Connecticut man charged in $31K workers comp fraud
A 36-year-old Ansonia, Connecticut man was arrested last week for allegedly collecting workers’ compensation for job-related injuries to his finger and shoulder that supposedly rendered him unable to perform his regular job. Connecticut Post
Kansas Supreme Court considering impairment guide
Critics argue that the guide doctors follow to rate how impaired an injured employee is, the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, combined with the state of Kansas’ 7.5% threshold for work disability, make it more difficult for injured employees to claim work disability and wage loss. The newest version of the guide, the Sixth Edition, is facing a constitutional challenge under consideration by the Kansas Supreme Court. Wichita Eagle
Jacksonville firemen sue over facial hair policy
A group of 31 firemen has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville, Florida against a rule that they must completely shave their facial hair. NowThe lawsuit centers around a condition, pseudofolliculitis barbae, that occurs when facial skin becomes inflamed or facial hair becomes ingrown. The condition affects approximately 60 percent of African-American men. News4Jax (Jacksonville, Fla.)
CLAIMS
Nearly 3,500 federal employees to be compensated for contracting COVID-19 at work
Thousands of federal employees who developed COVID-19 while performing their duties are entitled to workers’ compensation coverage pursuant to the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The last public report issued by U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) was released in July. The inspector general’s audit found that as of June 16, the division had received nearly 3,000 COVID-19 claims, including 48 death claims, and paid out approximately $30,000 in medical benefits and compensation. A total of 889 claims were accepted. Fox29 (Philadelphia)