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- The National Safety Council and NCCCO Foundation released a research report, Certification in Crane Operations: Impacts on Safety and Performance, that found certified personnel are widely viewed as a critical factor in improving crane safety and workforce competency. The report, based on national fatality data, industry surveys, expert interviews, and existing research, found that more than 90% of respondents believe certification improves jobsite safety, technical competence, and career opportunities.
- National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released its report, Wages and Medical Utilization in Workers Compensation, which found a strong relationship between injured worker wage levels and medical utilization. The report shows that higher-wage injured workers receive significantly more medical care, with medical utilization about 1.6 times higher and medical severity about 1.5 times higher than lower-wage workers. It also found that higher-wage workers are less likely to have minor claims and are roughly twice as likely to undergo major surgery, contributing to higher overall medical costs. According to NCCI, these trends remain consistent across age groups, industries, and jurisdictions, suggesting that differences in medical spending are driven more by the intensity of care provided than by price differences alone.
Florida – The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) recommended a 7.4% rate cut effective Jan. 1, 2027, for Florida workers’ compensation insurance, citing continued improvements in workplace safety and a decline in the frequency of lost-time injury claims. The recommendation is based on an analysis of employers’ premium and loss experience from policy years 2023 and 2024 and reflects lower-than-expected medical loss trends despite slight increases in provider reimbursement rates. If approved by Florida’s insurance commissioner, the reduction would mark the tenth consecutive year of workers’ compensation rate decreases for Florida employers.
Oregon – The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division will hold a virtual hearing on September 17, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to discuss proposed changes to the Workers’ Benefit Fund (WBF) assessment for 2027. The WBF helps fund return-to-work programs and cost-of-living increases for certain permanently and totally disabled workers. Oregon employers pay half of the assessment and may deduct the remaining half from employees’ wages. The proposed 2027 assessment rate is still being developed and is expected to be announced in mid-September. For reference, the 2026 assessment rate is 1.8 cents per hour worked.
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