Flu Season's Hidden Workers' Compensation Cost

As healthcare facilities across the nation report surging respiratory illness cases, the spotlight has turned once again to protecting those on the front lines of medicine. Recent surveillance data reveal a troubling trend: flu activity is increasing rapidly across the United States, with cases and hospitalizations rising by 78% and 53% respectively, in some states, while emergency department visits for influenza have more than doubled in certain regions.

New Jersey's Workplace Safety Wins

A data-driven examination of seven years of workers' compensation trends reveals encouraging progress—and work still needs to be done.

Healthcare Crisis Threatens Workers' Compensation

The American healthcare system is approaching a breaking point that will have profound implications for employers and workers' compensation insurers. As healthcare costs spiral out of control and insurance becomes increasingly unaffordable, a growing number of workers are entering the workplace with untreated medical conditions that will significantly amplify the severity and cost of work-related injuries.

New Jersey 2026 Rate Relief

Understanding the Latest Workers' Compensation Changes and Second Injury Fund Adjustments

The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance has approved significant changes to workers' compensation rates effective January 1, 2026, bringing mixed news for employers across the Garden State. While overall rates are decreasing, the Second Injury Fund contribution has increased notably, impacting the bottom line.

Amazon's Misclassification Strips Workers' Safety Net

When a back injury should mean temporary disability benefits, but instead means choosing between rent and recovery—that's the hidden cost of worker misclassification. New Jersey's recent lawsuit against Amazon exposes how labeling employees as independent contractors strips away critical workers' compensation protections, leaving injured workers financially vulnerable during their most precarious moments.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Long COVID

 New Jersey Workers' Compensation Benefits for Long COVID: A Comprehensive Update

Understanding Your Rights Under New Jersey's Enhanced Protections for Essential Workers

Protecting Healthcare Heroes: Pandemic Preparedness

The 2025 Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) report, The New Face of Pandemic Preparedness, arrives with a sobering message: five years after COVID-19 began, the world remains dangerously unprepared for the next pandemic. But perhaps nowhere is this vulnerability more acute than among healthcare workers and first responders—the very people we depend on when crisis strikes.

Bendix Asbestos: Legacy Lives On

For decades, the former Bendix plant in Teterboro, New Jersey, represented American industrial might—manufacturing brake systems and aerospace components that powered the nation's growth. But beneath that productive facade lurked a silent killer: asbestos. Today, Honeywell's recent divestiture of all legacy Bendix asbestos liabilities to Delticus for approximately $1.68 billion brings renewed attention to a public health crisis that continues to unfold, even as the factory floors have long gone quiet.

NJ's Minimum Wage Climbs Higher

 Garden State Workers to See $15.92 Hourly Rate in 2026

New Jersey's minimum wage landscape is undergoing another change. Starting January 1, 2026, most employees across the Garden State will see their minimum hourly wage increase to $15.92, marking a $0.43 jump from the current rate. This announcement from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development continues the state's commitment to ensuring workers receive a livable wage.

Workers' Compensation Lien Secures Damages

In a negligence action arising from a motor vehicle accident, the court found the defendants were 85% at fault, and the plaintiff, Antonio Lorenzo-Noda, was 15% at fault. The court determined that the plaintiff's negligence, at 15%, was less than the 51% threshold under the New Jersey Comparative Negligence Act, which allows him to recover damages.

Trial Judge Deference Prevails

How Appellate Courts Respect Workers' Compensation Findings and Why Prior Rulings Don't Always Bar Future Claims

NJ Fights Worker Misclassification

Worker misclassification has become a significant battleground in New Jersey, with state labor officials taking increasingly aggressive action against employers who improperly classify employees as independent contractors. Recent enforcement actions demonstrate the state's commitment to protecting workers' rights and ensuring access to crucial benefits.

Celebrating 5 Million Views: A Testament to Our Community's Commitment to Workers' Compensation Excellence

Today marks an extraordinary milestone for The Workers' Compensation Blog—we have reached 5,000,000 views. This achievement belongs not to us alone, but to the remarkable community of legal professionals, scholars, and practitioners who have made this platform a cornerstone of workers' compensation discourse.

Jersey Fights COVID Workplace Risks

New Jersey's bold move to expand COVID-19 vaccine access represents a critical step forward in workplace safety and pandemic preparedness at a time when other states are moving in the opposite direction. The Garden State's recent Executive Directive No. 25-003 and accompanying Standing Order demonstrate how state-level leadership can protect workers and communities when federal guidance falls short.

New Jersey Workers' Compensation Rates Increase for 2026

Older Workers Fall Risk

The aging workforce faces a hidden but deadly threat: workplace falls. Recent data reveal that fall-related deaths among older adults have more than tripled in the past 30 years, with over 41,000 Americans aged 65 and older dying from falls in 2023 alone. This alarming trend extends beyond the home into workplace environments, where employers must urgently address the unique vulnerabilities of their aging employees.

Asbestos: USA's Unfinished Ban Battle

For decades, the insidious threat of asbestos has loomed over public health, leaving a trail of devastating diseases. While many developed nations have long enacted comprehensive bans, the United States has lagged, allowing a dangerous legacy to persist. Recent actions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mark a significant, albeit still incomplete, step towards finally addressing this critical issue. The issue is still pending before the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

WCMSAs: What You Need to Know

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently hosted an informative webinar on Workers' Compensation Medicare Set-Asides (WCMSAs), shedding light on these crucial financial agreements and their impact on workers' compensation claims. 

No Workers' Compensation? Work Stops!

The New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL) is committed to worker protection, and a recent action in Jersey City underscores a key enforcement tool: stop-work orders. These orders can be issued when employers fail to comply with state laws and regulations, particularly those designed to protect workers. A significant reason for such an order is the failure of an employer to carry workers' compensation insurance.

Navigating NJ's ABC Test Changes

New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) has proposed new rules (N.J.A.C. 12:11) to clarify the application of the "ABC test" for determining independent contractor status. These proposed rules provide guidance for employers and workers on who is considered an employee versus an independent contractor under various New Jersey statutes.