CDC Is Seeking Occupational Health Partners to Vaccinate

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking the participation of occupational health partners to vaccinate essential workers. This action will encourage employers and workers’ compensation insurance companies to assist in vaccinating essential workers.

"Made in America" Will Impact Workers' Compensation Nationally

Today, President Biden signed the Executive order, Made in America.”  The effort to move manufacturing jobs back to the United States will have a major impact going forward for the entire workers' compensation system. This initiative will expand the workforce and expand the potential of a major increase in workers' compensation benefits through increased wages/rates and premiums paid for coverage and all related cottage industries involved in the social insurance program.

OSHA: Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety

Within hours of his inauguration, President Biden moved swiftly to direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to promulgate an emergency standard to protect workers from COVID-19. The President signed an Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety on January 21, 2021.

National Strategy for The COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness

“Our national strategy will be driven by scientists and public health experts who will regularly speak directly to you, free from political interference as they make decisions strictly on science and public health alone.”  President Joe Biden, January 21. 2021

Is the workers' compensation system ready for the COVID-19 [coronavirus] virus? Live Updates

It seems that every decade a new pandemic emerges on the world scene, and complacency continues to exist in the workers’ compensation arena to meet the emerging challenges of infectious disease.

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.”