Democrats from the Illinois House of Representatives returned to Springfield with an approved measure aiming to compromise with Republicans calling for workers’ compensation reform, according to the Insurance Journal on June 8. Republicans said the Democrats’ proposal does not go far enough. House Bill 1287 includes a proposal to change the state’s no-fault worker benefit, so… Read More

Democrats from the Illinois House of Representatives returned to Springfield with an approved measure aiming to compromise with Republicans calling for workers’ compensation reform, according to the Insurance Journal on June 8. Republicans said the Democrats’ proposal does not go far enough. House Bill 1287 includes a proposal to change the state’s no-fault worker benefit, so… Read More

Two workers’ compensation reform measures attempting to make the program stricter have failed to pass in Illinois’ Democratic majority legislature, according to a Business Insurance article on May 28. The proposed measures would necessitate more proof that those seeking workers’ compensation were injured in work-related accidents, as well as reduce the fee schedule for these payments.… Read More

With less than a month left in the spring session, speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois Michael Madigan presided over the entire House to tackle issues regarding the state’s workers’ compensation system, the Chicago Tribune reported on May 5. Republican Governor Rauner believes that the high… Read More

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Lombard, Illinois-based Armor Shield Construction once again for failing to provide the proper safety measures for workers. The most recent incident occured at a site where an investigator noted that the company was not providing workers with adequate safety measures for… Read More

Experts forecast that future workers’ compensation reforms may focus on banning physicians from dispensing prescription drugs to prevent spending for workers’ compensation claims from rising again, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Workers Compensation Research Institute proclaimed in a Business Insurance article on March 29. According to the managing director of casualty claims at Aon Global Risk Consulting in Los… Read More

In Illinois, when a public officer such as a law enforcement agent, a correctional officer, or a firefighter sustains major injury or was killed in the line of duty, his family – wife and children – can receive, on top of workers’ compensation benefits, compensation allotted to them under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act,… Read More

The Appellate Court of Illinois ruled that Walter Matuszczak, a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. night stocker who injured his neck, back, and arm after several shelves of glass cleaner fell on top of him while he was at work back in March 2010, is entitled to the remainder of his temporary total disability benefits despite… Read More

On March 11 HB6013 was introduced into the Illinois House of Representatives. If made into law, the bill would allow employers in counties with high unemployment rates to pay a reduced amount in workers’ compensation taxes. The bill was authored by state Rep. Bill Mitchell. Last Friday, March 14, Mitchell stated that the measure is… Read More

On Thursday, January 14 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Justin Reed, an Illinois railroad technician may be able to proceed with a Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) retaliation lawsuit. Reed said that he was coerced by a work supervisor to sign a document stating that the company wasn’t responsible… Read More