News

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently issued a decision in a case involving the interaction between confidentiality and Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of unionized and non-unionized employees. The case involved a rule that prohibited employees from discussing investigations into workplace misconduct or harassment in the context of a… read more

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Pennsylvania Case Summaries E. Appel v. GWC Warranty Corp. PA Commonwealth Court 824 C.D. 2021 Decided: March 17, 2023 Where a WCJ finds medical marijuana casually related to a work injury, the employer is required to reimburse the claimant for out of pocket expenses for the medical marijuana. Background Here, a WCJ… read more

SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE UPDATES Maryland Legislative Update Attorney’s fees now allows payment of counsel fees (Claimant counsel) in exceptional circumstances when there is no compensation due to the Claimant in a WCC Award. This existing COMAR regulation was modified, effective 4/3/23 in answer to the WCC’s recent concerns that counsel for claimants were not regularly representing… read more

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Washington, DC Case Summary Schwechter v. DC. Dept. of Empl. Svcs. District of Columbia Court of Appeals No. 22-AA-007 Decided: January 5, 2023 D.C. Code § 32-1508(8), which deems settlements as final binding dispositions, does not permit modifying WCA lump-sum settlements. Background Claimant was injured while riding a bicycle during a work… read more

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Virginia Case Summary Tyreese Haynes v. Food Lion #1451 Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission VA00001526899 Decided March 14, 2023 A CRPS diagnosis was upheld as compensable even without objective symptoms. Background Claimant sustained an injury when a 300 pound pallet jack crushed his right foot. After years of treatment and “odd neuralgia like… read more