The Oklahoma State Legislature last week passed and sent to the Governor SB 767, a bill otherwise known as the “comp cleanup bill”. Overall it is a rather unremarkable piece of legislation, correcting what some had felt were oversights from the states previous reform efforts. One of the more substantial “corrections” was the removal of…
Memorial Day Review: The Most Important Passenger On the Plane
Editor’s Note: Bob originally published this story November 18, 2013. We republish it today in honor of Memorial Day and all that it stands for. I’ve said it before; we are an industry based in injury, pain and death. People in workers’ compensation are immersed in those elements on a daily basis. Still, at a…
My Concern With Oklahoma Opt Out in One Word – Transparency
“Those who do not understand their history are doomed to repeat it” I will admit to being in unfamiliar territory here. As a conservative businessman who normally identifies with employer challenges and issues, I find myself on the opposite side of the aisle from many in the growing debate over Opt Out from traditional workers'…
They're Going to Need More "Employees Must Wash Hands" Signs
Be forewarned. This adult themed post is not for the overly sensitive or faint of heart, so go back to your knitting if that is the case. You've been warned. I sometimes feel sorry for Waffle House. The 1,700 location restaurant chain, known primarily throughout the south for fast and convenient breakfasts served round the…
A Wee Little Slice of Stupidity: How To Keep Your Craigslist Date From Coming Off The Rails
Today we will wander far from the realm of workers’ compensation and general employment risk. We do so because, for one, we can. But more importantly, we in the industry need an occasional reminder that we are not alone. It is sometimes helpful to stop and smell the roses, and realize that stupidity is not…
Psychosocial Disability, or, There is Something Fishy About a Man Named Guppy
It was a bit eerie, actually. My presentation last week at the Washington Self-Insurers Association Annual Conference was followed by Vickie Kennedy and Ryan Guppy of Washington Labor & Industry. Kennedy is the Assistant Director for Insurance Services, and Guppy serves in the role of Chief of Return to Work Partnerships. In my presentation I…
Death by Atomic Wedgie
I’ll be damned. Every time you think you’ve seen it all, someone comes along and breaks yet another barrier, proving that something once thought impossible was actually not. Just like the automobile exceeding 28 miles an hour (the speed at which many once believed was a fatal barrier for man), the sound barrier, the four…
Dillard’s Oklahoma Opt Out; Mother Would Not Approve
My mother had a strong brain for business. A normal housewife with no business experience until she and my father bought a motel, restaurant and lounge in 1971, she quickly adapted and demonstrated acumen for the task. She was smart in her decision making, and taught us the customer was always the sole and ultimate…
Requiem For a Rectal Wrecking
Oh, it is a hideous way to start a Monday morning, I agree. A discussion such as this is best held for later in the week, closer to the weekend but not so close so that it offers anticipated salvation; but still far enough along that burdens abound and life itself almost seems no longer…
Disability Prevention is the Best Type of Impairment Management
Following my session at the Washington Self Insurers Association (WSIA) Annual Conference yesterday, Washington L&I’s Vickie Kennedy and Ryan Guppy took the stage in a session entitled “Avoiding Disability Through Early Return to Work”. They relayed what the state is doing to improve Return to Work here, and made some excellent points about dealing with…