More than half of COVID-19 health care workers at risk for mental health problems

A new study suggests more than half of doctors, nurses, and emergency responders involved in COVID-19 care could be at risk for one or more mental health problems, including acute traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, problematic alcohol use, and insomnia. The researchers found that the risk of these mental health conditions was comparable to rates observed during natural disasters, such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.

NJ Supreme Court Rules Truck Drivers Entitled to Overtime Pay

Plaintiff Elmer Branch brought a putative class action against his employer, defendant Cream-O-Land Dairy, on behalf of himself and similarly situated truck drivers employed by defendant, for payment of overtime wages pursuant to the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law (WHL). In this appeal, the Court considers whether defendant could assert a defense to the action under N.J.S.A. 34:11-56a25.2 based on its good-faith reliance on certain determinations by employees of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Department) that defendant is a “trucking industry employer.”

NJ Receives 1,181 COVID Complaints

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) received 1,181 complaints from workers and customers in the first four weeks of Gov. Murphy’s executive order expanding workplace protections during COVID-19. 

Disability for Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19

The residuals of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2 virus) are many. Claimants will need to prove that the residuals that they have sustained are causally related to the virus. 

OSHA Temporary Emergency COVID Standard on the Horizon

President-elect Joe Biden plans to have OSHA establish an emergency temporary standard to keep workers safe from COVID-19. 

The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP)

The Federal Government has a program to compensate those individuals who have suffered adverse reactions to the COVID-19 (SAR-CoV2) vaccines. The program is the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) established under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act), 42 U.S.C. §§ 247d-6d, 247d-6e.

Top 10 Articles of 2020 - Year in Review

A list of the most popular 10 Workers’ Compensation Blog Posts in 2020