Quote of the day
"It has been determined that your allegations are non-criminal in nature. Therefore your request does not meet the criteria for a SLED investigation."
South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart, denying an applicant attorney's request to investigate a recent governor's order to workers' comp commissioners to "strictly apply" medical guidelines calculating impairment
Critics: Death Benefits for Utah Miners Emblematic of Flawed System
While spilled coffee or crude remarks by a basketball coach can trigger jury awards worth millions of dollars, death benefits for Crandall Canyon miners and the three workers who died trying to rescue them are a paltry $8,000 for those who had no dependents and up to $176,000, over six years, for those who had dependents. Critics contend the system gives little financial incentive for mine operators to improve safety.
Go to the full story by Lee Davidson, Deseret Morning News
Go to the full story by AP via Salt Lake Tribune
Kentucky Football Coaches Sacked for Suspected Fraud
Two Louisville, Ky., high school football coaches—siblings who own two framing companies—face workers’ compensation fraud charges following a routine audit by Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance. Officials contend they paid for state workers’ comp insurance for the smaller company while most of their employees worked for the larger one and when a worker was injured, they would switch the name to the smaller firm. By Scott Harvey, WAVE-TV
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Opinion: Hawaii’s Small-Business Climate Improves
Hawaii’s national ranking for business-friendliness by the advocacy group Small Business Survival Committee has improved from last to ninth since 2002. But the group does not explain why it assessed the cost of workers’ comp premiums in its 2005 rankings and benefits this year, both based on 2004 data. Honolulu Star-Bulletin
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Ohio Bill Would Control BWC Investment Judgment
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation acted imprudently when it invested in baseball cards, paintings, rare coins and a hedge fund that lost $216 million, contends Ohio Rep. William Batchelder. His bill would replace the prudent person” standard, which allows agencies to invest in anything “a prudent person” running a similar enterprise would under similar circumstances, with a list of pre-approved investments. By Bill Bush Columbus Dispatch
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Officials Deny Request to Probe S.C. Governor’s Order
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division rejects a request by a Charleston applicant attorney to investigate a September order by Gov. Mark Sanford. The controversial order directs workers’ comp commissioners to “strictly apply” medical guidelines in calculating impairment for injured workers and to report to him on a quarterly basis that they had done so. By Tim Smith, Greenville News
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Enforcement Sweep Nets 22 Nantucket Employers
After initially targeting taxi companies, the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents expands its focus to other businesses and issues stop-work orders to 22 Nantucket firms in a workers’ comp compliance sweep. By Peter A. Sutters, Jr., Inquirer and Mirror
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Boston Play Deals with Aftermath of Workplace Accident
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre is hosting “Comp,” a heavy production about a man who is forced to return home to his family after a roofing accident and live on workers’ compensation. By Jenna Scherer, Boston Herald
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