In a clearly orchestrated move, 28 McDonalds employees from around the nation filed health and safety complaints against their employer Monday, claiming they were severely burned while working and told by managers to treat the wounds with condiments. The employees were assisted in this effort by the “Fight for $15” campaign, a program launched by…
South Dakota Supremes Declare Horseplay Compensable
Workers' compensation is no stranger to stupid stories. Lord knows we have seen our fair share of inane dumbassery. This story – make that this court decision – would be one of them. Last week the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a man who broke his ankle “running away from a co-worker” after playing…
Delegating, Dumping and Beating the Monkey on Your Back
Effectively managing people is somewhat of an art form, and not something that everyone can do well. Skilled delegation, despite the current “open office, team empowerment” business jargon of the day, is still part of effective management. And as many of us know all too well, there is a fine line between delegation and dumping.…
On Golf and Workers' Comp
Last Thursday I snuck off early for a round of golf before heading into the office. We teed off at 6:45AM, and were done by 9:40. A quick jaunt by the house for a shower and a change of clothes, and I was in the office by 10:30, with few the wiser regarding my absence.…
In Workers' Comp, Stop Reforming Laws. Start Reforming Minds.
I am speaking next week as the opening presenter for the 2015 Minnesota Workers' Compensation Summit: “Keeping Minnesota Safe and Healthy”. The topic of my presentation is “No Brain, No Gain – Imagining Our Way to Better Injury Outcomes”. It is based on an article I wrote last year, called simply, “No Brain, No Gain“.…
Is Workers' Comp Getting Mixed Signals from the Feds?
I was at the 2015 National Council of Self-Insurers Conference in St. Petersburg, FL earlier this week, and one of the sessions I attended was entitled “Federal Intrusion into Workers’ Compensation”. It was presented by Robert Minor of Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease out of Ohio. Minor spent some time reviewing past intrusions into the…
Are You Ready to Accommodate the Transabled?
Just when I think I've seen it all; the labels, the classifications, the special accommodations, the protected classes – something new and almost unfathomable crosses the Cluttered Desk. We're going to have to remove all sharp objects from the desks of HR across the nation. This one is a doozy. In a world where many…
Win, Lose and Draw: Wisconsin Workers' Compensation Reform Churns On In Non-Traditional Form
The Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Finance Committee voted Wednesday to pass a portion of Governor Scott Walker’s proposed plan to overhaul the state's worker’s compensation system. In what can best be described as mixed results for all interested parties, the approved portion of Walkers' plan will shift administrative handling of disputed claims to the Department of…
Opt Out Transparency – Where are the Lost Members of ARAWC?
The Association for Responsible Alternatives to Workers' Compensation (ARAWC) is, according to its website, “a national organization formed to advocate for a system that will deliver better medical outcomes to injured workers and give employers a choice in how they will manage employee benefits. ARAWC was formed in 2013 and advocates before state legislatures to…
Unrestrained Florida Postal Carriers May Now Drive With Unbelted Abandon
On May 22, 2015, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB160 into law, heralding in the most dramatic reforms this state has seen in decades. Well, not decades, perhaps. Days would be a better description; heralding in the most dramatic reforms this state has seen in days. The signing of SB160 means that a rural letter…