At this year’s New York Self-Insurers Association Annual Meeting, Steven M. Scotti, Esq. provided an update on various aspects of recent workers’ compensation legislation impacting New York. In 2014, there were over 100 workers’ compensation bills pending, 65% of which were pro-labor. Workers’ Compensation Legislation Enacted in 2014 1. New York State Commercial Goods Industry […]

This session at the National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference in Las Vegas focused on the increasing diversity in today’s workforce and how that is impacting workers’ compensation. Jennifer De La Torre, Executive Director of Workforce Diversity at AT&T, and Elizabeth Demaret, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Relationship Officer at Sedgwick, explained how the aging, […]

This rapid-fire panel on the final day of the National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference offered 60 usable tips to help improve workers’ compensation claims handling. Panelists included: Stuart D. Colburn, Esq. Downs Standford P.C. Todd DeStefano, President, Risk Managment Practices,York Risk Services Group Jodie Massingill, Senior Manager, Casualty Claims, Sysco Corp. Robert G. Rassp, […]

In her session at the National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference in Las Vegas, Patricia Hostine, U.S. Director of Disability Management, Flex-N-Gate Corp, stressed that worker communications have a direct impact on losses and, if you can tailor your message properly, your communications can make the claim go as smoothly as possible. It’s important to […]

At the 23rd Annual National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference in Las Vegas, attorneys associated with LexisNexis presented a session on “Direct and Peripheral Attacks on the Exclusive Remedy Doctrine”. The presenters were Deborah Kohl, Lex Larson, and Thomas Robinson. The panel felt that Padgett case in Florida and the Oklahoma Option are two of […]

Some of the industry’s leading carriers shared their views on the workers’ compensation market at the National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference in Las Vegas this week. The panel consisted of Russell Johnston, Casualty President for the Americas Region, American International Group Inc.; Member, NCCI Board of Directors, Sean D. Martin, VP, The Travelers Cos. […]

At the 23rd Annual National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference in Las Vegas, Teresa Bartlett, M.D., SVP, Medical Quality at Sedgwick offered strategies for managing workplace absences through engagement and high-quality care. According to Dr. Bartlett, there are four keys to employee engagement that can be used to engage injured, absent and disconnected employees, producing […]

The 23rd Annual National Workers’ Compensation & Disability Conference in Las Vegas kicked off with opening keynote L. Casey Chosewood, M.D., speaking on the serious impact that employees’ existing health problems have on workers’ compensation and disability costs. The Need for Total Worker Health What happens at home and what happens at work are not […]

The big event on the second day of the IAIABC Annual Conference is the Commissioner’s Forum. In this session, regulators from around the nation provide an update on the issues their state is addressing. Note, not all jurisdictions were represented at the meeting. Arkansas Medical treatment guidelines are currently being developed. There was a significant […]

This week, Conference Chronicles is attending the IAIABC Centennial Convention in Austin, TX. IAIABC is the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissioners. These are the workers’ compensation regulators from around the United States. Regulators from Canada, Germany and other countries frequently attend. The event is Sept 29-Oct 02, 2014. Full details of the […]