Sometimes life isn't all about workers' compensation. Sometimes it's about family. I have several wonderful Uncles, but truth be told, I had a favorite. It was my Uncle Dave. He was a stand up guy. A terrific father and husband. A truly gentle soul, and an extraordinarily funny man. Funny to beat the band. David…

The Oklahoma State Workers' Compensation Commission has refused to hear appeals involving injured workers' claims for over two months, choosing to wait for the Attorney General's Office to issue an opinion on whether the commission can close its deliberations to the public. Apparently two commissioners believe state laws related to the matter are not well…

I am headed out the door for a few days of vacation (more like a staycation, as the honeydo list is long and in need of attention), so this will be (for me) relatively short and to the point. There has been some interesting movement in the ongoing SAIF/John Plotkin saga this past week, including…

The increasing girth of the average American is becoming a pretty weighty issue, and employers tired of having paint scraped off door frames are beginning to take notice. Some are beginning to turn away from incentive based health programs to efforts that actually punish employees or restrict benefits for those who do not participate. Excessive…

Whoever created the old adage, “What you don't know can't hurt you” probably didn't know what they were talking about. At the very least they had no familiarity with the workers' compensation industry, I can assure you. I thought about this during a recent lunch with a Sarasota Employment Law attorney. I first met Christine…

Last week the management of Oregon workers’ compensation insurer SAIF had their annual all-day getaway, a retreat ostensibly designed to educate, inform and motivate upper management as well as the company’s Executive Council. Colloquially it could probably be referred to as the annual “Come to Jesus” meeting, except this is Oregon. It would more likely…

The office shooting of a Nevada Workers’ Compensation Advocate in Las Vegas last Monday is a reminder that danger lurks in our industry. Workers' Compensation Advocate Mike Kogler was shot in the chest by 73 year old Leonard Sullivan, who was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder. Kogler was seriously wounded but…

The biennial study on workers' compensation premium rates issued by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) was released last week, and, as always, it is worthy of a review by those of us entrenched within the industry. The study ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on rates that were in…

It is difficult to travel when you’ve lost your wallet, along with all of your associated identification. Difficult to check in to a hotel, very difficult to rent a car, and seemingly impossible to board an airplane. But when the weary traveler loses their wallet while on the road far from home, how does everything…

An announcement was posted yesterday morning to an internal News bulletin system for SAIF employees, informing them that two of their new board members will be available later this month to meet directly with employees of the embattled Oregon insurer. The announcement reads: Two of SAIF's new board members are visiting the Salem campus on…