San Diego’s City Auditor is calling on the self-insured entity to refocus its efforts on workplace safety. Its goal is to prevent accidents and ultimately lower workers’ comp claim costs paid for by the city’s taxpayers. The Auditor has issued a report. California’s second-largest city incurred $40.7 million in direct costs for workers’ comp claims, …
The bill for providing workers’ compensation benefits to California state employees reached nearly $900 million for the 2020-21 fiscal year as costs climbed 5.3% from the prior year. The increase amounts to an additional $45 million spent on medical care, indemnity benefits, and claims adjusting costs. The total cost as a percentage of state payroll …
Gov. Gavin Newsom is reaching back into the ranks of organized labor for his next Legislative Affairs Secretary. Newsom tapped Christy Bouma, director of governmental affairs for the California Professional Firefighters Association, to fill a position that California Labor Federation veteran Angie Wei is vacating. Wei and Bouma are also former commissioners on the Commission …
The Division of Workers’ Compensation wrapped up a second public comment period and hearing for changes to the state’s copy service fee schedule, and officials say this was likely the last. “We’ll review all the comments and probably come up with a final proposal,” says DWC attorney Carol Finuliar. “We probably won’t have another hearing.” …
A catering company that cooks and plates meals for airline industry clients is fighting a move by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau that could nearly triple its workers’ comp premium. Since its beginning, the company’s operations have been classified under 9079 – restaurants. But the Bureau is now saying it should be classified as …
The Department of Industrial Relations is in line to see its staff increase by a little more than 3% in the coming fiscal year if Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget is adopted as drafted. The proposal would boost the Department’s overall budget to $887 million and calls for more funding and positions to oversee the …
A California Court of Appeal says a lower court acted appropriately in granting summary judgment to Applied Underwriters, Inc. in a case challenging its deductions from a former client’s accounts. …
The California Legislature is back in session, heaven help us, and legislators are busy moving bills that stalled last year while making amendments to others. The state Senate revived and advanced a bill targeting the construction industry, while Assembly Insurance passed an amended bill addressing workers’ comp medical provider networks (MPNs). Legislators have until the …