By MIKE BAKER , 09.21.11, 09:24 AM EDT OLYMPIA, Wash. — A major overhaul of the workers’ compensation system in Washington is already helping keep costs down for businesses, state officials said Tuesday while disclosing a major rate increase isn’t needed to keep finances stable. The Department of Labor & Industries said it’s proposing an …

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East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) – New York Jets center Nick Mangold left Sunday’s game against the Jaguars with an ankle injury. With less than a minute to play in the first quarter, Mangold injured his ankle on a running play. The All-Pro did not return to the game. He will have an MRI on …

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Often-quoted data on impaired workers disputed by experts September 18, 2011 – 6:00am Certain vendors, blogs, anti-drug groups and state agencies claim that drugs or alcohol are involved in 38% to 50% of all workers comp claims. There are service providers, bloggers, anti-drug organizations and even state agencies that claim alcohol or drugs are involved …

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In my Aug. 15 and Sept. 5 columns, I described eligibility for and calculation of disability retirement benefits. In this column, I’ll discuss workers’ compensation, which may be a better option if you are disabled or injured in the line of duty. To be considered disabled, you and your agency must provide the Office of …

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Despite a grinding unemployment rate, at least some New York employers are desperately struggling in a different way — to find skilled employees. Talent is so scarce in certain white-hot fields — in finance, accountancy, law, technology, medical and other sectors — that finding qualified candidates is like mining for gold, according to local employment …

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A 74-year-old woman who said she was injured after falling in a Costco store in Florida beat back the retailer’s effort to move the case to that state because it was too much trouble to defend itself in New York. Theresa Danza sued Costco in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York, claiming she was hospitalized …

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Early intervention, predictive modeling help curb claims September 11, 2011 – 6:00am Chronic pain is an infrequent but growing aspect of workers compensation claims, but employers need concrete programs with measurable outcomes to respond to and reduce those types of injuries. Advertisement Read more in the Workers Comp Channel What’s This? Workers Comp News and …

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New York chiropractors don’t like the new medical treatment guidelines adopted last December by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. These changes focus on the treatment for the mid- and low-back, neck, shoulder and knees. The state’s main chiropractic association is lobbying state lawmakers to reverse the new guidelines. New York State Chiropractic Association …

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By Noah Buhayar Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) — U.S. commercial-insurance prices rose 1.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier and may keep climbing, according to a survey by consulting firm Towers Watson & Co. Rates increased for all standard lines of coverage, including workers’ compensation and property, for the first time since the …

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The stabbing pain in Robert Reeg’s chest every day is a relentless reminder of Sept. 11, 2001. The retired New York City firefighter from Stony Point was seriously injured in the collapse of the South Tower at the World Trade Center. “If I close my eyes, I can picture it,” the now 59-year-old recalled. Reeg, …

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