Call it the effects of wage creep during the pandemic, along with a little bit of creep in the duration of benefits.
Employers and insurers in Florida saw a 7% increase in total cost per workers’ compensation claim in 2022 and 2023, to just over $30,000 on average, due largely to higher wages and longer temporary disability benefits duration. That was the finding of an analysis by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, which compared COVID-19 pandemic-era costs in Florida and 16 other states.
“The large indemnity growth in 2022 was mainly driven by increases in the average preinjury weekly wage of workers with injuries and duration of temporary disability. In particular, wages in Florida grew 9.5 percent in 2022, faster than the increases in prior years,” notes the report, authored by WCRI researcher Rebecca Yang. Other study states saw similar cost increases.
The work echoed other studies that have found that as employers rebounded from the pandemic shutdowns, they were forced to pay higher wages to attract workers. That led to higher payrolls and higher weekly benefits for injured employees.
Advertisement
The trend was highlighted late last year when the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation raised the 2024 maximum weekly indemnity benefit to reflect the big jump in average weekly wages. The average wage rose from $1,099 in 2021 to $1,260 in 2023 – a 15% increase. That much of an increase had not been since the high-inflation days of 1980, which saw a 20% spike in wages from two years earlier.
Click on the chart for an enlarged image.
The reasons for a half-week increase in temporary disability benefits duration were also related to the economic realities of the pandemic. In many states, including Florida, TD duration increased in 2020, declined or remained stable in 2021, then increased again in 2022. High unemployment early in the COVID era may have kept some injured workers out of a job, leading to longer injury or benefits duration times, the WCRI report said.
Later, as employment rose nationwide, “the tight labor markets and the potential workforce shortages associated with this reality may have led to longer working hours and worse overall health among current employees.”
The study underscored what other analyses have found – that many employers were forced to hire less-experienced workers in 2022, which may have led to higher injury rates in some job classifications. Post-pandemic, employers have seen an increase in comorbidities for workers. Some employees may have had problems accessing medical care due to a shortage of health care professionals, the study said.
“These factors may have led to more severe injuries, prolonged recovery, and slower return to work,” the report noted.
Advertisement
The analysis found that duration of temporary disability in Florida increased in 2022 in most industry groups and across age groups with workers aged 35 and above at the time of injury. The report can be accessed here.
It’s too soon to know if the higher costs will put pressure on workers’ compensation rates in Florida. The state, like most others, has seen a steady drop in comp rates over the last two decades. Late last year, Florida regulators approved a 15% average decrease in rates.
WCRI also found that medical payments per claim have remained stable in recent years, in contrast to a 5% per-year increase in the years from 2017 to 2019. Part of the stability was due to a drop in the utilization of medical services at ambulatory surgery centers and other non-hospital providers, the report noted.
That cost stability could be positively impacted, at least to some degree, by new Florida limits on emergency room costs. Florida Gov. last week signed House Bill 989, which, among other changes, clarifies that emergency care, except those procedures subject to the maximum reimbursement allowance, must be set at 250% of Medicare’s rates, unless governed by a contract.
The “agency bill,” which addresses a wide range of issues identified by the Florida Department of Financial Services, also requires DFS to work with actuarial firms to develop maximum reimbursement allowances for emergency services.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jimmie Williams led South Florida over West Georgia on Friday night with 14 points off of the bench in a 74-55 victory.
Williams went 6 of 10 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range) for the Bulls (2-2). Jamille Reynolds added 12 points while shooting 4 of 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from the line while he also had 11 rebounds and five blocks. Brandon Stroud had 11 points and shot 4 of 11 from the field, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 4 from the line.
Advertisement
The Wolves (0-4) were led in scoring by Shelton Williams-Dryden, who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. Kolten Griffin added 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Reynolds led his team in scoring with eight points in the first half to help put them up 37-24 at the break. South Florida extended its lead to 53-39 during the second half, fueled by a 9-0 scoring run. Williams scored a team-high 10 points in the second half.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Florida Gators can almost taste the bowl invite. Yet, with twelve quarters of football remaining in the season, the team needs to rapidly improve their pass rush. While detractors look up the fact that their 20 sacks sit in a three-way tie at 11th in the SEC, the problem goes deeper than that.
Florida tends to send the house at times, employing defensive backs into the fray, just to generate even a scintilla of pressure. Teams know what’s coming and show absolutely-zero fear. The lack of quality pass rushing up front continues to hound the Gators. With a bowl berth on the line, they need to change what doesn’t seem to work.
Shuffle The Lineup
By now, everyone knows and understands what Tyreak Sapp brings to the table, but what about the players behind him? With far fewer snaps, LJ McCray flashed upside. Why not deploy him into a defense that plays a team that does not have too much film, since he does not see the field often?
Advertisement
At 6 foot 6 inches and 265 pounds, McCray possesses the arm length and strength to win on the outside, keeping clean and collapsing one side of the line. With so many athletes in the front seven, not using all of them, especially the youngest ones, does not help. Florida needs to wins now and a passive approach to pass rushing isn’t working.
Versatility and Aggression
Using an even front as a base does not hurt anyone. In fact, you can game the line of scrimmage. By using stunts and loops, offenses will struggle to quickly adjust, not knowing where the pressure begins. Zone blitzes, overloading a side, delayed blitzes all could bring a positive end result.
Basically, Florida cannot operate with the thought that if the rush doesn’t get home, the secondary gets toasted. In actuality, the secondary, to this point, performed well against the majority of their opponents. Can’t count Texas as the Longhorns slice defenses with relative ease. Florida needs to let the athletes on the team play athletically. Turn them loose upfield and see what they generate.
Overview
Advertisement
The University of Florida navigated a brutal schedule with heart and a belief. Now, the pass rush needs to join the party. The Gators need to win two of their final three games. That includes a win versus either LSU or Ole Miss.
As only a 3.5-pount underdog to LSU, that doesn’t look like an impossible task. The Tigers and Rebels both love to throw the ball. As a result, a competent and consistent pass rush could shift the narrative.
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Panthers were hoping to take back a win against the Devils after that 4-1 lose earlier this week.
But that was not the case — as New Jersey heads out of South Florida with back to back wins with a 6-2 victory.
Although it wasn’t the result they were looking for, the Panthers luckily have a long season ahead of them.
“Obviously we have not been happy about our last two games, especially tonight’s game. So obviously move on, learn from it and move on,” said Aleksander Barkov.
Advertisement
“Like we worked for those and they got it so obviously it sucks for us but they needed it so, forget and move on I guess,” said Jesper Boqvist.
It’ll be a tough schedule ahead — as the Panthers will have back to back games against Winnipeg — and the Devils and Florida will have one more game in the regular season, but not till Jan. 14.
So hopefully then the Panthers will get that much needed payback.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25724877/Super_Nintendo_World.png "The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country")
