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.

Sherrill's Win Locks In Worker Protections

Under the Democratic leadership of Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey began a distinct, liberalizing shift in the application of its Workers' Compensation statute. Rather than a total systemic overhaul, the Murphy administration enacted targeted legislation that expanded coverage and lowered the burden of proof for key segments of the workforce.

Workplace Toxins: A Hidden Epidemic

In his groundbreaking new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own, former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden draws on decades of experience leading public health efforts to reveal how to defeat the world's deadliest diseases. While the book covers many health threats, its principles are particularly relevant to one of America's most overlooked crises: occupational exposure to toxic substances.

Clocks and Dangers: Daylight Saving Time and the Spike in Workplace Injuries

Most people in the United States look forward to Daylight Saving Time (DST) every spring. We lose an hour of sleep but gain an extra hour of evening sunshine. While the sunnier evenings are enjoyable, the biannual switch to DST continues to pose a significant and measurable danger to workplace safety, a risk confirmed by over a decade of research.

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.

Special Employee or Not? Court Decides

A New Jersey appellate court recently overturned a legal malpractice ruling by clarifying when police officers on "extra duty" assignments become "special employees" under workers' compensation law. The October 2025 decision in Dutcher v. Stathis provides important guidance for determining employment status.

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.

Heat: The Silent Worker Threat

When we think about workplace heat exposure, images of construction workers under the blazing sun or farmers toiling in fields typically come to mind. However, groundbreaking new research from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reveals a sobering truth: heat is silently increasing the risk of injury for workers across virtually every industry—including those working primarily indoors.

NJ Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Landmark Case

On September 25, 2025, the New Jersey Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that is poised to set significant precedent for workers' compensation law. Giuseppe Amato v. Township of Ocean School District (Docket A-31-24).

The case centers on the dependency claim filed by the widower of a school teacher who tragically died of COVID-19 after returning to in-person instruction as she complied with The Governor's Executive  Order to return work in the classroom. The Supreme Court's review focuses on a highly contentious legal question: the scope of New Jersey's COVID-19 Essential Employee Presumption..

Masks, Hugs, and Proof Gaps

On March 15, 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Robert Elijah hugged his coworker, Juan Martinez, in a PATH employee locker room after resolving an argument. Neither wore masks. Martinez had been experiencing symptoms he described as resembling a head cold—dizziness, coughing, heavy breathing, and headaches—though as a smoker, he considered seasonal coughs normal.

The Evolving Threat: Modernizing Biosafety to Prevent a Pandemic

Nearly a decade and a half after the initial discussion on the accidental release of potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs), the topic remains a critical concern. As research continues on highly pathogenic viruses like avian influenza A(H5N1), a healthy dose of anxiety and a strong commitment to safety are more important than ever. The debate around the risk-benefit of such research, once highlighted by experts like Marc Lipsitch and Barry R. Bloom, is ongoing, with current research showing a non-negligible risk that an accidental escape event would not be contained.

Asbestos Ban Under Fire

The battle over America's long-awaited ban on asbestos has reached a critical juncture in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, where the 2024 EPA rule faces fierce industry challenges that could determine the fate of worker safety protections nationwide.

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.

Asbestos Ban: A Win for Workers

In a significant development for public health and worker safety, the Trump administration has withdrawn its plan to reconsider the Biden-era ban on chrysotile asbestos, the last form of asbestos still imported and used in the United States. This reversal comes after a period of uncertainty and public outcry, marking a crucial step toward finally addressing the long-standing threat of asbestos exposure in the United States.

Protecting Public Health: A Legal Battle

Medical professionals nationwide are taking a stand against the recent actions of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., filing a lawsuit to challenge decisions they argue jeopardize public health and undermine established vaccine protocols. 

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.

Great Falls: Asbestos Abatement Underway

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commenced a significant $4 million project in June 2025 to remove hazardous materials, including asbestos and lead, from the Allied Textile Printing (ATP) site in Paterson, New Jersey. This long-awaited cleanup is a critical step towards the full opening of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park's new $8 million riverwalk, which has been awaiting the completion of the remediation efforts. 

Workers' Compensation Insurance: Intentional Wrong?

Employers' liability insurance policies generally exclude coverage for "intentional wrongs" committed against employees, even if those employees also pursue workers' compensation claims.

Joint Special Employer: Dual Liability

The complex issue of employment status, specifically whether an individual can be considered a "joint special employer" in the context of workers' compensation was the subject of a recent court ruling. The New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, examined the case of Joseph Vola, a police officer injured while on an extra traffic duty assignment for Asplundh Tree Experts, arranged through the City of Northfield.