Pennsylvania construction contractor charged with misclassifying, intimidating employees
A 45-year-old Delaware County, Pennsylvania roofing contractor has been charged with misclassification and related offenses for allegedly misidentifying employees as independent contractors, paying them a flat daily rate without deducting any taxes, to avoid paying payroll taxes. He housed employees and provided them with transportation to and from work sites, provided all tools, and directed all work either himself or through a foreman, prosecutors allege. Daily Times
CDC reports 75% of children and adolescents have already had Covid-19
Half of the U.S. population has been infected with Covid-19, including 75% of children and adolescents, CDC officials announced on Tuesday. From December 2021 to February 2022, during the Omicron wave in the U.S., overall seroprevalence increased from 33.5% to 57.7%, reported Kristie Clarke, MD, of the CDC’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Team. Over this same time period, seroprevalence increased from 45.6% to 74.2% among adolescents ages 12 to 17, and from 44.2% to 75.2% among children ages 11 and younger. When asked why seroprevalence appeared to be so much higher in children and adolescents versus older adults, Clarke pointed out younger populations have the lowest vaccination rates. Sharyl Attkisson/MedPage
Bay State workers’ comp rates to fall by 3.5% average
Starting July 1, Massachusetts businesses will collectively save about $80 million on workers’ compensation costs under an average 3.5% insurance rate rollback that the state’s attorney general’s office announced earlier this week. In a December filing, the industry sought a statewide average rate increase of 2.7%. Gloucester Times
Saskatchewan WCB annual report highlights psychological claims
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, which in 2019 established a psychological injuries unit to provide specialized support to employees, reports it accepted 238 psychological injury claims in 2021, which is up from 174 in 2017. The agency expects psychological injury claims to continue to require specialized services in the future and will continue to make improvements to maintain service levels. CTV