New York Workers’ Compensation Board Announces New Hearing Process for Opioid Weaning Issues

November 12, 2016

Written for the insurance companies, but still good information on how the NYS Workers' Compensation Board is going about reducing or eliminating opiate use for injured workers' with chronic, unrelenting pain

It’s Time to Fix the Broken Workers’ Compensation System

October 6, 2016

Following is a statement from Debbie Berkowitz, senior fellow for worker safety and health with the National Employment Law Project: “The National Employment Law Project applauds the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Academy of Social Insurance for convening The State Workers’ Compensation Forum. Today’s forum and a new Labor Department report highlight the deeply troubled state of the workers’ compensation system and the financial and social costs to America’s workers.

Retailers bash bid for 10% workers’ comp rate hike

September 22, 2016

As New York’s Department of Financial Services reviews input from its June 27 hearing on a recommended 9.8 percent rate increase for workers’ compensation insurance, the Retail Council of New York State wants instead an industry-wide actuarial study before the DFS considers any further rate increases.

In role reversal, biz group seeks increases to workers' comp premiums while labor lawyers oppose

July 5, 2016

Both camps say they are simply being true to the numbers, but the bottom line is businesses could pay more. Workers’ comp costs for employers statewide could jump if the business lobby gets its way. Wait, what? In a counterintuitive turn, the leading trade group for New York businesses wants the premiums employers pay to be allowed to go up by 9.3%—and lawyers for workers want them to stay down. The disagreement over insurance premium hikes is part of a war over the state's workers'…

We Need to Unite! Workers Compensation Alliance

June 30, 2016

WE NEED WORKERS' TO UNITE! Write to Governor Cuomo! The Commissioner of the NYSWCB recently appointed by Cuomo plans to slash workers' benefits by significantly reducing or eliminating benefits for permanent injuries to extremities. The Business Council says That schedule losses of use are the culprit in recent premium increase. The number do not add up though. Read on...

New York Workers Compenstation Alliance: Protecting Injured Workers

June 14, 2016

In 2007, the Business Council of New York State finally achieved the goal it had sought for over a decade – putting time limits on payments for permanently disabled workers. At the time, the Business Council and the state claimed the change would save employers over $1 billion. Ten years later, employers’ workers’ compensation costs are still lower than they were before the “reforms.” Huge savings for employers came at huge expense to workers, especially the most vulnerable – low wage…