Latest Workers' Compensation Headlines

All the headlines from our Workers' Compensation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

California Workers’ Comp Written Premium Down 13%, Report Shows

Aug 4 2021 // California workers’ compensation written premium for the first quarter of 2021 was 13% below that for the first quarter of 2020, according to a quarterly experience report issued on Wednesday by the Workers’...

Louisiana Doctor Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Comp Fraud, Conspiracy

Aug 4 2021 // A Lake Charles, Louisiana, orthopedic surgeon pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud conspiracy, the U.S. Justice Department reported.Robert Dale Bernauer Sr., 74, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to...

California Landscaper Arraigned for Alleged Workers’ Comp Fraud

Aug 4 2021 // Frank Simplicio, 45, of Porter Ranch, Calif., was arraigned on multiple felony counts of insurance fraud and perjury.A California Department of Insurance investigation revealed Simplicio allegedly claimed to be too injured...

AM Best Assigns Credit Ratings, Stable Outlook to Workers’ Comp Writer SUNZ

Aug 3 2021 // AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) to SUNZ Insurance Co. of Bradenton, Florida. The outlook assigned to these Credit...

OSHA: Ohio Contractor Exposed Roofers to Fall Hazards for 6th Time in 3 Years

Aug 3 2021 // A roofing contractor in Ohio faces proposes penalties of more than $137,000 after being cited by federal workplace safety officials for exposing workers to deadly fall hazards.OSHA said JMH Roofing LLC in Millersburg has a...

Workers’ Compensation Research Study Shows No Treatment Delays Due to COVID

Aug 2 2021 // COVID-19 did not delay medical treatment for workers’ compensation claimants, but did decrease the amount of emergency care and other services provided to injured workers, a study released by the Workers’...

California Commissioner Lowers Workers’ Comp Benchmark

Aug 2 2021 // California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara adopted and issued lower rates for workers’ compensation insurance benchmark rate by 5 cents to $1.41 per $100 of payroll effective Sept. 1.Lara’s decision results...

Lessons from the Pandemic for Workers’ Compensation

Aug 2 2021 // The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us tough lessons. We have learned the strengths and limitations of globalization, our public health systems, and our ability to respond during a crisis.In the U.S. workers’...

5.44% Workers’ Comp Rate Decrease OK’d in Wisconsin

Aug 2 2021 // Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable approved an overall 5.44% decrease in workers’ compensation insurance rates, effective Oct. 1, 2021. It’s the sixth straight year of rate decreases in Wisconsin,...

Texas Doctor Convicted of Workers’ Comp Fraud, Drug Crimes

Jul 30 2021 // A North Texas doctor will pay $376,368 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail fraud conspiracy in federal court, the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation reported.Clinton Battle M.D....

Workers’ Compensation Research Study Shows No Treatment Delays Due to COVID

Jul 26 2021 // COVID-19 did not delay medical treatment for workers’ compensation claimants, but did decrease the amount of emergency care and other services provided to injured workers, a study released by the Workers’...

5.44% Workers’ Comp Rate Decrease Approved in Wisconsin

Jul 22 2021 // Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable has approved an overall 5.44 percent decrease in worker’s compensation insurance rates, effective Oct. 1, 2021.This is the sixth straight year of rate decreases in...

California Commissioner Lowers Workers’ Comp Benchmark

Jul 21 2021 // California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara lowered the workers’ compensation insurance benchmark rate by 5 cents to $1.41 per $100 of payroll effective Sept. 1.Lara’s decision results in an average advisory...

California Workers’ Comp Report: Private Self-Insured Indemnity Claim Frequency, Paid & Incurred Losses Spiked in 2020

Jul 21 2021 // Workers’ comp claim frequency among California’s private self-insured employers rose in 2020, fueled by a big increase in the incidence of indemnity claims, offsetting a decline in medical-only claim frequency,...

OSHA: Workers, Residents at Missouri Care Facility Exposed to Asbestos

Jul 20 2021 // Workers and residents at a Missouri residential nursing facility were exposed asbestos hazards when three employers at the site failed to ensure safe removal of the known carcinogen during a flooring replacement project, a...

Washington Couple Face Felony Charges in $116K Workers’ Comp Scam

Jul 19 2021 // A married couple working at their son’s Vancouver, Wash., auto repair shop who claimed to be hurt at the shop and received workers’ compensation benefits for their injuries are now both charged with stealing...

Wisconsin Metal Fabricating Plant Faces $216K in OSHA Penalties

Jul 14 2021 // A Milwaukee, Wisconsin, metal fabricating facility continues to put its workers’ safety and health at risk, federal safety officials say.The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health...

Cal/OSHA: Protect Workers from Unhealthy Air due to Wildfire Smoke

Jul 13 2021 // Cal/OSHA is cautioning California employers to be prepared to protect workers from unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke.When workers are at risk form unhealthy air from wildfires, California’s protection from wildfire...

Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Workers’ Compensation Fraud Scheme

Jul 9 2021 // A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to prison for a fraud scheme to evade payroll taxes and workers’ compensation requirements in the construction industry.U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced...

Five Ways to Position Workers’ Compensation in a COVID-19-impacted World

Jul 8 2021 // This post is part of a series sponsored by The Hanover Insurance Group.With prevailing economic pressures widely expected to persist, more and more businesses will consider different ways to adapt, including the...