Quote of the day
"People may feel, 'I'm not sick, there's no need for me to do this.' We would say for your family, for your own sake, get registered now when you're not sick, so that if in the future you need to apply, you've got that out of the way."
David Socolow, New Jersey Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner, regarding participants in Ground Zero recovery efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Commentary: Troubled Agency Needs Outside Oversight
A new board of directors that Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland recently appointed to manage the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation should make scandal and risky investments less likely, but he and state lawmakers should add another layer of protection: periodic, intensive, comprehensive audits by an outside examiner. Tribune Chronicle (Warren, Ohio)
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Legislator Asks for Audit of South Carolina Insurance Department
Following steep premium increases for homeowners’ insurance and workers’ compensation coverage, the most powerful member of the South Carolina state senate calls for a management performance audit of the South Carolina Department of Insurance to determine if consumers are overpaying. By Peter Hull and Yvonne Wenger, Charleston Post and Courier
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Registration Deadline Extended for Sept. 11 Responders
Thousands of police officers, firefighters, construction workers and volunteers who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City now have until Aug. 14, 2008 to register with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board for federal worker’s comp benefits. By Michael Rispoli, Courier Post (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
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School District: Driver Was Fired for Violating Disability Claim
An Ohio school district says it fired a bus driver after receiving a tip and investigating whether she had performed duties that violated her disability claim. A district official denies it’s a “witch hunt,” saying it is trying to rein in workers’ compensation premiums that continue to rise as a result of employees who file unjustified claims. By Lucas Sullivan, Springfield News Sun
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Wal-Mart Cuts Profit Outlook
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reports a 49 percent increase in second-quarter profits but cuts its profit outlook amid weak economic conditions. The quarter included three items that provided a net benefit of $171 million after tax, including reduction of accruals for general liability and workers’ compensation claims by $196 million after tax. By Anne D’Innocenzio, Miami Herald [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…