Are you using the benefits provided by your insurance partners to their maximum benefit? Are you familiar with available training resources? Are your loss runs customized to fit the goals of your organization? Between the analytical capabilities of your TPA, the on-site training and specialized services of your excess carrier, and the business management insight of your broker, there are several resources at your disposal to improve your insurance program. Best of all, the right combination can help control rising claim costs. In this session at the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference, Kevin O’Sadnick, Senior Risk Control Manager at
(Read the full article…)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has received increasing attention in the media, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic and amidst what seems to be an epidemic of many mass shootings. Such attention draws concern that diagnosis may be overutilized or misunderstood. A panel of experts recently broke down the diagnostic criteria for PTSD at the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference. Learn how certain factors affect conditions to confound the diagnosis and review recommended options for early intervention and treatment. The speaking panel included: Michael Lacroix – Medical Director, The Hartford Ins. Co. Melina Griss – Medical Director, The Hartford Nikki Wilson
(Read the full article…)

According to OSHA, an estimated two million employees are victims of workplace violence (WPV) each year. Without proper preparation, workplace violence can cause detrimental and far-reaching effects on multiple dimensions of an organization. Economic issues are to be expected, but the one element typically absorbing the most damage is the most important asset to an organization– its people. During the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference, attendees received a comprehensive lesson on the multi-dimensional nature of workplace violence, but more importantly,  how to prevent, mitigate, or manage it. In this session, speaker Oscar Villanueva provided key insights for positioning organizations
(Read the full article…)

We have seen significant shifts in many aspects of the employment environment over the last several years – generational workforce changes, expectation of remote work options, cultural and societal shifts, and wage inflation to name a few. Additionally, we have seen a significant increase in the use of technology in all aspects of our lives, which in turn increased exponentially the amount of data for analyzing, predicting, and projecting trends and tendencies. At the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference, a panel discussed the opportunities for inclusion of greater data elements in the process, how this data can indicate trends
(Read the full article…)

For the first time in history, five different generations make up the workplace. What kind of challenges does this present for today’s employers, and how does a generational workforce affect one’s ability to manage people? In this session from the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Institute Educational Conference, expert Risk Managers identify key traits, beliefs, and life experiences that mark each generation. Learn about all the evolving factors influencing work, communication, and response to change.  Speakers included: Valerie Horton – Risk Manager, City of Tampa Regina Lock – Account Executive/Risk Manager, McGriff Insurance Services Defining the Five Generations 1. Traditionalists (1925 –
(Read the full article…)

The medical care and recovery environment of an injured worker largely determines the outcome of a workers’ compensation claim. New medical technology, expanded telehealth, and AI have all contributed to the effectiveness of this process, offering a more holistic approach. In this session at WCI’s 2023 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference, a panel discussed what medical care for workers’ compensation might look like in the future and what issues to monitor in the months ahead. Speakers included: Virginia Baba – Senior Manager – Claims – Risk Management | PetSmart Teresa Bartlett – Managing Director, Senior Medical Officer | Sedgwick Michele Maffei
(Read the full article…)

This session at WCI’s 2023 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference highlighted program strategies from the three winners of National Underwriter’s 2023 Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Risk Management Award. Bryan Conner, Manager of Workers’ Compensation, American Airlines American Airlines has a massive workforce, employing over 100,000 workers. These jobs are physically-demanding, including roles ranging from ticket agents to bagging handlers on the tarmac. With the specialization of these roles, Bryan knew that their workers’ compensation program would need to be highly customized to meet the needs of each individual in their workforce. Bryan expanded the program to include a 24/7 support line
(Read the full article…)

At the 2023 SAWCA Annual Convention, a panel addressed issues specific to the workers’ compensation carriers who provide coverage for many employers across the nation. This panel included: Carey Armistead – Sompo International Patrick Hiles – Safety National Max Koonce – Sedgwick Moderator: Tom Glasson – AIG Impeding Processes and Procedures Regulators need to ensure their requests facilitate the process of handling claims, taking into account the vast differences in required paperwork per state, ranging from 15 to 192 workers’ compensation claims forms. With so much focus on the process, this distracts from the real priority, the injured worker themselves.
(Read the full article…)

As we speed into an era of automation in personal transportation, it is critical to gain a better understanding of driverless technology, its evolution, and its impact on daily life. In this session at RIMS 2023, David Klein, Partner at Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman, LLP, highlighted the latest adaptation to autonomous vehicle liability laws and insurance markets. New automobiles are being built with enough autonomy to ignore the driver’s wishes with items like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, and more. Driverless cars are already on the road in many markets, including personal vehicles, taxis and other various commercial vehicles
(Read the full article…)

Public entities face a wide variety of challenges, including unique claims exposures, limited budgets, and a limited insurance marketplace. In this facilitated roundtable at RIMS 2023, industry leaders from the public sector shared their latest challenges and discussed potential solutions. Panelists included: Mark Walls, Vice President of Client Engagement at Safety National (moderator) Tamika Puckett, Public Entity Division Leader at Willis Towers Watson Donna Jennings, Director of Risk Management at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Wade Damron, Director, Risk Management at State of Georgia, Department of Administrative Services Liability Litigation Challenges Liability has been one of the largest recent challenges
(Read the full article…)