Almost all private employees in the United States can collect Workers’ Compensation insurance benefits if they are injured on the job. Railroad employees are the exception to the rule, as any job-related injuries are covered through The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). FELA was created in 1908 when railroad use was expanding rapidly in the...

The legalization of cannabis is a hot topic not just among lawmakers and eager hopefuls, but also in the insurance industry. As tolerance and acceptance for cannabis gradually increases, so has its use in the medical community. Medical marijuana usage has grown in popularity in the United States and is now legal in 38 states, 4 U.S. territories,...

Workers’ Compensation is anything but straightforward. And just when you have a handle on your clients’ business operations, they add a new business location, have a significant loss, forget to pay their insurance bill, or start hiring an entirely new classification of employees. Sometimes it’s just your client’s needs outgrowing the Workers’...

Workers’ Compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who become sick or injured due to a workplace accident. But what about cases of workplace violence, where the injury isn’t an accident? Determining if Workers’ Compensation provides indemnification for workplace violence isn’t cut-and-dry and requires careful evaluation of...

Despite all reasonable care and precautions, workplace accidents happen—someone makes a mistake, equipment malfunctions, Mother Nature plays a cruel trick. Companies go to great lengths to both ensure the safety of their employees and mitigate potential risks to their business. Depending on the circumstance, some of those measures might include...

The moment an employee is injured on the job, the clock starts ticking for them to alert their employer and begin the process of filing a Workers’ Compensation claim. In most states, the deadline to submit a Workers’ Compensation claim to a company’s insurance provider is 2 to 3 years but varies by state. However, the deadline for employees to...

Although most states have legalized THC usage in some form, businesses are stumbling through a cannabis policy haze as they try to sort out what changing regulations mean for insurance lines like Workers’ Compensation (WC). A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research challenges the long-held concern that the legalization of...

Despite Mark Zuckerburg’s attempt to pronounce email as “dead” over a decade ago, it’s a marketing mainstay that’s here for the long haul. Email users in the United States are projected to grow to 81.2% of the total population by 2024. Even the social-media obsessed Millennials and Gen Zers have a death grip on their emails.  But wait. . . if...

COVID-19 was a top concern for Workers’ Compensation executives at the start of 2021. As the pandemic continued, those in the industry worried about the size and number of claims that could develop. To add to their concern, many states passed compensability presumptions for those who work in industries like healthcare. Those rules state that...

According to ratings agency A.M Best, the country’s property and casualty insurance industry saw an 86% drop in underwriting income in 2020 - falling to $600 million compared to $4.5 billion for the same period in 2019.  Workers’ Compensation carriers specifically are being tested in the marketplace like never before; loss costs have been on a...

When you secure a Workers’ Compensation policy, premiums are determined by a company’s annual estimated payroll, which often ends up being inaccurate. It leaves many business owners needing a refund for overpayment or having to pay extra when they close out the year; especially service-based businesses with fluctuating staff, such as restaurants...

Determining the proper classification for cannabis businesses is not one you want to take a gamble on.  If you bet on a specific class code and it isn’t accurate, your client could suffer significant premium penalties at the time of an audit or worse – costly coverage gaps. Jencap has a winning Workers’ Compensation team.  Please reference the...

Return to work programs are critical for protecting businesses from exposure and ensuring a clear path forward for injured workers. Without a Return to Work (RTW) program, your client risks major expenses from compensation claims as well as the loss of talented team members. What is a Return to Work program? After an injury, a worker may be...

Each year, thousands of workers experience injury and illness caused by high temperatures and sun exposure. While some cases are minor, heat rashes and strokes can represent a major health risk for outdoor workers. Agents should advise their clients to seriously consider the risks posed by dehydration, skin damage, and overheating, especially for...

According to a 2018 report from Liberty Mutual, businesses pay billions in direct costs every year due to workplace injuries. When it comes to safety compliance, your team follows your lead. As a leader, you must stress safety in words and action. An effective workplace safety strategy succeeds when it includes the following 6 Best Practices for...

The transportation industry is seeing an increased number of companies leasing their vehicles to owner-operators for expense savings. However, owner-operators create an inherent risk for these companies because their injuries and accidents are not covered by Workers’ Compensation like they would be as a full-time employee. The only way for...

Many economists believe that a recession is on the horizon, and Bank of America forecasted a greater than 30% chance of a recession starting within the next year.  How will the predicted economic downturn impact Workers' Compensation claims? The rate of workplace injury and subsequent Workers' Compensation claims drops sharply during recessions...

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has announced the first-ever Harvest Safety Week, October 14-18, to promote health and safety in the workplace and out in the fields. As feed and grain workers are working long hours during this busy time, it’s important for them to keep these safety tips in mind: Train all workers, and confirm they...

Did you know that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) cost employers $15 to $20 billion annually in Workers' Compensation costs? While that is a huge price tag, The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates it is only a fraction of the injury cost. They estimate that for every dollar a company spends on a workplace injury, they will spend...