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Worker's Compensation Top News Stories

Top Workers', Workman's, Workmen's Compensation News Stories

  • Senate Passes Liability Deadline Bill; Assembly OKs UR Study Deadline Extension
    Bills that would revise time frames for California employers to accept liability for claims and extend the deadline for a study into the effects of utilization review changes that took…
  • CHSWC Meeting Postponed
    The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation postponed its Thursday meeting. CHSWC said in a statement Wednesday that it was delaying the meeting because of unforeseen circumstances. Commissioners were scheduled…
  • WCIRB: Written Premium Falls, Frequency and Combined Ratio Rise
    Written premium for 2021 was 2% below that for 2020 and 14% below that for 2019, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California said in its fourth quarter experience…
  • WCIRB Webinar to Cover Recommended Rate Hike
    The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California is holding a webinar on June 1 to discuss its recommended 7.6% advisory pure premium increase for policies incepting on or after…
  • Jose Razo Reappointed to WCAB
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom reappointed Jose Razo to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. Jose Razo Razo was an associate attorney at work comp defense firm Laughlin, Falbo, Levy and Moresi when…
  • Amendments Would Require Social Worker Services, Limit IBR Fees
    California employers would be required to make available the services of a licensed clinical social worker when it is reasonably required to cure or relieve a worker from the effects…
  • CAAA: Senate Leadership Killed Gender Pay Bill
    Senate leadership killed a proposal that would have augmented workers’ compensation benefits in an effort to remediate gender-based earning disparities by not allowing a vote on the measure, according to…
  • Four Employers Fined a Combined $1.75M for Death of Valero Refinery Worker
    The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s Process Safety Management Unit cited Valero Refinery of Benicia and three contractors a combined $1.75 million for safety violations following the death…
  • Potential Reform Bill Among Those Passed Before Fiscal Deadline
    Fiscal committees in both chambers of the California Legislature combined to pass a half-dozen bills ahead of Friday’s deadline, including one that could be amended as a more expansive reform measure. Friday…
  • Ted Richards Appointed DWC Chief Counsel
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Ted Richards to serve as chief counsel of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Ted Richards The chief counsel works under the general direction of the DWC…
  • DWC Announces Appointments to Ethics Committee
    The California Division of Workers’ Compensation announced that Sara Widener-Brightwell was appointed to serve on the Workers’ Compensation Ethics Advisory Committee, effective June 1. Sara Widener-Brightwell (CWCI.org) She will fill the…
  • Business Owners Arraigned on Fraud Charges
    The California Department of Insurance announced that three business owners were arraigned on charges that they conspired to illegally lower their workers’ compensation premiums by more than $125,000. Troy Williams, 49,…
  • Owner of Janitorial Company to Pay $2.4M in Restitution for Fraud
    The owner of a janitorial company in Southern California was ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution for committing workers’ compensation and tax fraud. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office announced…
  • Assembly Passes Debit Card Payment, CIGA Bills
    The California Assembly unanimously passed bills that would address investment and assessment procedures for the state’s insolvent insurer backstop and allow carriers to continue paying workers’ compensation indemnity benefits using…
  • CDI Schedules June 14 Hearing on Proposed Rate Increase
    The California Department of Insurance will hear testimony June 14 on a proposed 7.6% increase to the advisory pure premium rate. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau is recommending that the…
  • WCAB: IDL Payments Are ‘Compensation’ for Calculating Serious and Willful Award
    Industrial Disability Leave salary continuation benefits paid to injured California state workers as an alternative to temporary disability are considered compensation when calculating awards for serious and willful violations, the…
  • Senate Rules Committee Appoints Sidharth Voorakkara to CHSWC
    The California Senate Rules Committee appointed Sidharth Voorakkara to represent employers on the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation. Sidharth Voorakkara Voorakkara is senior vice president of the San…
  • Senate Passes Bill Mandating Comp Coverage for Pest Control Contractors
    Pest control contractors will have to provide proof of continuing workers’ compensation coverage to maintain their registration, under a bill the California Senate passed unanimously. The Senate on Monday voted 33-0…
  • Paradigm Announces Promotions
    Walnut Creek, California-based Paradigm Corp. announced the promotions of Kevin Turner to chief growth officer and Kathy Galia to chief clinical solutions officer. Turner will oversee sales, account management and product…
  • COPD Dropped From Hospital Worker Presumption Bill
    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease would not be one of the conditions presumed compensable for California hospital workers, under a recently amended bill. SB 213, by Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, would…

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