News Digest 1-14-19

Quote of the day

“We are supportive of anything that would make state employment more effective. We will hold judgement on this bill until we see the details. It will be interesting to see.”
Eric Ollila, executive director, South Dakota State Employees Organization
Capital Journal

South Dakota bill would add member to workers’ comp council
In South Dakota, which does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, a senate bill would revise the membership of the State Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council from eight to nine members. The council’s new ninth member would serve as the board’s chair in place of the lieutenant governor. Capital Journal (Pierre, S.D.)

Albany-area man charged with workers’ comp fraud
A 51-year-old East Greenbush, New York man is accused of fraudulently receiving payments of $151,600 for worker’s compensation while he was employed, according to Albany County district attorney. The Record (Troy, N.Y.)

New York: Smithtown’s safety program pays off
Smithtown, New York will expand a worker safety program that was created to put a check on rapidly increasing workers’ compensation costs. Town officials say it has saved the town more than $600,000 on workers’ compensation premiums in two years while cutting the number and severity of injuries. The program has helped cut the number of workers’ compensation claims from an average of 78 per year from 2014-2016 to an average of 65 for 2017 and 2018, according to the comptroller. Newsday

Q&A with an Oklahoma attorney: Positive cannabis tests don’t always prevent workers’ comp
A recent Oklahoma court ruling allowed an employee to receive workers’ comp despite a positive drug test. Does this ruling change any existing laws in Oklahoma? NewsOK (Oklahoma City)

Ohio BWC program handing out $945K in safety grants
Thirty-eight employers in 31 counties will share $945,000 in grants from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to purchase equipment designed to reduce or eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses. The Safety Intervention Grant program matches an employer’s investment 3-to-1 up to a maximum of $40,000. Daily Jeffersonian (Cambridge, Ohio)

Washington man charged with faking injuries
A 64-year-old Lynnwood, Washington man who claims he slipped and fell while working at a restaurant in 2014 is charged with faking the severity of the injury while collecting $88,000 in workers’ compensation from the state Department of Labor and Industries. Investigators with the agency say he changed his name and became a real estate agent despite asserting he could not work, and was spotted leaving a store while carrying a large item. Everett Herald and Sound (Everett, Wash.)

Kentucky bill aims to expand workers’ comp for first responders
A bill filed in the Kentucky legislature for the 2019 session would expand current workers’ compensations protections for first responders, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Currently, the law requires a physical injury for first responders to qualify for such benefits. The bill sponsor says she’s confident it will receive bipartisan backing. WHAS (Louisville, Ky.)