News Digest 9-24-2021

 

Florida commissioner says meeting on workers’ comp catastrophe fund assessment not likely

Florida’s top insurance regulator, David Altmaier, on Wednesday said he has no plans to hold a public hearing on the National Council on Compensation Insurance’s request to levy an assessment against employers to establish a catastrophic fund for workers’ compensation. Altmaier would not say whether he was inclined to approve or to reject the NCCI filing. He told members of the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee the agency would schedule a public meeting on the proposed 4.9 percent reduction in workers’ comp rates. Florida Politics

 

Seattle Times editorial board: Make Department of Energy accountable to Hanford employees

The U.S. Department of Justice should drop its legal challenge to a state law that helps Hanford workers receive timely and badly needed workers’ compensation, and the Biden administration should set a new course for the Department of Energy, argues the Seattle Times. More than 57 percent of all current and former employees reported coming into contact with poisonous chemicals; more than 32 percent of respondents indicated long-term exposure. Seattle Times

 

Washington L&I increases workers’ comp rates an average 3.1 percent

Washington State Labor and Industries has published its 2022 rate schedule with an average increase of 3.1 percent on businesses in the state. Notably, many low-risk service industries are seeing double-digit increases, including student volunteers and information technology computing personnel, according to the Washington Policy Center, which argues the state should be considering tax cuts, not tax increases during this fragile economic period. Washington Policy Center,

 

Minneapolis approving additional workers’ comp settlements with first responders

The Minneapolis City Council’s Policy and Government Oversight Committee has approved nearly two dozen worker’s compensation settlements with first responders walking away from their jobs, claiming mental health and trauma-related issues. In total, the committee approved some $3.5 million in payouts Wednesday. The full council needs to sign off on them at Friday’s meeting. KMSP