Workers’ Compensation Blog
House Bill 380: No workers’ comp for illegal workers.
Republican lawmakers have crafted a clear message for the illegal immigrant workers in Ohio: We are not going to allow you to drain our state's workers comp benefits. House Representative Bill Seitz (R-Green Township) stated: "Every dollar that is spent on immigrants...
Was your comp claim denied due to alcohol impairment?
Intoxication can be a technicality that enables an insurance company to build a compelling reason to have your workers comp claim denied. If the insurance company can prove that your injury was likely caused by your impaired judgement due to alcohol intoxication; you...
Do I need a lawyer to file for workers comp?
Workers’ compensation (frequently referred to as "workers' comp) is the system that compensates employees for workplace injuries without requiring a separate personal injury lawsuit. Employers pay monthly insurance premiums, or self-insure, to hedge against potential...
Therapy before surgery; new BWC rule gets first approval.
COLUMBUS - On June 23rd, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) board of directors approved a rule favoring conservative, non-surgical therapy as the initial treatment over spinal fusion surgery (opioids) for workers with lower back injuries. Under the BWC's...
BWC needs suppliers to promote workplace safety & health in Ohio small businesses.
COLUMBUS - The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) is accelerating new health and safety initiatives that are slated to launch in the first quarter of 2018. This week, the BWC has posted two Requests for Proposals (RFPs): One seeks a supplier to manage...
Ohio employers get $474K in workplace safety grants.
COLUMBUS - Twenty-six Ohio employers will share more than $474,000 in grants from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) to purchase equipment designed to substantially reduce or eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses. "Improving workplace safety benefits...
Working longer may help keep you young.
Although research is inconclusive, points toward “yes.” This is especially the case among people who already find their work fulfilling: professionals who are typically office workers, educators and those whose workplace is not, say, a factory or a construction site....
Take a “Stand Down” to prevent workplace injury in Ohio.
Construction, by its nature, is a dangerous industry. With much of the work happening from elevation, fall hazards are a major concern and fall protection is a must to prevent injuries and deaths.2015, falls accounted for 350 of the 937 construction fatalities in the...
How to create a company policy to address distracted driving
Each time you send/read a text message or search, or check your email while driving you pose a potential risk for your company. If an employee has a distracted driving-related accident while working (maybe while driving to a client meeting) the employer may be legally...
OSHA’s final rule to ‘nudge’ employers to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule to modernize injury data collection to better inform workers, employers, the public and OSHA about workplace hazards. With this new rule, OSHA is applying the...
Can Uber Drivers Collect Workers Compensation?
You may recall a news story last year involving a 32 year old Uber driver who was working a late night shift in Los Angeles. When his SUV full of passengers arrived at Hollywood Tower apartments around 2:30am, two of the riders refused to leave his car. They argued...
Is Hearing Loss the Most Common Workplace Injury In the United States?
According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control) statistics, 22,000,000 Americans are exposed to excessive workplace noise each year, making them at risk for permanent hearing loss. Workers in the mining, construction, fracking and manufacturing industries are the most...