Quote of the day
“Every year our federal employees sustain work-related injuries and illnesses that could be prevented. This initiative will help develop important strategies to improve workplace safety and health for our federal workforce.”
Office of Management and Budget spokesman
New initiative seeks to expedite federal employees’ return-to-work
In 2018, 107,000 federal employees filed new workers’ compensation claims and received $3 billion in payments, according to the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget. In response, the new Protecting Employees, Enabling Reemployment Initiative tasks federal agencies, including the United States Postal Service, with developing specific strategies and goals to reduce injuries on the job and resulting time off of work. All agencies will also have to begin using Labor’s electronic filing system, which OMB said would standardize the claims process and ease communication with injured employees. Government Executive
Oregon: Construction safety summit in Bend January 27-28
Fall protection, personal protective equipment, silica hazards and electrical safety are among the included topics at the annual Mid-Oregon Construction Safety Summit January 27-28 in Bend. The conference will focus on residential, commercial and industrial construction workers’ health and safety. East Oregonian
New York jockey workers’ comp fund to implement high-deductible workers’ comp plan
The New York Jockey Injury Compensation Fund is embarking on a first-in-the-nation plan to implement a high-deductible workers’ compensation insurance plan that will allow jockeys to better control their costs. In the past two years, the fund lowered the cost of its charges for jockeys and exercise riders by $4,000 per trainer and $500 per owner, and premiums for backstretch workers have been reduced across the board. BloodHorse
For public safety workers in Minnesota, PTSD among most expensive workers’ comp claims
Minnesota has offered post-traumatic stress disorder benefits since 2013 through workers’ compensation. The condition is the second-most expensive workers’ compensation claim for public safety workers in the state, just behind sprains and strains. About two-thirds of the PTSD claims are for lost time at work and one-third for medical expenses, the opposite of expenses for most workers’ comp claims. INFORUM