LAPD sergeant alleges commander harassed her for on-duty injuries
A Los Angeles police sergeant is suing the city for unspecified damages, alleging she was harassed and discriminated against by a supervisor who subjected her to disparate treatment after she was injured on the job. Her doctor placed her on medical stress leave in September 2019 and her workers’ compensation claim was denied four months later, the suit states. MynewsLA.com
Colorado: Bill to privatize Pinnacol goes down in flames
A bill to “disaffiliate” Pinnacol Assurance from the state was reviewed by a Colorado House committee and got one vote in support and 10 against. Pinnacol was in favor of the bill, as were a number of county commissioners who saw it as a way forward on transitioning employees from coal mines to new jobs outside of the mining industry. Colorado Politics
Audit finds delays in workers’ comp cases by Massachusetts agency
A recent audit by the state auditor found the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents, which is responsible for reviewing workers’ compensation disputes and serves as the state’s court system for workers’ compensation cases, has not settled cases in a timely manner and was lax in reporting fees and penalties. According to the report, during the period examined, 68 percent of cases were not completed in the mandated timeframes for initial case conference, hearing, and decision. The audit also found the agency did not always revoke terminated employees’ access rights to the system, did not ensure employees completed security awareness training, and did not have documentation of certain employee access rights. WWLP
Former postal employee sentenced for workers’ comp fraud
A 61-year-old former employee of the U.S. Postal Service has been sentenced to three years probation for collecting federal workers’ compensation while conducting her own bakery business, when she was supposed to be unable to work due to a back injury. WNBF
Woman’s COVID-19 medical bills stack up to nearly half a million dollars
A 45-year-old Knoxville, Tennessee-area woman, who had health insurance through her employer, says she accumulated more than $500,000 in medical charges related to COVID-19 after the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Bureau denied her claim on grounds there was no evidence she was exposed to the virus at work. WATE