Oklahoma Commission Declares Opt-Out Unconstitutional and Unenforceable
In an extended opinion released February 26, 2016, the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission held Based upon these findings and conclusions we hold that the Oklahoma Employee lnjury Benefit Act, in establishing and defining the conditions to be a Qualified Benefit Plan at section 203, denies equal protection to injured workers in oklahoma, and that Section 203, which is the foundation [...]
US DOL Seeks Comments on Reemployment Eligibility and Reemployment Services Reporting Requirements
The US Department of Labor on February 29th published Information Collection Regulations for comment in the Federal Register concerning the required reporting of Reemployment Eligibility Assessments (REAs) and Reemployment Services. See https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-03-01/pdf/2016-04477.pdf. The proposal would modify the requirements so as to limit the required reports to individuals provided these services. Specifically, the proposed regulations would require the reporting by state [...]
Appointments to Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) Announced – terms limited
On January 20, 2016, Secretary Perez selected 15 members and a Special Agency Liaison to serve on the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH). On April 29, 2015, the Secretary of Labor previously announced the renewal of MACOSH, and the MACOSH charter was signed on April 30, 2015, with an expiration date after two years on April [...]
President Obama’s Proposed FY 2017 Budget Would Impose $63 billion in Unemployment Tax Increases on Employers
President Obama’s proposed FY 2017 budget would impose increases in state and federal unemployment taxes estimated by the US Treasury to total $63 billion over the next ten years and make the increased tax base permanent and indexed. See https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/tax-policy/Documents/General-Explanations-FY2017.pdf for details. Building on the FY 2016 proposal, the budget includes an increase in the FUTA tax by reinstating the [...]
National Advisory Committee On Safety and Health Meeting March 4th to Hear Comments on OSHA Draft Guidelines
On March 4, 2016 from 2:00 to 5:00 the National Advisory Committee on Safety and Health will meeting in Room N–5437A, Conference Rooms A–B, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. to consider and make recommendations on OSHA’s draft Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines. The draft guidelines may be found at https://osha.gov/shpmguidelines/SHPM_guidelines.pdf Specifics are provided [...]
Workers’ Compensation Issues in President Obama’s FY 2017 Budget
The following new and significant items related to workers compensation were included in the President’s Budget proposal for FY 2017 Social Security Administration The budget re-proposes the development of a process to collect workers’ compensation (WC) information in a timely manner from states and private insurers in order to correctly offset SSDI benefits and reduce SSI payments. The budget also [...]