Five Things You Need to Know: 2/24, Friday Edition

1) Should FL Shadow TX in Defining Gross Negligence? (NEWS)

To be or not to be remains the question with workers' compensation and gross negligence. In the case of Villalta v. Cornn International, the death of a Florida drywall worker who was killed due to alleged gross negligence brings up the fine line between blatant abandon and straightforward negligence, according to workers' compensation experts and attorneys, Phil Griffs and Nicholas Romanello. To read more, click here.

2) A Game of Chess with the IL Workers’ Compensation System (NEWS)

There are two sides to a story unless… there are not?! The present fiscal crisis and possible government shutdown in Illinois has workers’ compensation experts saying the issue is simply fake news based on inflated egos. Reporting on the threat of a government shutdown for a few weeks, the Keefe, Campbell, Beiry and Associates, LLC blog, penned from the firm of the same name, recently updated their KCBA Blog “Grand Bargain Remains Stalled.” “A six-month ‘stopgap’ state budget was approved last summer but expired on Jan. 1, 2017. With less than two weeks away (until a potential shutdown), it is still a waiting game since IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a request to halt payment to all Illinois state workers' salaries until Gov. Bruce Rauner and the legislator fix finances that have caused an 18-month budget impasse,” reads the blog. To read more, click here.

3) Remote Liability (NEWS)

According to a 2015 Gallup Poll, 37% of workers telecommute at least occasionally. This number will almost certainly continue to grow as more and more companies realize the benefits remote workers can provide. From a workers’ compensation perspective, there are some potential pitfalls that employers need to know. To read more, click here.

4) OH BWC Brings Message of Safety to Four County Career Center Students (NEWS)

Workplace safety was the theme of the day Tuesday at the Four County Career Center when Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Administrator/CEO Sarah Morrison encouraged students to build a "safety-first" mindset and make it a lifelong practice. "The hallmark of a safe workplace is not only a supportive management team that provides the tools and training necessary to prevent accidents, but also a workforce that puts safety into practice," Morrison said to students studying auto technology, carpentry, welding and pre-engineering. "As you enter the workforce, I challenge you to embrace your important role in building a culture of safety in your new workplace." To read more, click here. 

5) Camden Police Department Did Not Violate FMLA By Visiting Officer While On FMLA Leave (NEWS)

The Fraternal Order of Police and certain police officers challenged the City of Camden Police Department for allegedly retaliating against certain officers who complained about city policies.  One of the allegations involved the Family and Medical Leave Act. The city initiated a policy called “directed patrols” in 2008. That policy required officers to engage with city residents who were not suspected of any wrongdoing with the goal of obtaining information about the community and becoming more visible in the community. Contact with individuals on directed patrols was tracked and recorded. To read more, click here. 

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