News Digest 12-2-2020

 

Flash: OAL Approves Emergency COVID Regulation

Here’s how the Office of Administrative Law acted on the controversial Cal/OSHA regulation, after a slew of comments by the employer community. Get a copy of the 21 page standard. Cal-OSHA Reporter

 

No increase in average cost of Washington workers’ compensation next year

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries on Monday announced there will be no increase for the average workers’ compensation premium rate in 2021. L&I cut rates by 5 percent in 2019 and 2.5 percent in 2018, according to the agency. Seattle Times

 

Florida workers’ comp rates drop 6.6 percent

Workers’ compensation insurance rates in Florida will decrease by an average of 6.6 percent effective January 1, the fourth consecutive year workers’ comp premiums have been reduced. Florida Politics

 

OFF TOPIC

Former CIA officer arrested and charged with espionage

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 67, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, was arrested on August 14, 2020, on a charge that he conspired with a relative of his who also was a former CIA officer to communicate classified information up to the Top Secret level to intelligence officials of the People’s Republic of China. According to court documents, Ma and his relative (identified as co-conspirator #1) conspired with each other and multiple PRC intelligence officials to communicate classified national defense information over the course of a decade. United States Department of Justice