Quote of the day
"Making an employment decision on the basis of the probability of an individual developing a certain disease, rather than on his/her actual capacity to perform the work, constitutes discrimination."
May 2007 report into genetic discrimination in the workplace by the International Labour Organization.
California Appeals Court Upholds Disability Rating Schedule
A California appeals court Tuesday sided with an employer and Zurich North America Insurance Co. by upholding the use of a post-reform workers’ compensation permanent disability rating schedule. By Roberto Ceniceros, Business Insurance
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NIOSH Lacks Reliable Cost Estimate of Serving Sept. 11 Responders: Report
Federal efforts to coordinate health care programs for sick ground zero workers are being undermined by unreliable cost estimates and unsteady spending, according to a new Government Accountability Office report. According to New York City officials, some 400,000 people were exposed to ground zero dust, and 71,000 have enrolled in a long-term health monitoring program for people with and without health problems. By Devlin Barrett, AP via Forbes
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Oklahoma PEO Owners Convicted of Selling Bogus Policies
A federal jury in Oklahoma City convicts the two owners of a Norman professional employment organization of fraudulently billing businesses for nonexistent workers’ compensation coverage. By AP via Tulsa World
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Court Stuffs Former Pro Football Player’s Claim
Chad Hennings, a former college and professional football star who retired in 2000 after a spinal injury, cannot collect workers’ compensation for lifetime medical benefits because “a professional athlete who accepts the benefits available under his contract or collective bargaining agreement cannot recover” under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act, a state appeals court holds. By Jonathan Fox, Texas Lawyer via Law.com
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Do Bosses Check DNA?
Anecdotal evidence suggesting employers are using genetic tests to screen job applicants who show the potential to develop certain diseases in the future is starting to appear around the world. “What employers are likely to do is look at the profile of their existing workforce, and look at any medical conditions there might be patterns of, and then maybe look to screening out people who might present a risk form a workers’ compensation perspective,” contends one Australian employment attorney. By Myles Wearring, News.com.au [With Photo and Video] Go to the Full Story…