It was a discussion worth having for the Disability Management and Return to Work Committee at the recent International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) Annual Conference in Madison, WI. With overwhelming evidence pointing to the benefits of effective return to work programs, just how do we go about getting broader adoption of…

Major Protests. Strikes and work stoppages. Business and labor diametrically opposed. A conservative governor dealing with progressive, even socialist elements in the legislature. Wisconsin 2011?  Right state, wrong date. It is Wisconsin, but the year is 1911. In an extremely unique, very innovative program the IAIABC, in the opening presentation of it’s 97th Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin,…

While doing a little research for the Workers' Compensation Technology Alliance, I stumbled across the fact that, while national unemployment continues to fester at 9.2%, the rate for the technology sector was much lower at a surprising 3.3%. This could explain why I still have a job…. Moreover, an article published in USA Today indicates…

Let’s face it. It’s scary out there. 9.2% unemployment. Downsizing. Outsourcing. Political gridlock. A future unknown….. Workplace stress is on the rise, and the toll it can take on you, co-workers and employees can add up to a big expense for your company. Experts tell us that each year in the United States $300 billion…

An interesting study crossed my (cluttered) desk recently. A broad ranging health study conducted in Canada found that 97% of workplace deaths there are suffered by males. While it is known that generally men are more likely to occupy high risk positions, that number still surprised me a great deal. In fact, the study sites…

A video has surfaced of a Verizon picketer using his little girl as a "human shield" to block a moving Verizon vehicle, while he delivers a profanity laced tirade about the occupants hurting his family. A terrific learning experience, I am sure. The little girl learns that Daddy’s job is more important than her safety,…

I will be the first to admit that this is not a workers’ compensation oriented post. Far from it. It is, however, directly related to employment and personal development on the job. It is about recognizing and appreciating those who took you under their wing and made a difference in your life and career. And…

Wow, it only took 11 years and a lot of trial and tribulation, but I finally got my own area to opine online. I only hope to prove worthy of the effort. Collected here are items I’ve written over the last couple years. Older items, alas, have been lost, or banned by court order –…

A session last week at the Florida RIMS Educational Conference in Naples, FL on Cyber Liability provided stark evidence of how much technology changes are impacting business, by offering a glimpse at the “dark side” of this continuing  revolution. Michele Centeno, and Glen Bailey, both of Beecher Carlson, joined Mike Rossi of the Insurance Law…

Naples, FL  – To be fair, Darrell Brown was not "on" medical marijuana at the session he presented  yesterday at the Florida RIMS Educational Conference, but the topic was surely on his mind. Brown, Director of Claims at Sedgwick CMS, covered a variety of issues and challenges related to claims management during what I consider…