From Bob's Cluttered Desk

I am just back from my Geekathon sojourn to the Annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and it would be an understatement to say that I was left with many strong impressions. While many of the the gadgets and imagination on display were truly amazing, one of the biggest takeaways for the week came…

For those of us, like myself, who have never before attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it can be a bit overwhelming. The annual technology showcase that is held here every year is simply massive; 150,000 attendees and thousands of vendors in numerous exhibit halls across several facilities. It is ground zero for…

A Malvern, PA Telemarketing Company that publishes business newsletters must pay $1.75 million to thousands of employees who it forced to clock out while going to the bathroom, as well as when taking other short breaks. The federal judge who ordered the payment cited Labor Department regulations and pronouncements promoting the value of short breaks…

It has been a few years since I issued a “Top Ten” prediction for the new year. This is for a variety of reasons, none less relevant than the fact that I generally suck at it. Seriously, my past performance has been less than stellar when it comes to annual prognosticatory behavior. An annual prediction…

Bob’s now traditional holiday message, originally published 12/23/2011. It has been updated to reflect the current calendar: As I have stated here before, and as people who know me will attest, I am NOT a person who subscribes easily to the notion of political correctness. So it is with no great simplicity that I attempt…

The Michigan State Legislature has been busy this year doing something very unusual. At the request of Governor Rick Snyder, they have actually been working to take laws off the books. That like never happens, dude. Legislators almost always add on or revise, but never, ever remove. In this case it was an effort to…

What can I say? Some of us in the workers' compensation industry are just “givers”. We commit to the greater good. We sacrifice. We forgo basic comfort and safety for the greater benefit of the collective. There is no need to thank us. It is just what we do. Such will be the case this…

If only these boobs had been from Butte; the headline for this piece would be perfect. Alas, they were not boobs from Butte, but rather miscreants from Missoula. No worries, they still give us much to ponder. A Montana jury last week found a former janitor guilty of workers’ compensation fraud for faking a workplace…

It could be called a very expensive lesson, even though the retail value was just 92 cents. And while it is an unfortunate lesson to learn, it does accentuate one part of the claims management process that we do not often discuss. The lesson delivered by this postal service experience is reason to remind all…

My wife and I volunteered again this year for Wreaths Across America, which was held Saturday at national cemeteries all across the country. This year over 700,000 wreaths were laid at the headstones of veterans who served this nation with honor. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Here in Sarasota, at…