Five Things You Need to Know: 7/12, Thursday Edition

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) - 

1) NJ: Medical Marijuana Treatment to be Reimbursed for Public Sector Employee, Work Comp Judge Rules

A New Jersey public sector employer has been directed to pay a medical marijuana bill for its employee by a work comp judge, writes Charles Toutant of the New Jersey Law Journal. Following on the heels of Bourgoin v. Twin Rivers Paper, Steven McNeary, diagnosed with muscular spasticity, will receive payment for his medical marijuana treatment, even though the insurance company argued the drug is federally illegal. It’s possible the company will appeal.

2) CO: Plumbing/Mechanical Co. Accused of Workplace Discrimination in EEOC Lawsuit

The EEOC has filed a lawsuit against AMI Mechanical, Inc., alleging the company “…assign(ed) Hispanic workers to job sites with confined spaces and filled with human waste and dangerous gas levels. The EEOC alleges that when one of the Hispanic workers complained about the discrimination and bad working conditions, an AMI supervisor told him the company would ‘hire a bunch more ... Mexicans’ to replace the workers,” writes Marian Johns of Legal News Line. The EEOC requests damages, back wages, and injunctive relief.

3) Next Hot Seat Webinar Topic Announced

WorkersCompensation.com’s next Hot Seat Webinar hot topic has been announced, “Impairing the Guides: The Legal Assault on the 6^th Edition.” More details will be available soon. The end of June marked another Hot Seat webinar for the books, entitled “Rise of the Millennials: Passing of the Baton.” Moderators included WorkersCompensation.com President and CEO Bob Wilson and Deputy Chief Judge, Florida Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims David Langham. Panelists included WorkersCompensation.com Senior Editor of Premium Media (and Millennial) Dara Barney and Insurance Services Office, Inc. Director and Division Head Alfred Faber. Lively discussion topics included a need to “walk the walk” in the industry, vs. just “talking the talk,” and the different challenges each generation has encountered/will encounter in both the workplace, and work comp atmosphere. A replay of the session is available here.

4) PA: Strip Club Sued for Alleged Misclassification of Dancers 

Exotic dancer Paulina Wisniewska has filed a class action lawsuit against strip club The Admiral and owner Sam Cecola, requesting her alleged unpaid wages, and the unpaid wages of other dancers, writes Jonathan Bilyk of the Cook County Record. The Admiral allegedly classified its dancers as contractors, which “…enabled the club’s owners to make its dancers work exclusively for customer gratuities, rather than base wages supplemented by tips, as do table servers and bartenders,” per the article. But, according to the lawsuit, the owners dictated hours, how to behave on stage, and when tops/bottoms should be taken off while performing. “…The complaint asks the judge to order The Admiral to pay back pay to all dancers who worked at the club since 2008 at the state’s $7.25 minimum wage rate, and back pay at the city’s higher $10 minimum wage rate for all dancers who have worked at the club since 2015,” writes Bilyk.

5) IL: New Ordinance Could Call for More Notice in Employee Schedule Changes

A new ordinance in Chicago would require employers to give two weeks notice for schedule changes to employees, writes John Breslin of the Cook County Record. But the rollout of the new ordinance might take more time to be introduced. “…Attorney Joseph Yastrow of employment law firm Laner Muchin said the Chicago City Council was scheduled to consider the ordinance on June 26, but nothing new appears to have happened,” per the article. Supporters say the ordinance could protect workers, while those against it say it could cost too much.

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