Category: Workers’ Compensation

On April 13, 2020, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) enacted an emergency rule which is designed to protect essential employees should they become ill with COVID 19. The rule creates a “rebuttable presumption” that if an essential employee contracts COVID 19, the contraction occurred during-the-course of his or her employment.

Recent reports reveal that severe turbulence has been responsible for a wave of injuries involving flight attendants in the past few years. Although numerous passengers have become severely injured as well, flight attendants are at a much higher risk of suffering significant, turbulence-related injuries that result in medical treatment, lost time from work, disability, and even death.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the rate of employer-reported occupational injuries and illness continued to decline in 2015. According to the report, there were about 2.9 million workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private sector employers -- down approximately 48,000 from 2014. With about three reported cases per 100 workers, the rate was lower than it had been since 2002. Aside from 2012, the pattern of decline has been steady for the past 13 years. According to Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels, however, the numbers are still too high.

Falls account for a significant portion of workplace injuries. They occur in office buildings, retail stores, warehouses, in hospitals and on construction sites. No occupation is immune or safe from falls. Falls cover a diverse range of injuries including slips, trips, and drops from several stories. Most falls are nonfatal and not serious but, especially in construction, they constitute a significant portion of overall worker accidents. As a result, enormous energy, money and time are spent to curb the number of falls American workers experience.

Every night more than 2 million Americans punch the clock to start their day, working overnight shifts to keep the economy moving. Unfortunately for these workers, their irregular schedules create severe sleep and concentration problems that put them at high risk for injury. The Centers for Disease Control recognized the dangers shift workers face and recently issued suggestions to promote a safer workplace.