Workers’ compensation systems in the U.S. date back to the early 1900s – the first comprehensive law protecting injured workers was passed in Wisconsin in 1911. By mid-century, all states had introduced legislation that began the framework for today’…
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation staffing shakeup and other factors, workers are increasingly focused on what truly matters to them and what they deserve. And as the nationwide prevalence of mental health issues — particul…
Only 34 years ago, there were no laws to protect most disabled employees. In fact, as recently as 1989, a person could be fired by their employer because they were deaf, had an injured back or some other impairment that prevented them from doing thei…
Every 23 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire. In 2021 alone, U.S. firefighters responded to an estimated 1,353,500 fires. It is true the number of fires and fire deaths have decreased in prevalence since the 1970’s, but…
Fall always leads to one of my favorite holidays — Halloween. Scary, spooky things abound in stores, kids (and adults) get ready for trick-or-treating, and we typically get unnecessary horror movie sequels that aren't quite as good as the origi…
The paid family and medical leave landscape has become more complex and state-by-state differences remain, but employers can take proactive steps to streamline their policies. In the world of accommodations for injured or disabled employees, training…
In the world of risk management, serving the needs of public entities is often considered to be a distinct discipline. Yet, like their counterparts in the private sector, public entities employ people, own property, manage fleets of vehicles, maintai…
People are the greatest asset to any organization. When it comes to supporting employees, companies must work toward creating and enhancing effective training programs. Employers are encouraged to rise to the challenge, but are often faced with obsta…
Last year, Sedgwick acquired Direct Health Solutions (DHS), a leading specialist provider of employer-based telehealth solutions in Australia. In this blog, we are joined by Karen Samuel, acting general manager, DHS who weighs in on the importance of…
Absence utilization in the U.S. is at an all-time high. In January 2022, approximately 4.2 million employees worked part time because of illness, injuries, and other medical problems — the second highest percentage since data collection began i…
In many countries around the globe, June marks Pride Month, an annual celebration of the wide-ranging societal contributions made by individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+). The timing commemorates New Yo…
No matter our profession or role, each of us has a responsibility to learn more about mental wellness and what we can do to help ourselves and others during Mental Health Awareness Month and throughout the year. In today's podcast, Rebecca Sherman, c…
As COVID-19 continues to linger and mutate three years after the emergence of a global pandemic, there’s still much we don’t fully understand about its impact — and critical issues are becoming more evident. Among the most problematic is long C…
People are the greatest asset to any organization. When it comes to protecting employees, organizations — whether they’re in a fast-moving industry, such as food service/hospitality, health care, construction or energy or in a slower-paced fiel…
April is Stress Awareness Month, an observance dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and cures for today’s stress epidemic. In this blog, I want to explore the meaning of stress, what contributes to it, how to recognize it and som…