Many states have enacted laws to protect the disclosure of an individual’s social security number and other personal identifying information due to a rise in identity theft; however, the practice of collecting the information by agencies has continued, and agencies that collected social security numbers before January 1, 1975 are still allowed to do so. [...]
The North Carolina Industrial Commission recently joined many other states (i.e. Massachusetts) in tackling the issue of opioids in the workers'’ compensation cases by creating a Workers’ Compensation Opioid Task Force. The goal of the task force is to “study and recommend solutions for the problems arising from the intersection of the opioid epidemic [...]
In 2015 (the most recent year for statistics), traffic-related fatalities saw the largest percentage increase in nearly five decades. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were 35,092 traffic-related fatalities in 2015, a 7.2 percent increase from 2014. Of the 35,092 traffic-related fatalities, 1,264 were occupational fatalities. Traffic-related fatalities made up the largest category [...]
Today's post comes from guest author Catherine Stanton, from Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano. Benefits for injured workers' continue to be under attack throughout the country. In New York, there have been a number of changes in the last decade, all in the name of reform. These reforms were encouraging at first as [...]
Today's post comes from guest author Kit Case, from Causey Law Firm. A Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) program that helps support light-duty jobs after workplace injuries has reached two major milestones. The Stay at Work Program has now helped more than 20,000 injured workers' and provided more than $50 million to reimburse businesses [...]
When an employee settles a workers'’ compensation claim, the employer often wants to terminate the employee and is cautious because of potential age discrimination. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. 621 et seq. (2015), prohibits companies with 20 or more employees from discriminating against a person (40 years of age or older) [...]
Today's post comes from guest author Kit Case, from Causey Law Firm. By Heidi Shierholz on November 10, 2016 - - It has been almost four years since President Obama called on Congress to increase the federal minimum wage. While Congress has refused to take action, this hasn’t dissuaded states and localities from stepping up and giving American [...]
Mylan CEO Heather Bresch testified before the House Oversight Committee about her company’s increase in the price of life-saving EpiPens by more than 500 percent since 2007. Today's post comes from guest author Jon Rehm, from Rehm, Bennett & Moore. This fall, most Americans were outraged at revelations that the price of life-saving EpiPens had [...]
Today's post comes from guest author Jon Rehm, from Rehm, Bennett & Moore. A drug formulary is a term describing a list of drugs that are covered by an insurance plan. In workers'’ compensation, formularies are touted as a way to reduce prescription costs and lead to more effective care. Formularies are particularly pushed as [...]
According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, in 2015 the number of work-related fatal injuries increased nationally. There were 4,836 work-related fatal injuries in the United States and 150 work-related fatal injuries in North Carolina compared to 4,821 in 2014. After the oil-and-gas industry’s sharp increase in work-related fatal injuries in 2014, the industry [...]
