October 29, 2025 Washington — Frontline employees consistently rate their workplaces’ musculoskeletal disease prevention efforts less favorably than safety leaders do, according to a new report from the National Safety Council.   Issued by NSC’s MSD Solutions Lab, Frontline Workers’ Perspectives on Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention is based on survey data from 1,000 nonmanagerial employees across diverse industries.   MSDs include tendinitis, back strains and sprains, and c

October 28, 2025 Taking leave for health reasons should make employees feel better but new figures show that is not the case for some workers on leave. Employers and their teams are not seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to employees' leave experiences, according to a new report, which underscored that the disconnect should put organizations "on alert."   Findings from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America survey revealed that nearly eight in ten US employers rate the e

October 27, 2025 A new report finds that a positive leave experience boosts employee morale and loyalty, according to Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.   According to “The Employee Leave Experience,” employees who report a pleasant leave experience are two times as likely to say their employer cares about their well-being.   The report analyzed employers’ and employees’ attitudes around the leave experience, including sick leave, vacation leave, mental health days,

October 27, 2025 Olympia, WA — The deaths of 11 landscaping services workers in a four-year period has prompted a hazard alert from the Washington State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program.   The alert states that most of the workers were tree trimmers who died as a result of a fall. It details three cases, all of which took place between 2020 and 2024. It adds that struck-by injuries are another common cause of death in the landscaping industry, and pushes for

October 24, 2025 Since claim outcomes affect employers financially, Human Resources teams must stay engaged, ideally in partnership with their insurance broker, to help drive better results. This article highlights best practices in WC claims communication and handling, along with practical tips on how to set your team up for success.   The Key Role of Personal Communication Technology and email templates have improved communication and streamlined processes for claims adjust

October 23, 2025 Agricultural workers recount working in extreme heat while expecting. Advocates say more protections are needed to ensure the health and well-being of the expectant moms and their babies.   One hot day last summer, Clarisa Lugo was inspecting and counting corn and soybean plants in the middle of a 300-acre farm field in Illinois when she started throwing up and panting. Her heart raced, she stopped sweating and a pounding headache didn’t go away for hours.  

October 22, 2025 Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections will continue during the federal government shutdown, but rulemaking and other processes, including informal conferences between employers and officials, have been halted, legal experts say.   The conferences, which occur between employers and OSHA officials after a citation is issued, ceased after Congress failed to pass funding legislation for 2026, furloughing many federal workers and shutting down

October 22, 2025 Woodinville, WA — Do you go to work when you’re sick? Nearly 1 out of 3 people would prefer you didn’t, results of a recent survey show.   Energy drink producer Zipfizz commissioned an online survey of 2,000 Americans to learn about their approaches to cold and flu and the “evolving etiquette around rest and recovery.”   Thirty-one percent of respondents said going into work while coughing or fighting through sickness shouldn’t be considered a badge of honor.

October 20, 2025 The National Council on Compensation Insurance is again recommending a reduction in workers’ compensation rates in Florida and Alabama, and regulators in both states have scheduled public hearings about the proposed changes. In Alabama, the NCCI recently called for a 4.5% average reduction in loss costs, effective March 1, 2026. That follows a 6.1% decrease for 2025, approved late last year. The NCCI also is recommending a 3.6% decrease in the assigned risk r

October 17, 2025 A Florida appellate court upheld a determination that an injured worker was fired for misconduct and not entitled to disability benefits after losing his job.   As documented in Cobb v. TECO Energy Inc., Leroy Cobb Jr. was working for TECO Energy in 2023 when he injured his wrist. He was released to light-duty work after the accident, and TECO accommodated his restrictions.   The company fired Cobb in May 2023 based on reports that he had been sitting in a tr

October 17, 2025 Washington — Nearly 60% of small-business employees have witnessed a workplace injury in the past year, and almost half of those injuries were considered preventable, results of a recent survey show.   Pie Insurance, a commercial insurance provider for small businesses, commissioned a survey of more than 1,000 full- or part-time workers at businesses with 500 or fewer employees.   It found: Two-thirds of the respondents have ongoing safety concerns at work, b