Another Class of Benefits Proposed for Workers’ Compensation

The NJ Legislature is considering expanding the multitiered program to compensate the victims of industrial illness. This time a supplemental benefit program is being offered to compensate healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19.

Defining Disability in the Era of COVID

The definition of “disability” can be complicated in various occupational statutes. In a Law Against Discrimination [LAD] N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 to -50 claim alleging the “perception of COVID” as a disability, the NJ Appellate Court declined to accept the plaintiff's claim. Guzman v. M. Teixeira International, Inc., NJ: Appellate Div. 2023.

Who Decides if an Employee is a Borrowed-Employee

The adjudication of workers’ compensation claims involves one final arbitrator of fact and law, a compensation judge. In a civil action, a judge decides the applicable law, and the jury decides the factual issues. The NJ Supreme Court recently reiterated the jury’s role in the process when it reviewed a matter determining the status of a borrowed employee.

NJ Targets Rampant Misclassification of Drywall Workers

In its second strategic enforcement initiative, focusing on the drywall industry, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) reached a first-of-its-kind enhanced compliance agreement with Donald Drywall, L.L.C. of Lakewood after investigators found the subcontractor had committed numerous wage and hour, earned sick leave, and employee misclassification violations.

United Hospital Supply Corp. faces $498K in penalties after amputation incident

An employee's first day of work at a southern New Jersey manufacturing facility ended tragically when he suffered the amputation of three fingers while operating a press brake without required safety guards, similar to violations cited by federal safety investigators at the facility in 2010 and 2015.

NJ Industry Groups Challenge The Temporary Workers’ Rights Law

In February 2023, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law that would give temporary workers in the state more protections.

Is ChatGPT Ready to Write Workers’ Compensation Decisions?

Artificial intelligence (AI) programs have become an exciting new Internet phenomenon. Initially launched to generate graphics, the programs have rapidly emerged as Internet research's most significant development of the last twenty years.