Quote of the day
"The courts and judges have been given some new powers, and we would hope they would use them judiciously."
Arthur Kravitz, chairman of the New Jersey State Bar Association's workers compensation committee
Garden State Gets First Major Change Since 1979
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signs into law a package of bills designed to improve New Jersey’s workers’ compensation insurance program. The measures give workers’ comp judges new powers to enforce orders, make the failure to provide coverage a criminal offense, and give the business and labor communities a say in the Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau. By Dunstan McNichol, Newark Star-Ledger [may require registration] Go to the Full Story…
Monterey County Man Squares Fraud Bill
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announces that a man convicted of workers’ compensation fraud has complied with his probation terms and paid in full his victim restitution of more than $21,000. An investigation along with surveillance found that Jose Maria Chavez, 31, committed fraud when he lied about his physical abilities that included his claim he was unable to work since he was injured. Salinas Californian
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North Dakota Bar Defies Workers’ Comp Officials
North Dakota’s Workforce Safety and Insurance Agency say a bar-restaurant in the town of Crystal is defying court orders to buy workers’ compensation coverage for its workers.
Go to the full story by Janell Cole, Grand Forks Herald [may require registration] Go to the full story KXMB-TV (Bismarck)
North Star State Commissioner Continues Tour
The Minnesota Commissioner of Labor and Industry, Steve Sviggum, continues his tour of the state promoting workers’ compensation reform, with a visit to businesspeople in the Milaca area. Sviggum contends claims on the program are increasing in severity and in costs while the number of cases is going down. By Stacey Wiedewitsch, Mille Lacs County Times
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Ohio BWC Hands Out Millions in Rebates
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation releases $16.2 million in rebates for 6,400 employers in the state that successfully participated in bureau’s Safety Council Discount Program. The council educates about new safety techniques, products and services and provides overviews on occupational safety and health, workers’ compensation and risk management. Dayton Business Journal
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Oregon Simplifies Safety Rule
A revision to a rule requiring all employers to have a safety committee in order to involve employees in addressing workplace safety concerns will make the process easier for small firms in Oregon. The rule puts into practice a legislative change adopted in 2007 requiring all employers to have a safety committee or hold safety meetings. Daily Journal of Commerce
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