Insurance Commissioner orders 4.9 percent cut in workers’ comp rates
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier on Friday approved an average 4.9 percent rate reduction in workers’ compensation costs effective January 1. The reduction is driven by strong underwriting profits, the National Council on Compensation Insurance told Florida Office of Insurance Regulation staff at a public meeting on the rate filing. Florida Politics
Rhode Island: Workers’ comp award survives surveillance footage of physical acitivity
The Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Appellate Division has deferred to a trial judge’s conclusion that a benefits recipient had been rendered partially incapacitated from a job-related injury, notwithstanding the insurer’s videos showing him later engaged in physical tasks similar to his work duties. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly [may require registration]
Michigan governor vetoes bill forgiving COVID-related workplace violations
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed Republican-backed legislation, which came in response to complaints about overly harsh workplace safety enforcement during the pandemic, that would have forgiven Michigan businesses their first workplace safety violation related to COVID-19 and refunded companies that had already paid their COVID-related fines. Detroit News
Study: Obese employees cost employers more than 2X healthy-weight employees
Employers bear a large share of excess costs attributed to obesity. In a newly-released study with important implications for both individuals and employers, researchers analyzed savings associated with weight loss among commercially insured adults with chronic medical conditions. BenefitsPro