Quote of the day
"Today, we are witnessing a positive response to changing a basically good system to make it even better. We gave workers' comp judges the power they need to crack down on the bad players in the system while ensuring greater fairness to both workers and employers."
New Jersey Sen. Paul A. Sarlo, chairman of state Senate Labor Committee
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Small Business Not Aware of Self-Insured Risks: Study
Small business owners are not aware of the financial risks involved in obtaining workers’ compensation insurance through self-insured groups, according to a new study by Opinion Research Corp. Eighty-five percent of the 501 small business owners and managers surveyed nationwide said they hadn’t seen, read or heard about the closure of several self-insured trusts last year. Orlando Business Journal
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Wyoming Appellate Court Denies Oil Rigger’s Suit
An ex-oilfield worker and his wife lose an appeal seeking unspecified monetary damages and injunctive relief to bar Wyoming’s Workers’ Safety and Compensation Division from considering a spouse’s income in determining eligibility for extended benefits. By Dustin Bleizeffer, Casper Star-Tribune
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Constitution State to Hold Public Hearing
A public hearing on proposed increases and decreases in rates for workers’ compensation insurance will be held Oct. 27 at the Connecticut Insurance Department. Rates for employers that buy policies in the regular market would decrease by an average of 1.4 percent on Jan. 1, and rates in the higher-risk “assigned risk” pool would increase an average of 1.6 percent. Hartford Courant
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Good News for Sunshine State Employers
The National Council on Compensation Insurance is asking the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for a 14 percent rate reduction. And, Office of Insurance Regulation spokesman Ed Domansky says he does not expect it to be the last reduction request from the council. WCTV (Tallahassee)
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Michigan Judge Rules in Accident Fund Case
An Ingham County judge rules in favor of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in a dispute over its transfer of $125 million to Lansing-based subsidiary Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America. The state attorney general Cox sued the Blues in July, saying it overstepped its authority in helping Accident Fund buy a California workers’ compensation insurer and allowing Accident Fund to own subsidiary insurers. By Jeremy W. Steele, Lansing State Journal
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‘First Dude’ to Honor Subpoena
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s husband and seven aides will answer questions from a legislative inquiry into abuse-of-power allegations against the Republican vice presidential candidate, according to state and campaign officials. The legislative investigation is examining the governor’s justifications for firing the state’s public safety commissioner, as well as allegations of improper meddling in a workers’ compensation claim filed by a state trooper. ABS-CBN News
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