Declarations

December 21, 2020

“So many people suffered losses during Hurricane Laura including our farmers and ranchers. With its devastating Category 4 winds reaching 150 mph, Laura maintained hurricane strength as she pummeled the state. … Any assistance is appreciated to help our agricultural producers to recoup losses.”

— Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain comments after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated 21 of the state’s parishes disaster areas due to Hurricane Laura-related damage and losses. Ag producers in those parishes are eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, under certain conditions. Agriculture and forestry losses from Laura exceeded $1.6 billion.

“We believe we’ll see even more company support over time. … Employee expectations are changing right now, and companies are navigating their way through them.”

— Caroline Kelly, a research manager at the office furniture firm, Steelcase, on the trend toward companies helping newly remote workers with at least some of the expense of setting up home offices. About two-thirds of companies are providing or reimbursing for needs of remote workers, according to a survey by HR consultancy Mercer: 55% are covering laptops; 33% mobile phones; 26% printers and 24% ergonomic equipment.

“No farmworker should be exposed to poisonous chemicals when doing their job, let alone multiple times in two weeks.”

— Lisa Palumbo, director of Legal Aid, Chicago’s Immigrants and Workers’ Rights project, refers to a federal lawsuit alleging more than two dozen migrant workers from Texas were sprayed with toxic pesticides while working in Illinois cornfields. The workers, including teenagers, senior citizens and a pregnant woman, claim they were sprayed by a helicopter and plane treating fields in July and August 2019, despite wearing neon orange hats and backpacks.

“I requested this action so that the innocent policyholders in these companies could obtain some financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic that has economically crippled so many families and businesses.”

— North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey on being granted the authority to modify the moratorium on the financially impaired insurance firms owned by imprisoned businessman Greg Lindberg. A North Carolina Superior Court granted approval for Causey to allow annuity contract owners to withdraw limited funds to help during the pandemic. In October, Lindberg was sentenced to serve seven years in prison for corruption-related convictions. His companies were placed in rehabilitation last year.

“These people need to be paid.”

— Washoe County District Court Judge Barry Breslow imposed a $1,000 fine on the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, holding the office in contempt and giving it until the end of the month to comply with his court order to resume paying pandemic relief benefits to almost 9,500 out-of-work gig workers.

“The best part of the job is helping people when they have issues with their insurance companies. And, you know, this is all I’ve done. My entire adult life has been spent helping people.”

— Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro told Insurance Journal in a pre-election interview before being elected to a second term. He beat out opponent Dr. Julia Pillsbury with roughly 60% of the votes, according to New York Times data. Navarro said part of the reason he was seeking re-election was to continue helping insurance consumers in Delaware.