Quote of the day
“We still are the highest-taxed gaming facility in Western New York, but we got to keep a little more.”
Western Region Off Track Betting President and CEO Henry F. Wojtaszek; the company cut its health insurance and workers’ compensation expenses last year and recently announced that its profits for the first half of 2019 were the largest in 20 years
Cleveland-area fire department awarded nearly $12K grant for protective equipment
The Seven Hills, Ohio Fire Department was recently awarded an $11,970 Workers’ Compensation Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant to purchase 84 particulate hoods and 84 pairs of fusion gloves, in order to provide protection against cancer-causing particulates often experienced in fires. Cleveland.com
OFF TOPIC
Hacking of internet connected cars national security threat: Report
Consumer Watchdog has issued a report that finds all the top 2020 cars have Internet connections to safety critical systems that leave them vulnerable to fleetwide hacks, that, if they occurred at rush-hour could result in a 9-11 scale catastrophe with approximately 3,000 deaths. Consumer Reports
Attorney: Workers comp and unpredictability of tort liability
Retired attorney Joel Jacobsen discusses how an employer’s immunity from lawsuits for workplace injuries can be lost. Albuquerque Journal
Profits at regional New York off track betting at 20-year high
Western Region Off Track Betting in New York cut its health insurance and workers’ compensation expenses from $2.8 million last year to $1.2 million in the first half of this year. The company recently announced that its profits for the first half of 2019 were the largest in 20 years, 50 percent higher than its net income from the same period a year ago. One of the reasons it cited is a reduction in its health insurance expenses. Buffalo News
Cannabis conundrum: What are workers’ rights?
More than 34 states have now legalized cannabis for medical use and 10 for recreational use, which presents uncharted territory for many companies. Here are some HR and legal issues employer should consider. ebn