For thousands of years deer had two primary methods of survival. The first was to run very fast when they were in an open field. The second was to stand very still when they were in a forest. If they could not outrun the mountain lion, they knew that if they stood still while in the forest that their camouflage would make it harder for them to be seen. For…
We’ve all heard leaders from within workers’ compensation advocate that our industry should be re-labeled to appropriately address the outcome for anyone hurt on the job: recovery, not compensation. And, while words matter, it’s more than that. Workers’ recovery is about recognizing that return to work is part of the recovery process and, therefore, an important goal of an ideal system. It's about eliminating delays and complexities of our systems,…
At the NWCDN Annual Conference in Nashville last week, a presenter shared a personal story about how their emotions once got the best of them when handling a particular claim. The speaker, whom I will not identify here, told the attendees about a claim that landed on their desk early in their career. In the course of the investigation, they learned the injured worker was, in their words, “A really bad man.”…
A School Calendar There are many different life situations facing parents. One of the most rewarding and challenging is the balancing act of raising children while meeting work responsibilities. One fundamental obligation of a parent is to make sure that their children obtain the necessary education to be successful in life. Children who are engaged and supported at school usually become successful adults. Many times, employers ignorantly create work situations…
By Vickie Kennedy For those of you who don’t know me, you’re probably asking yourself how “Missives from the Queen” have anything to do with workers’ compensation? While the catchy title may have gotten your attention (as hoped!), there really is more to it than that. As history, when I was in my early teens, I learned that I share my birthday with Queen Victoria. Interestingly, the family story (perhaps…
Austin, TX (August 9, 2022) – WorkCompCollege.com has released the list of Deans who are leading the development of the school’s Workers' Recovery Professional Certification. Seven Schools of Discipline each have two highly qualified professionals dedicating their time and skill toward creating this comprehensive education program. One, the School of Regulatory/Legislative, has been assigned three Deans due to topic complexity.Mark Pew, who is serving as Provost for this community driven…
Atlanta, GA (May 25, 2022) – A Board of Trustees has been established for the soon to be launched WorkCompCollege.com. The board's function is to act in an advisory capacity to the company's founders and help establish a broad and deep curriculum for the training of professionals within the workers' compensation space. In addition to technical skills, WorkCompCollege.com will emphasize training in critical “soft skills” of whole person recovery management…
Workers’ Compensation, as an industry, has a marketing problem. It is probably better described as a messaging problem. It has long been true that the industry has been broadly defined by the negative stories that find their way into local and national press publications and media outlets. We have been generally ineffective at countering that public perception, even though the vast majority of workers’ compensation claims go through the system…
Every craftsman needs the proper tools with which to complete their tasks. Each tool has a different scope and purpose, intended to perform a function within the overall mission at hand. Knowing what tool to use and when to use it is as much a part of a master’s skillset as the use of the tool itself. Selecting the wrong tool at the wrong time often slows the project and…
Last week, I attended the 74th Annual Convention of the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA). As I have done for the past 8 years or so, I moderated the event's closing session, called “Things That Make Bob Go, Hmmm.” It is a panel where I am allowed to select the guests and discuss, well, anything that makes me go “hmmm.” At an earlier point of the conference, during a Regulators…
