March 25, 2016
José Valerio was earning a decent wage in New York City working as a welder for 10 years before an accident in 2014 left him with severe third-degree burns to his hand. The injury later developed into Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), causing constant severe pain. The father of four is still under a doctor’s care, relying on workers’ compensation benefits as he looks for ways to get back into the job market. Today, while José struggles to recover, there are efforts underway to change the…
March 17, 2016
An Oklahoma law that lets employers opt out of state-regulated workers' compensation has been rejected and declared unconstitutional by state regulators. The Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission called the alternative workplace-benefit plans that some employers adopted under the law "a water mirage on the highway that disappears upon closer inspection." The unanimous ruling by the commission, issued Friday, is expected to be appealed.
March 10, 2016
New York's injured workers are already suffering. New York State Senate and Assembly must stand with ALL workers and oppose proposals in the NYS 2016 Executive Budget that if passed, will slash worker protections and restrict due process in the Workers' Comp System.
February 3, 2016
From Robert Gray regarding the Workers Compensation Alliance press release: On February 1, 2016 the Workers' Compensation Alliance and the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health released a report showing the stark consequences of on-the-job injury for workers. The report outlines the consequences of the 2007 workers compensation "reforms" for injured workers. Among its conclusions, the report finds that (1) the 2007 "reforms" offered no benefit to low-wage workers; (2) even…
February 1, 2016
Every worker in NYS needs to be concerned about Cuomo's plans to severely reduce workers' benefits under the NYS Workers' Compensation Law. He also plans to take oversight of the New York State Workers' Compensation Board away from the state legislature and hand that power over to the NYS Governor and the NYSWCB. Please contact your state representative and implore him or her to vote AGAINST these changes. If you are a member of a union, ask your union to get involved.
March 4, 2015
By Michael Grabell Published by ProPublica and Howard Berkas, NPR