Quote of the day
"The picture in "comp court" can verge on the Dickensian: Thousands of cases become bogged down for years, delaying much-needed payments to workers with the most serious injuries or disabilities. Compensation court judgeships are often treated as patronage plums, with skill and expertise taking a back seat to political connections."
Newark Star-Ledger editorial
Alaska Senate Passes Bill for Search and Rescue Volunteers
The Alaska Senate unanimously passes House Bill 320, a measure intended to protect volunteer search and rescue personnel by treating those who assist Alaska State Troopers on missions as state employees, for workers’ compensation purposes. SitNews (Ketchikan)
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Editorial: Weed Out the Defects in Garden State’s Workers’ Comp System
New Jersey’s nearly 100-year-old workers’ compensation system is in desperate need of an overhaul. Here are some specific suggestions, including a better selection process for judges, and legislation to allow New Jersey Labor Department officials to suspend immediately the operating licenses of businesses that fail to cover employees. Newark Star-Ledger
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Commentary: ‘What Are Insurance Agents Worth?’
The Charleston Gazette’s business columnist gets an agent’s interesting response to the brouhaha over BrickStreet Mutual hosting its annual meeting for agents at a luxury resort in Kentucky. Are critics undervaluing the services provided by insurance agents? By George Hohmann, Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail
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Coverage Cost Complaints Won’t Change Anything in N.S. This Year
A common complaint of Nova Scotia business operators is the high cost of coverage through the Workers’ Compensation Board, but its annual report shows that the province’s assessment rate, which is considered one of the highest in Canada, will not be changing soon. By Bill Power, Chronicle Herald (Halifax, N.S.)
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Manitoba WCB: Time-Loss Injury Rate Falls
The Manitoba Workers Compensation Board releases preliminary figures showing that the time-loss injury rate in the province has dropped 25 percent since 2000. CJOB (Winnipeg)
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