Workers' compensation

Yeah.

Workers comp PTSD and did it backdated to February 25th of that year.

Cause that's when it happened.

How was that process when you notified?

So I basically retired.

And I think I got paid as a retiree for... six months.

And then when everything was done, workers comp, and I got approved for the medical retirement, they paid me back because your medical retirement is 50% tax free.

So I got money back.

He said he could have done something online here, but he wanted to go sit next to a person that could say, here, here's how this gets done, here's how this gets done, and he could ask more questions.

We also, and we've worked with the Ohio Bureau of Workmen's Compensation, will receive a little bit more than $70,000 in a rebate check this year.

think in the last four or five years it's probably well over three four hundred thousand dollars we've received other rebate checks for over a thousand dollars um we also have begun implementing new online policies uh citywide for employees now to get on my computer not only do i have to type in my passcode i have to wait a few minutes and this little five gives me seven new numbers to type in before i'm allowed to get my own uh computer but it was mandated correct sabrina it was a mandated thing that sabrina patrick they gotta sit down and figure these things out so that we we comply So anyway, I think that's it for me, other than please call me anytime with any city-related questions, any comments, concerns, complaints, criticisms, 513-509-8619.

Thanks.

On page five is news from Washington.

Bill expanding access to workers' compensation providers advances in Senate.

On August 6th, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, Senate 3296, advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Prior to the committee's consideration, NALC sent a letter urging the committee to approve the bill.

The bill would expand access to providers by amending the Federal Employees' Compensation Act to allow federal workers, including letter carriers, injured on the job, to receive treatment from physician associates and or physician assistants, PAs, and nurse practitioners, NPs.

Current law prohibits PAs and NPs from treating federal workers in workers' compensation cases.

Increasingly, PAs and MPs provide critical care to patients, especially in rural and underserved communities.

This bill would increase the number of eligible providers, making it easier for injured federal workers, including letter carriers, to access the care they need.

Welcome to the Western PA Work Injury Podcast with attorney Michael S. Russell.

With 33 years of experience representing injured workers across Western Pennsylvania, Mike focuses on helping clients navigate workers' compensation claims and to protect their income and benefits after a workplace injury.

I'm Evan Mack, and today we're talking about what happens at a Pennsylvania workers' compensation judge hearing and what injured workers should expect if their case reaches that stage.

Michael, my man, welcome back.

Thank you, Evan.

Good to see you.

So, Mike, at what

point does a workers' compensation case end up in front of a judge in the state of Pennsylvania?

And the people that have come forward to us say that the majority of TASPOL are young constables and they'll no doubt take it.

Now, a no step down provision for police means that if an officer is injured at work and has to go on to workers' compensation, their weekly payments don't automatically reduce just because they're off work for a long period.

Normally, workers' compensation payments can step down after a set amount of time.

But for eligible police officers, that reduction is removed, meaning their income support can stay at the higher rate for longer while they're unable to work.

I also wasn't aware of the word presumptive PTSD, so I spoke to a few experts who were able to explain in the form of Tasmanian Police and Workers' Comp what it means.

In the Tasmanian police workers' compensation context, presumptive PTSD doesn't mean someone is only presumed to have PTSD.

It means that once an eligible Tasmanian public sector worker, such as a police officer, has actually been diagnosed with PTSD, the law presumes their employment contributed substantially to causing it.

Unless, of course, there's evidence showing otherwise.

Yeah, I'm just thinking about just absolutely dropping a rock on my foot, and that'll enable me to catch up on all the games I need to do, all the movies I need to watch, and all the other stuff.

You have to do it at work, so you get workers' comp.

Yeah.

I just walk over with a pile of six reams of A4 paper and just drop them on my foot.

Oh, my God! Who'd have thought

carrying that much would account to this? Ah! LAUGHTER I guess I'll have to have two weeks off now.

Workers' Comp.

Oh, no, that really sucks because I really wanted to be here today.

Who would want to work in an organisation where there is no trust or support? Police officers are leaving in droves every week.

You currently have two off on workers' comp.

No loss there, really.

However, keep their personal work vehicle with their unlimited fuel card and $200,000 plus salary.

Then add to the workers' comp, which at the moment is four never before had this many commissioned officers been on workers' comp.

One plays several times a week and jokes that they are paid to play golf.

Then add the one who earned $206,000 and gets that per year whilst they sit at home telling everyone that they have no intention of returning.

They say some people inside TASPOL want to get rid of PTSD presumptive and the no step-down provisions in the next bargaining agreement.

It's a huge component of a lot of my work.

What is the economics behind providing this advanced healthcare? As you said, like Workman's Comp is a big insurance provider in the United States.

If a worker gets injured, you have to, by law, you have to cover their cost of living in a certain way for the rest of their life, which is very cost prohibitive for an industry partner.

But by providing an advanced bionic limb, let's say, you are now letting the worker come back to work, which they want, the dignity of being able to work by themselves and providing to their family and not taking freebies from the government.

Again, our strength is our unity and I want to come back to that theme several times today.

Participation in the League's optional programs, which include Municipal Vehicle and Property, Municipal Health, Workers' Comp, and Legal Defense, funds the organization's broad operations.

The initial membership dues, however, are kept purposefully low, or de minimis, as Hayes puts it, and the committee voted to keep the same due structure for the coming year.

a $40 base charge, plus $0.35 per capita with a $0.07 per capita credit for participation in each of the Big Five optional programs.