I was at the CompLaude Awards & Gala last week, listening to the opening speaker, Bill Zachry. Mr. Zachry is the recently retired Group VP of Risk Management for Safeway and Albertsons grocery stores. Still active in the industry, he is currently a board member for the State Fund in California. It was an excellent…
Hobbling My Way to CompLaude
I probably got too close to someone’s Voodoo doll while I was in Salem, Oregon this week. I arrived Tuesday afternoon in preparation of delivering the Keynote presentation at the annual Oregon Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference Wednesday morning. While I felt fine when I arrived, it was while I was returning to my hotel room…
Is Portrayal of New Saskatchewan Psych Presumption Laws Slightly Wacko?
The news, when I first read it, really stunned me. According to the CBC News, the legislature in Saskatchewan passed legislation this week that would allow any worker with any psych issue to file a claim for workers’ comp. Specifically the news service reported: The government says workers will need to provide a diagnosis from…
Simple Simplification Prompts My Old Kentucky Tome
Honestly, this post will not resemble a “tome” in any way, shape or form. A tome is defined as a “a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one.” This is not a book. It is not going to be large. And Lord knows the word scholarly will never be associated with my work. But it…
Oklahoma Workers' Comp: Stranded on Gilliland's Island
They say that no man is an island, but I’ll bet at times Bob Gilliland feels as though he has been set adrift as a lonely castaway. Gilliland is Chairman of the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission, and the Tulsa World reported yesterday that the Governor of the Sooner State, Mary Fallin, appears none too pleased…
Can We Change the Culture of Comp With a Single Word?
This will not be a new idea from me, but after proposing it at numerous presentations around the country over the last three years, I know it is an idea that bears repeating. It is a concept that has been universally well received by audiences and blog readers alike, and it serves as a pivot…
Workplace Bullies To Get Next Week Off
An article run Wednesday here in the CompNewsNetwork caught my eye, as it referenced a topic on which I have opined in the past – Workplace Bullying. For the record, I do not support Workplace Bullying, or by extension individual workplace bullies. However, my stance on the situation overall likely lands me somewhere in the…
DOL Report Cites Workers' Comp Summit; Is the National Conversation Working?
Last week, US Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and a team of analysts and economists released the highly anticipated report on workers’ compensation, entitled “Does The Workers’ Compensation System Fulfill its Obligations To Injured Workers?” I can save you a ton of reading here by providing the direct answer. According to the DOL, it is “no”.…
As Comp Laude Deadlines Approach, This Program is Worth Your Time
Both the early bird registration window and hotel room block are about to close for the 5th Annual Comp Laude Awards & Gala, scheduled for November 4th & 5th in Burbank, CA. The price goes up and the guaranteed room rate goes away after this Friday, October 14, 2016. I urge all interested parties to…
Florida Workers’ Comp Rates Force Increase in Blog Cost
Well, it is official. As reported here and elsewhere, workers’ compensation rates in Florida, where my company is based, are set to rise 14.5% on December 1, 2016. This is largely the result of two court decisions, which were largely the result of some really shortsighted legislative decisions, which were largely the result of greedy…
