Over two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began and many employees switched from coming into a workplace to working at home, Ohio has amended the workers’ compensation laws to reflect the current work environment. Effective Sep. 21, 2022, this new legislation expands the definition of a compensable workplace injury to include some injuries sustained within the employee’s home, if certain criteria are met.
Continue Reading Ohio updates workers’ compensation laws for remote workers
Updates on Ohio workers’ compensation hearings: WebEx has arrived
After a year of conducting workers’ compensation hearings in Ohio via a teleconference bridge, on April 19, 2021, the Ohio Industrial Commission switched its hearing format to the WebEx platform. The format switch was necessitated by connection problems with the previous teleconference bridge.
Continue Reading Updates on Ohio workers’ compensation hearings: WebEx has arrived
Vaccine policies and workers’ compensation
The attorneys behind the Employer Law Report Blog present the second blog in our three-part series on the COVID-19 vaccine and employer considerations.
The COVID-19 vaccination process has begun in the U.S., but at this point, the COVID-19 vaccine is not widely available to most employees. As explored in Part 1 of our series on the COVID-19 vaccine, many employers are deciding whether to require or incentivize their employees to obtain the vaccination. In addition to the issues raised in those posts, employers need to consider the implications of the workers’ compensation system in developing vaccination policies and procedures.
Looking back at 2020: Did the COVID-19 pandemic cause the predicted onslaught of workers’ compensation claims?
A new year presents an opportunity to reevaluate the prior year and make any necessary changes for the upcoming year. Although typically this period of reflection relates to healthy eating and exercise regimens, it is also a relevant exercise for evaluating the status of the workers’ compensation system.
Continue Reading Looking back at 2020: Did the COVID-19 pandemic cause the predicted onslaught of workers’ compensation claims?
NFL is tackling off-duty conduct to reduce COVID-19 spread. Can your business, too?
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses across the country, employers are faced with the difficult question of how to keep their workplaces safe. Some employers are attempting to restrict off-duty employee conduct to limit high-risk behavior.
The National Football League (NFL) is one employer taking steps to regulate off-duty conduct to reduce risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFL has apparently reached an agreement with the players’ association that restricts the players’ off-duty conduct in some surprising ways. Players are prohibited from attending indoor night clubs, concerts, and even indoor religious services that allow attendance above 25 percent capacity. If a player violates these rules and then tests positive for COVID-19, he will reportedly not be paid for any games he misses and future guarantees in his contract will be voided. The NFL and the players’ association have presumably entered into this agreement for two chief reasons: to minimize COVID-19 outbreaks among teams and, in turn, to increase the likelihood that NFL football can be played this season. Commentators have thrown some challenge flags at the agreement, however, due to its potential for punishing employees for engaging in lawful off-duty activities.
Continue Reading NFL is tackling off-duty conduct to reduce COVID-19 spread. Can your business, too?
Hiring ex-offenders may reduce Ohio workers’ compensation liability
In an effort to encourage private employers to hire ex-offenders, legislators in the Ohio House have introduced a bill to create an Ohio Reentry Program. The proposed bill creates a fund to reimburse employers for employing ex-offenders for at least two years.
Continue Reading Hiring ex-offenders may reduce Ohio workers’ compensation liability
Will Ohio Workers’ Compensation laws change to address COVID-19 claims?
Earlier this year, Ohio legislators introduced multiple bills to expand Ohio’s workers’ compensation laws in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We previously reported the proposed legislation here and here.
Continue Reading Will Ohio Workers’ Compensation laws change to address COVID-19 claims?
Update to Ohio lawmakers’ efforts to expand Ohio workers’ compensation laws in response to COVID-19 pandemic
As we previously reported in this blog post, Ohio lawmakers have proposed multiple bills that would expand Ohio workers’ compensation laws in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the Ohio House passed an amended version of the previously introduced legislation.
Continue Reading Update to Ohio lawmakers’ efforts to expand Ohio workers’ compensation laws in response to COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 return to work considerations: Emphasis on safety
Employers face many considerations when restarting operations and reopening businesses after the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. In planning for the return to full operations, employers will need to take steps to avoid new workers’ compensation issues.
Continue Reading COVID-19 return to work considerations: Emphasis on safety
Proposed changes to Ohio workers’ compensation laws react to COVID-19 pandemic
Ohio lawmakers have proposed multiple bills that would expand the Ohio workers’ compensation laws in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of March 2020, lawmakers introduced House Bill 573 that would include COVID-19 as a statutorily defined occupational disease under the Ohio workers’ compensation laws, similar to other occupational diseases such as asbestosis.
Continue Reading Proposed changes to Ohio workers’ compensation laws react to COVID-19 pandemic