A group of McDonald’s employees in Chicago has filed a lawsuit against their employer, alleging that the company has failed to protect them from a pattern of violence. The workers claim in the suit that they “face the threat of physical violence every day” and that “the company needs to do a better job of…

A federal judge has upheld a decision ordering the Union Pacific Railroad to rehire an engineer who defecated on the exterior platform of a train, threw soiled tissues out a window, and made obscene gestures at security cameras. Seems reasonable. At least they won’t schedule him in the dining car. I mean, it’s not like…

Editor’s Note: This guest column is written by Les Boden, Professor, Boston University School of Public Health and Chair, Study Panel on Workers’ Compensation Data. It is in response to a blog post that appeared in this area last week. This year marks the 22nd annual Report on workers’ compensation benefits, costs, and coverage published…

It was now many years ago, long before the “Cluttered Desk” blog came into existence. In fact, at the time, blogging had not really taken off; the medium itself was in its infancy on the still evolving internet. I was standing in the lobby of what was at the time the Las Vegas Hilton during…

There is much discussion in the workers’ compensation industry about injured workers reaching MMI. MMI, of course, for those of you who are new to the industry or who just stumbled across this blog while searching for free porn, is “Maximum Medical Improvement.” It is the point during an injured persons recovery that they are designated by a physician to be at their…

The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) issued a report recently that they say shows benefits paid to injured workers in the US have continued to decline, while covered employment and wages continue to rise. This was a surprise for many, since, with the exception of Oklahoma reforms in 2014, no state has taken any…

I have been in West Virginia all week, attending the All Committee Conference of the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA). One of the better panels this week was comprised of insurance carriers who discussed many of the challenges they have operating across 50 states in this heavily regulated industry. I’ve heard a lot…

When it comes to violent fights, stupid shenanigans and just outright weird stories, the restaurant chain Waffle House has long been the leader to beat. It is starting to appear, however, that their long-held reign as Bell of the Bizarre Ball might be over. In the last few weeks, a new contender has emerged, and…

I recently came across an article intended to help restaurateurs better control their workers’ compensation costs. It contained a lot of good points and advice to accomplish the stated goal. However, having cut my teeth in the restaurant industry, there were a few points that the article left out.  Naturally it is my duty to correct…

I was working on a blog post this morning that turns out to have been based on an entirely fictional story. Researching it a bit further, we discovered that it was what has become commonly called “fake news,” and therefore not worthy of further dissemination. It is a shame, because its ribald nature was a…