I have been noticing that many writers, pundits and experts in the workers' compensation arena have been issuing their predictions for the New Year, in the form of a “Top Ten” list or similar variant. I am not sure why it is always ten items, but it is. Perhaps it is a union rule I…
Protecting Porn Workers: Controversial Condom Requirement Proposal to be Put Before LA Voters
It is not a job one normally thinks of in relation to workers' comp, but it does in fact venture into our realm. In Los Angeles, a proposal that would require adult film actors to use condoms has qualified for the June ballot. If passed, all porn actors would be required to wear condoms while…
In Real Deal Appeal PA Supremes Render Tender Crime Rhyme
T'was four days before Christmas, and in western PA, A Supreme Court Justice toiled, he rendered away, A decision they had made, on a case just before, Insurance fraud it was not, but t'was a crime to abhor. This opinion is like none other you've read, No legalese, or that fluff that we dread, It…
Merry Happy Happy Chrishannakwanadan
As I have stated here before, and as people who know me will attest, I am NOT a person who subscribes easily to the notion of political correctness. So it is with no great simplicity that I attempt to wish you well within what has become a highly contentious topic. Personally, I am a “Merry…
A Manure Pit is a Crappy Place to Die
This may not be a surprise for some within our industry, but it was a shock for me. Manure pits, common on livestock farms where they help make cleaning of livestock buildings easier, can be a very deadly place indeed. And not only can they be deadly, but they often cause multiple deaths in a…
Friends of Sandy Blunt Group Opens on LinkedIn
A new group dedicated to supporting the cause of Sandy Blunt is now open on the business networking site LinkedIn.com. “Friends of Sandy Blunt” is a subgroup of the popular Workers' Compensation Roundtable, and is, in the words of Joe Paduda, the “idea man” behind the group, “a virtual gathering of like-minded intelligent and insightful…
Workers' Comp Costs in the Top Ten States for Business
Forbes has posted their “Top ten states for business” for 2011. They made their selections based on six primary categories; “costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life. Business costs, which include labor, energy and taxes, were given the greatest weight.” I thought it might be interesting to compare the…
Score One for Minnesota DLI: Getting it Right with Encrypted Email
A document that recently landed on my cluttered desk restores my faith in mankind – well, at least in mankind's ability to properly manage its email – and if so only in Minnesota. Regular readers of this blog (both of you) may remember that I have a tendency to rail against state agencies that either…
An Apology to Our Customers and Friends
Yesterday, the backbone internet provider to our primary Network Operations Center (NOC) in Minneapolis, MN, experienced extensive technical malfunctions. This resulted in a service outage for that NOC for much of the day. While several of our services, including FlashForm SSL, CompGuide XML and our corporate email system, remained largely operable through our Dallas NOC,…
Beware the Door to Door Breast Examiner
Today I provide a vital public service, so pay attention. It is a health related warning, and this is important; your safety and security just might be at risk. If an 81 year old man knocks on your door, claims to be a doctor, and offers you a free breast exam, proceed with extreme caution.…