Cambridge, MA, March 9, 2022―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced that a panel will discuss the state of the workers’ compensation system at the 38th Annual WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 16-17, 2022, in Boston, MA.

"This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the report by the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws,” said John Ruser, WCRI president and CEO. “Join our distinguished and diverse panel of veteran workers’ compensation experts as they discuss where we are today, 50 years later.”

The panel is made up of Judge David Langham of the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims; attorney Alan S. Pierce of Pierce, Pierce & Napolitano; and long-time insurance advocate Bruce C. Wood of WorkCompWorks.

The following are some potential questions the panel will address:

• To what extent were the recommendations in the report addressed, particularly the ones deemed essential? Has the landscape changed since 1972 to make some of those recommendations impractical or obsolete?
• Speaking in terms of the "grand bargain," how is today's system both succeeding (providing for) and failing employees and employers?
• One measure of how well a system is functioning is how well it handles a major disruption. How has the system handled the COVID-19 pandemic so far?
• The two main components of the delivery of benefits to workers in the workers' compensation system are the provision of wage replacement benefits and the delivery of medical care. If a commission were convened today, what would be deemed an essential recommendation in each of those categories?

As COVID-19 activity continues to wane across the country, the City of Boston recently lifted its proof of vaccination and indoor mask mandates. While positive news, organizers understand everyone has different comfort levels so they are providing spaced seating; KN95 masks for those who want them; boxed lunches; sanitization centers; and stickers to help attendees communicate their level of comfort in interacting with one another.

The WCRI conference is a leading workers’ compensation forum. The two-day program highlights the Institute’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts and policymakers from across the country. A special conference hotel rate of $236 is also available for a limited time. Click here to learn more about the conference agenda or to register.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 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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