The Arkansas Court of Appeals recently upheld the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission's (AWCC) decision to deny benefits to the surviving beneficiaries of a worker whose death was due to a non-work-related incident following a compensable injury.
Background
In 2009, James Loar Jr. overdosed on methadone while being treated for withdrawal...
Intoxicated Kansas worker who fell through roof qualifies for workers' compensation. After throwing back a few beers on a Sunday morning, an employee was instructed to repair the roof of a building. While he was on the roof, a swarm of ants attacked him, and he fell through the roof as he tried to brush them off. Although the employee's blood...
Do we ever get tired of hearing about pop sensation Justin Bieber's antics? Let's hope not, because today's reality HR lesson comes from none other than the Biebs.
Flight of fancy
For those of you who haven't been paying attention or don't know any tweens, Justin Bieber blasted onto the music scene at the tender age of 14 after he was...
During its legislative hearing on January 14, 2014, the Senate Commerce Committee heard testimony on a number of workers' compensation-related bills supported by employees and claimants' attorneys.
Senate Bill (SB) 204 would expand permanent impairment awards. Under the current statute, an injured employee is entitled to a single lump-sum...
If there's one thing on which smokers and nonsmokers can agree, it's that smoking is an expensive habit. While tobacco companies and trade groups challenge coupon and discount bans on cigarettes, employers have taken up a different fight against the rising costs of smoking.
For several years, employers have begun offering smoking-cessation...
Recently, a Houston court of appeals looked at what it means to be a "current" drug user and thus exempt from the definition of "disability" under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA). The court's decision is good news for Texas employers.
Employee checks into hospital
Earline Melendez worked for the Houston Independent School...
The Arkansas Court of Appeals recently reversed the denial of a nurse's unemployment benefits after she was terminated for mistakenly taking an unprescribed codeine medication to treat her rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. The court was persuaded by the fact that she had a valid prescription for a stronger pain-management medication.
Facts
When...
This past November, Portland became the first city on the east coast to legalize recreational marijuana use. As of December 6, 2013, the ordinance is now in effect. But that doesn't mean you have to allow your employees to come to work high. The Portland marijuana ordinance shouldn't have a significant impact on employers.
Background: a...
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals recently loosened the evidentiary burden for employees suing their employers for workers' compensation retaliation. In the process, the court made it more difficult for employers to decide whether to return employees to their previous jobs following an injury.
Nagging injury delays full return
In 2005...
A new year has arrived. Along with champagne toasts and resolutions to lose weight, January 1 typically brings new laws and regulations in Colorado, and 2014 is no different. Now is a good time to make sure you're in compliance with the laws that took effect in 2013 as well as those that became effective January 1.
Check your list
Here's a...
