Earlier this month, a California appellate court struck down a challenge by two staffing companies that had sued the state, alleging that Cal. Lab. Code § 3701.9, added in 2012...
California Court: Leasing Employers and Temporary Service Employers May Not Self-Insure California Court: Leasing Employers and Temporary Service Employers May Not Self-InsureA bill introduced in the South Carolina Senate on April 16th (2015 Bill Text SC S.B. 674) would make workers’ compensation coverage optional for the vast majority of the state’s...
South Carolina Bill Would Make Workers’ Comp Coverage Optional for Most Employers South Carolina Bill Would Make Workers’ Comp Coverage Optional for Most EmployersYesterday (April 28, 2015), the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, in a 7–2 vote, declined to assume original jurisdiction in a civil action challenging the constitutionality of the state’s new and...
Oklahoma High Court Refuses to Fast-Track Case Challenging Constitutionality of Workers’ Compensation Opt Out Law Oklahoma High Court Refuses to Fast-Track Case Challenging Constitutionality of Workers’ Compensation Opt Out LawRecent Federal District Court Discusses ERISA’s Strong Preemption Provisions As I have noted on multiple other occasions, one of the distinctive features of the workers’ compensation “opt out” scheme is...
Who’s “Opting Out” of Workers’ Comp—Employers or the States Themselves? Who’s “Opting Out” of Workers’ Comp—Employers or the States Themselves?E-businesses like Uber and Lyft, which utilize smartphone or tablet apps to connect passengers and drivers with vehicles for hire are beginning to carve out a niche within the economy....
SC Court Signals That Uber Business Model Probably OK in the Palmetto State SC Court Signals That Uber Business Model Probably OK in the Palmetto StateAs I mentioned in an earlier post, juries in two civil actions pending before a federal court sitting in California will be allowed to determine if Uber and Lyft have...
Proposed Alaska Legislation Would Clarify That Uber and Lyft Drivers Are Not Entitled to Comp Benefits Proposed Alaska Legislation Would Clarify That Uber and Lyft Drivers Are Not Entitled to Comp BenefitsEarlier today I had the pleasure of speaking at a “Spring Seminar” sponsored by Injured Workers’ Advocates, a group of South Carolina claimants’ attorneys who have gathered at the Isle...
Sunny Greetings from Isle of Palms, SC Sunny Greetings from Isle of Palms, SCTwo Injured Workers File Petition With Oklahoma Supreme Court Two Oklahoma workers who were denied benefits under Injury Benefit Plans set up by their respective employers after the effective date...
Injured Workers Challenge Constitutionality of Oklahoma Opt Out Law Injured Workers Challenge Constitutionality of Oklahoma Opt Out LawArguments were held last week in connection with motions pending in a federal lawsuit [O’Connor v. Uber, 13–3826, U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.- San Francisco] that could put an ugly...
Could Employee Classification Issues Uberwhelm the Uber Business Model? Could Employee Classification Issues Uberwhelm the Uber Business Model?Illustrating the point that for telecommuting employees, who are often tethered to their employers by ubiquitous cell phones and tablets, the line between the employment world and private life is...
Maine Home Treadmill Fatality Found Compensable Maine Home Treadmill Fatality Found CompensableIn a decision handed down last Thursday [Morales v. Zenith Ins. Co., 2014 Fla. LEXIS 3555 (Dec. 4, 2014)], the Supreme Court of Florida may well have tipped its hand...
Commentary: Florida Supreme Court Hints at How It May Decide Constitutionality of Florida Comp Act Commentary: Florida Supreme Court Hints at How It May Decide Constitutionality of Florida Comp ActEbola has everyone spooked. I read this afternoon that a Dallas health care worker who handled one or more lab specimens from the Liberian man who died from Ebola is...
Commentary: Ebola Has Everybody Spooked; They’re Even Calling Me With Questions Commentary: Ebola Has Everybody Spooked; They’re Even Calling Me With Questions