Waltham, MA, March 25, 2025 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Annual Report, now available on its website. The report highlights WCRI’s studies published in 2024 and how they were used by policymakers and stakeholders.

In her message, WCRI President and CEO Ramona Tanabe emphasized the importance of independent, data-driven research as new challenges—such as extreme weather, policy shifts, and changes in health care—affect workers' compensation. “At WCRI, we remain dedicated to providing unbiased, trusted information, funded by stakeholders who support our mission to deliver research free from recommendations or opinions,” she said.

Tanabe highlighted more than 40 studies published in 2024, covering crucial topics like psychosocial factors in outcomes, attorney involvement, and high-cost claims. She also noted the significance of WCRI’s benchmarking studies, which track trends such as medical pricing, drug payments, and cost-containment strategies across states.

A standout study on the effects of excessive heat on work-related injuries gained national attention, with coverage from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Newsweek. This research contributed to the development of a proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule on heat injury prevention, underscoring WCRI’s influence on policy change and worker safety.

Looking ahead, Tanabe outlined WCRI’s research agenda, which will address topics such as recreational marijuana laws, the aging workforce, emerging technologies like AI, and medical workforce shortages.

Tanabe closed by thanking WCRI members for their continued support and urging them to help expand the Institute’s membership. “Expanding our membership allows us to conduct research in more states and explore a wider range of topics, increasing our ability to create a meaningful impact on the workers’ compensation system,” she emphasized.

The Annual Report includes a list of published studies, how the research was applied, key research highlights, corporate social responsibility efforts, member interviews, and a full list of supporters who made WCRI's research possible in 2024. Click here to view the report.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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