Quote of the day
“You have inmates fighting fires on behalf of the state earning presumably 50 cents a day, where somebody’s seriously burned or injured and they get out and you’re going to give them 50 cents a day, I mean there’s something about that seems to kind of offend or shock the conscience a bit.”
Justice Lidia Stiglich, Nevada Supreme Court
Nevada: Former inmate seeks workers’ comp
A former inmate who suffered a fractured finger while working a prison job in a voluntary work program with the Nevada Division of Forestry is suing the state for only paying him an estimated 50 cents a day in workers’ compensation, even after he was released from prison. His attorneys contend the minimum wage requirement should supersede some existing rules on inmate pay and compensation for work-related injuries. Nevada Independent
Arizona firefighter to get stem cell treatment after winning workers’ comp claim
A 26-year veteran of the Glendale, Arizona fire department, who earlier this year was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, is scheduled to get a stem cell transplant this week now that the city has accepted his workers’ compensation claim. His doctors believe the procedure will potentially give him 15 to 20 more years of life. KTAR (Phoenix) [with video]
Ohio responds to opioid epidemic with new disposal program
Starting November 1, injured Ohio workers who receive their first opioid prescription will be given a drug disposal bag when filling their prescription at a retail pharmacy, according to the office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. The bags destroy the opioids in a chemical process, making them unusable for legitimate or recreational use. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will cover the full cost of the disposal bags, which are limited to opioid prescriptions, and they will be available at every retail pharmacy in Ohio. WHIO (Dayton)
New York authorities intensify crackdown on labor violations
Law enforcement and labor leaders say they’re stepping up their battle against wage theft and other labor-related crimes in Orange County, New York. According to the New York State Labor Department, more than $35.3 million in fraudulently obtained money was returned last year to about 35,000 workers who were victims of wage theft or public work violations. Times Herald-Record