How Workers’ Compensation Is Evolving Post-Pandemic
Workers’ compensation began as a system for injured workers in the early 1900s. Since that time we have seen numerous changes within each state system evolving to where we are today; however, the basic construct of workers’ compensation has remained the same. The last several years have ushered in many new practices within the workers’ […]
Risk Challenges Facing Companies in Transition: New Businesses, Big Growth, Restructures and Change
The last few years have been major challenges for risk managers. Besides COVID-19, risk managers have had to face dramatic changes in business demands, supply chain and economic disruptions, the Great Resignation, court shutdowns, “yo-yoing” workers’ compensation costs, hard insurance markets, work-from-home and return-to-the-workplace issues. Some companies got bigger by growth or acquisition, some went […]
Creating a Gold Star Return-to-Work Program
How do you train managers on return to work and applying light duty restrictions? How do you know you’re selecting the right vendors and physicians? At the 2022 Workers’ Compensation Institute Conference in Orlando, an interactive session including audience members and an expert panel share the highs and lows of their return-to-work programs. Speakers included: […]
Candid Conversations
At the 2021 WCI Conference in Orlando, Scott Westman, Sr. Vice President Casualty Operations at Sedgwick and Steve Figliuolo, Enterprise Risk Management at Chick-fil-A, Inc., discussed how they approach workers’ compensation claims. Advocacy Approach Chick-fil-A tries to take the same customer service approach with their claims handling that they do with the customers in their stores. […]
Risk Managers Discuss Their Strategies in Producing Quality Claims Outcomes
What are the most important focuses for workers’ compensation programs that lead to quality claims outcomes and what are the claims strategies and initiatives that best drive results? At the 2021 Workers’ Compensation Institute Conference in Orlando, a a panel of risk managers share what has worked well for them, and how they drive those […]
The Growing National Movement Toward Presumption Laws for First Responders
Even before the pandemic, presumption laws for first responders were becoming ubiquitous. However, questions remain about whether these laws are being led by science or sympathy and how we should treat similar risks and exposures for employees not favored by presumptions. In this session at WCIvirtual 2020, panelists gave a realistic assessment of whether some […]
Compensability Issues Confronting Workers’ Compensation Claims Handlers
In day two of this two-day session at WCIvirtual 2020, law firms from the Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) discussed various employee injury trends and related laws in their states. Panelists Included: Caitlin Beyl – Attorney at McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & Stern, PA Christopher McCue – Attorney at McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & […]
Common Compensability Issues Confronting Workers’ Compensation Claims Handlers
In day one of this two-day session at WCIvirtual 2020, law firms from the Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) discussed various employee injury trends and related laws in their states. Panelists included: Kyle K. Kinney – Miller, Christie & Kinney, PC (moderator) Emily Edwards – Manning & Kass, LLP – California Walter E. Harding – […]
Workers’ Compensation 2020 Case Law Trends
In this session at WCIvirtual 2020, panelists discussed examples of various workers’ compensation cases and ways that this case law can be applied. Speakers included: E. Louis Stern – McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & Stern, PA (moderator) Geoffrey Bichler – Bichler, Oliver, Longo & Fox, PLLC Marc Golden – Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa, PA […]
COVID-19: Adjusting and Adapting to the Great Disruptor
In modern history, there has not been a more disruptive risk management event than the COVID-19 pandemic. It has changed everything, including how we work, where we work and how we interact with each other. This novel virus did not come with a playbook, but after months of living through it, there are many lessons […]