The inimitable Bob Wilson of Bob’s Cluttered Desk is hosting this week’s Cavalcade of Risk, and get this — it rhymes. It’s Out, It’s Plentiful, and It’s Free. It’s the Cavalcade of Risk Number 223. This is not simply a poetic tour de force, there’s some meat and potatoes in the posts, too. We remain in awe of Bob, who is not afraid to handle the controversial topics that others are afraid to tackle. If you aren’t familiar with his blog, take some time to enjoy his wit and wisdom.
In other news of note:
IAIABC Launches Education Program for Work Comp Agency Professionals
The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) has developed a formal education program. IAIABC Foundations of Workers’ Compensation Administration Program will offer 10 courses in 2015, starting Jan. 12. Kudos to Safety National for supporting this initiative as a sponsor.
Blankenship case gag order
We’d love to be updating you on the court goings-on, but a gag order has been imposed on the case. In fact, even the indictment has been removed from public view. Ken Ward tells us that The Charleston Gazette is among a group of news outlets taking legal action to get access.
2015 Predictions for work comp
As the year winds to a halt, many are looking to the new year. At Manage Care Matters, Joe Paduda offers a roundup of predictions for the coming year, along with his own thoughts.
Uncertainty
Dave DePaolo looks at the state of the state in California’s work comp scene and sums it up in on word. Actually, he has a lot more thoughts on the matter, well worth your attention.
Eyes on Texas
Joan E. Collier of WCI’s Work Comp Nation Blog says that the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation has issued its biennial report to the Legislature, declaring that “while additional improvement can always be made, the system as a whole is stable.” She’s got the lowdown in her post.
Down to the Wire on Terrorism Risk Insurance Renewal
Could Super Bowl XLIX be under threat if DC legislators can’t come to agreement on an extension? That and a lot more – New England Insurance Agent Blog breaks it down.
Captives under Scrutiny
In Risk Management Monitor, Robert Myers tells us that, “Thirty-nine states have some form of captive or self-insurance law. Captives are now part of everyday life for regulators and the result is more scrutiny.” He highlights pending issues related to captives.
Opinion analysis: No overtime pay for after-work security check
Lyle Denniston of SCOTUSblog weighs in on the Supreme Court’s decision on Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc. v. Busk. The court found in favor of the employer. Employers had been suing for overtime pay after the company instituted an anti-theft check requiring all workers to go through an end-of-shift screening. Workers say this process can add as much as 25 minutes of unpaid time per day.
Here are some other discussions of this case:
Michael Fox at Jottings By An Employer’s Lawyer
Jon Hyman Ohio Employer’s Law Blog
If standing in line for 2+ hours a week is a job requirement, then it should be paid as part of the job
Wage Theft Costs American Workers as Much as $50 Billion a Year
Christopher J. McKinney of Texas Employment Law Blog
“Wage theft is a nationwide epidemic that costs American workers as much as $50 billion a year, a new Economic Policy Institute report finds. In An Epidemic of Wage Theft Is Costing Workers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars a Year, EPI Vice President Ross Eisenbrey and EPI intern Brady Meixell examine incidences of wage theft–employers’ failure to pay workers money they are legally entitled to–across the country.”
The Whole World Is Fat! And That Ends Up Costing $2 Trillion A Year
The McKinsey report estimates the economic impact of obesity around the world at $2 trillion a year. Part of that figure is the cost of caring for diseases that are linked to obesity, like Type 2 diabetes. But there’s an even bigger cost in “the loss of productivity,” Dobbs says. “People suffering from obesity often work less. They have to take more time off sick. They retire early or even die early.”
The United States has the highest obesity rate in the world: 34.9 percent. And while Americans are known for enjoying fast food and being “big,” the other countries in the top five fattest nations might surprise you: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and South Africa.
New Briefs
- 2014 Holiday Survival Kit for Employees & Families
- Mischief Under The Mistletoe: Office Partygoers Behaving Badly
- Fatalities In The Workplace
- Bring on the safety storyteller
- Distracted driving – 5 seconds is all it takes
- OSHA announces new effort to protect oil & gas workers: Industry investigates silica exposure
- Q&A: Lockout Procedures At Shift Change
- Insurance Coverage for Risks Associated with the Ebola Outbreak
- Santa’s Gone High-Tech This Holiday Season
- Bitten by dog while on smoke break: Will he get workers’ comp?
- 37% Of Americans Believe Most Workers’ Compensation Claimants “Don’t Want To Work”
- Reasonable Accommodations Under the ADA Do Not Require Changing a Job’s Essential Functions
- epression’s billion-dollar hit to workplace productivity
