National:
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- National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released its Workplace Violence report, launching a new research series examining trends, drivers, and demographics of nonfatal workplace assaults. Using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the report finds workplace assaults increased at an average annual rate of 5.3% from 2011 to 2021–22, with assault rates per worker up 62%. Incidents are heavily concentrated in the health care and social assistance sector, which experiences far more assaults than any other industry. The report also shows women and workers ages 20–34 face a disproportionately higher risk, with most assaults involving physical acts such as hitting, kicking, or beating.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its heat enforcement program after allowing its National Emphasis Program (NEP) on heat hazards, first launched in 2022, to expire in April 2026 while a permanent federal heat standard remains unfinished. The revised initiative continues targeted inspections in high‑risk indoor and outdoor industries such as construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and warehousing, using updated injury and inspection data rather than the expired NEP framework. OSHA will still prioritize inspections during extreme heat conditions, including days with National Weather Service heat advisories or warnings, and may expand inspections when heat hazards are identified. In the absence of a finalized heat rule, the agency will continue citing employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s general duty clause for failing to protect workers from excessive heat risks.
- The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced an upcoming webinar and released a new report:
- WCRI will host a webinar on April 30 to discuss the 2026 edition of its CompScope Benchmarks. The webinar will examine how workers’ compensation costs are evolving across 18 study states, including the extent of cost growth and whether most states are experiencing increases in total costs per claim and across key cost components. The session will last 30 minutes, from 2:00–2:30 p.m. ET, and registration is now open.
- WCRI released Use and Cost of Air Ambulance Transport Services in Workers’ Compensation FlashReport, examining how often air ambulance services are used and how much they cost across 32 states. The study finds that air ambulance transport is used infrequently in workers’ compensation claims but plays a critical role in severe and life‑threatening injuries, particularly in rural areas.
Arizona – The Industrial Commission of Arizona unanimously approved updates to the 2026 Physicians’ and Pharmaceutical Fee Schedule for the workers’ compensation system, effective May 1, 2026. The updated fee schedule includes guidance on the resolution of disputes arising from contracts, revisions to the Pharmaceutical Fee Schedule, clarification on billing for services provided by physical therapist assistants and occupational therapy assistants, and direction on the application of NCCI edits to physical medicine and rehabilitation services.
Maryland – SB 449 passed both Chambers and will be sent to the Governor’s office this week. As a reminder, SB 449 aims to extend heart disease and hypertension presumptions to correctional officers in Carroll County. Specifically, these bills expand Maryland’s workers’ compensation presumption for occupational diseases to include Carroll County correctional deputies who suffer from heart disease or hypertension, provided certain statutory conditions are met.
Pennsylvania – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HB 2087 earlier this week by a 199–2 vote, which would extend workers’ compensation coverage to volunteer firefighters and paramedics injured during organized fundraising activities. Under the bill, these volunteers would be classified as employees for workers’ compensation purposes while participating in such events.
Virginia – Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger enacted two bills this week:
- HB 1313 – which will provide workers’ compensation coverage for the exacerbation of preexisting mental health conditions, even without an accompanying physical injury, for law enforcement officers and firefighters. Specifically, the bill clarifies that coverage for mental health claims includes the worsening of a preexisting disorder.
- SB 771- which will increase burial expense coverage from $10,000 to $15,000 and would allow the amount to be adjusted annually based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.
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