Although workers’ compensation may seem complicated, only two factors affect your workers’ compensation costs: your employees’ job classifications and your experience modification factor. Rating bureaus publish rates for hundreds of different job classifications, shown as rate per $100 of payroll. These rates are based on the relative hazards of each occupation. For example, it costs...
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Healthy Aging in the Workforce
The workforce is aging, so understanding the specific needs of older workers can help you keep them healthy and on the job. Here’s what you should know. Several years ago trend-spotters started talking about the “brain drain” that would occur when skilled Baby Boomers start to retire. More recently, the upheaval in financial markets and...
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Two Techniques for Managing Claim Costs
Utilization reviews have saved companies around the country billions of dollars in workers’ compensation costs since California mandated utilization review in 2004. Other techniques, such as using a specialized workers’ compensation medical care network, can also work. Here’s a brief overview. Utilization Review Utilization review is designed to bring greater efficiency to the recovery process...
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Drones in the Workplace
Real estate agents use unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, to photograph properties. Amazon promises that it will soon be using drones to deliver packages from its warehouses to your doorstep. And drones could help employers manage risk. In loss control: Drones can access areas out of reach of traditional video cameras, making them a valuable...
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Employee or Independent Contractor…and Why You Need to Know
Earlier this year, a court ruled that Federal Express drivers should have been classified as employees, when the company had classified them as independent contractors. And the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a five-year investigation in Utah and Arizona yielded $700,000 in back wages, damages, penalties and other guarantees for more than 1,000 construction...
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The Affordable Care Act and Workers’ Comp
In a recent scholarly article, David A. North outlines how the Affordable Care Act has changed workers’ compensation, and what we might expect in the future. In a recent scholarly article, David A. North outlines how the Affordable Care Act has changed workers’ compensation, and what we might expect in the future. The Affordable Care...
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Horseplay: Who Pays When Someone Gets Hurt?
When horseplay occurs in a work environment, does workers’ compensation apply? Generally, an injury must 1) occur in the course of employment and 2) arise out of the worker’s employment to be compensable. Merriam-Webster defines horseplay as “rough or loud play: energetic and noisy playful activity.”’ Most job descriptions don’t include play…so should employees receive...
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What Does a Claims Professional Do?
After a loss, your insurer will probably call in one of several claims experts before it pays your claim. Here’s a brief overview of some of the claims professionals you might encounter after filing a claim. Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims. They decide whether an insurance company must pay a claim,...
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Intern-al Affair
With the jobless rate for people ages 20 to 24 still higher than10 percent, many college students might be willing to trade their time for an unpaid learning experience. But there is a legal difference between an employee and an intern. Knowing the difference can help you avoid breaking the law. Does workers’ compensation apply...
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PTSD and Workers’ Compensation
According to the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD), some 7.8 percent of Americans will experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives. How does PTSD impact an employer’s workers’ compensation program? PTSD is a psychological syndrome that can affect a person of any age. A person can develop...
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