West Virginia attorneys preparing for appellate court change
West Virginia’s new Intermediate Court of Appeals, which will review civil cases between the circuit court and West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals levels, including workers’ compensation cases and family court matters, will not begin operating until July 2022, but many of the state’s attorneys are already feeling the impact on their work and strategy. WVNews
MEMIC to pay $17M in workers’ comp dividends to Maine businesses
About 14,000 Maine employers will soon receive a total of $17 million in dividends from Portland-based workers’ compensation insurer the MEMIC Group. The 2021 dividend brings the total amount of capital and dividends declared for Maine policyholders to $316 million since 1998, according to the company. The average dividend for Maine employers will be $1,180 and more than two dozen policyholders will receive checks greater than $40,000. MEMIC Group president and CEO credited some of the dividend results to Maine’s response to the pandemic. Mainebiz
$2.85M in Minneapolis workers comp claims approved, most to police
A Minneapolis City Council committee last week approved another $2.85 million worth of workers’ compensation settlements with 17 city employees, all but one of whom are police department employees, according to the city council president. The total cost of the flood of claims filed in recent months could stretch into the tens of millions. The city is self-insured. Minnesota Reformer
Pennsylvania governor signs executive order targeting employees
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order Thursday intended to create safer workplaces, guarantee paid leave and increase employee pay, according to his administration. The governor is also calling on state legislators to pass related employee-focused legislation. WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh)