Quote of the day
"We are going to have opinions on how potential legislation protects injured workers and how they access the workers' comp market and things of that nature. Just because we don't have a specific bill that we'll be running doesn't mean we won't necessarily be playing a leading role in that conversation."
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier
FLASH: BBSI pays shareholders in class action
PEO Barrett Business Services (Nasdaq: BBSI) is paying shareholders $12M to settle a class action lawsuit. Get the story here. Workers’ Comp Executive
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Florida: David Altmaier promises active role in workers’ compensation debate
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has no plans to draft its own legislative fix for rising workers’ compensation rates, but that doesn’t mean regulators are ignoring the problem, Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier said Wednesday. Florida Politics
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New York: Convening e-hearings, state widening access to workers’ comp proceedings
“It’s unfortunate that St. Lawrence County residents who file workers’ compensation claims must travel substantial distances to attend legal proceedings pertaining to their cases. Having at least one office in the county would be beneficial.” Watertown Daily Times
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Orlando officers grapple with trauma and red tape after massacre
There is no way to measure the trauma and grief that victims of horrific mass shootings like the one in Orlando must live with. But while compensation programs can help victims find their way back, it is often much less clear what help is available for the people who are the first to respond to the scene. In Connecticut, a state board ordered the town of Newtown to pay disability to an officer traumatized by the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. Other efforts to force workers’ compensation to cover post-traumatic stress disorder have failed in states including North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina. In Florida, workers’ compensation does not cover lost wages for police officers suffering from PTSD. New York Times
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Connecticut: Retired fire chief files for workers’ compensation
Former Fairfield, Connecticut Fire Chief Richard Felner is seeking workers’ compensation for injuries he said he sustained during his 55-year tenure with the Fire Department. Felner, 78, claims he suffered injury to his knees due to “repetitive lifting, bending, twisting climbing, walking and multiple, individual traumas to both knees … throughout his 55 years of service to the Fairfield Fire Department.” Fairfield Citizen
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Canada: Saskatchewan workers’ comp benefits expanded for psychological injury
Paramedics, police officers and other first responders were at the Saskatchewan Legislature Tuesday to see their lobbying pay off as the government and opposition came together to expand workers’ compensation coverage for those suffering from psychological injuries. The change vaults Saskatchewan ahead of other provinces by not only covering post-traumatic stress disorder, but any psychological injury. CBC News Saskatchewan
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