment Dress Codes and the Anal Cleft
You know, there are some mornings where I get up, brew the coffee, grab my laptop and wander in to my home office with every intent of pecking out a blog post without a clue on what the topic of the day will be. I usually arise at 5:30AM for this purpose. Doing so affords…
In Australia, Smoking on The Roof Can Be Hazardous to Your Health – Not to Mention Compensable
A seven-year employee of a McDonald’s restaurant in Australia has won a court case granting her rights to workers’ compensation benefits, after the court deemed a smoke break taken before her shift began was part of the time she was required to be onsite. She had arrived ten minutes early to “help with the shift transition,” and…
Committing Fraud 101: Lesson 1 – Make Sure the Camera is Not on You
Good morning, class, and welcome to Committing Fraud 101, a course where we will teach you the finer points and nuances for committing workers’ compensation fraud. This will be a unique class for you, where both the curriculum and your degree will be suitable for framing. Oh, how I love a good double entendre. Let’s dive…
From the Archives: Corporate America, Train Thy Front Line Manager Well on the Ways of Workers' Comp
Editors Note: The following post was originally an editorial piece written by Bob on October 23, 2009, almost two years prior to the start of his blog. It is said that a company is only as good as its worst employee. It would stand to reason then, that how a company handles a workers’ compensation…
The Glorious Promises of Medicare for Fall
As the drumbeat of “Medicare for all” approaches a crescendo with the advent of the 2020 presidential elections, we should take a moment to fully analyze what the idea entails. For the proponents of the concept, the argument is decidedly one sided. They speak of our “right” to quality medical care and extending coverage to…
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Super Human Poo
There is an old saying that goes, “With friends like this, who needs enemies?” That was a sentiment somewhat felt when I saw a tweet from my friend Judge David Langham, where he cited an article outlining the search for “Super Poo Donors” and suggesting it would be a perfect topic for one of my…
Nominations Are Open: Will You Comp Laude?
The workers’ compensation industry takes its share of bad news; some of it deserved, and some of it not. However, beyond the din of negativity, good things do happen within this industry. Many of us know of examples of injured workers who, despite horrific injuries and the challenges of resulting impairment, have risen up and…