Guest Editorial: Ala. Workers' Compensation law - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Guest Editorial: Ala. Workers' Compensation law

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  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 

  • Thursday, May 9 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-09 23:20:06 GMT
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
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The current Alabama Worker's Compensation Law is unfair to small business concerns; especially those that engage in providing health related services to our homebound elderly and disabled citizens.

These small providers are grouped in the same class code with the multimillion dollar entities such as nursing homes and hospitals for the purpose of determining insurance rates. This places an unfair burden on the small business. 

In addition, the small health care providers do not have the luxury of increasing their rates to meet the excessive burden of complying with the workers' comp law. The insurance rates can run as high as 12% of wages paid, even when there is no claim history for the small health care provider. 

The large entities such as nursing homes and hospitals can self-insure and the small providers are at the mercy of the insurance companies and the self-insured funds. 

The only other option that the Department of Industrial Relations offers to the small business that cannot meet the burden of the current law is to cease doing business.  In a state where the current unemployment rate is around 11% we must focus on saving jobs rather that punishing small businesses.

Guest Editorialist,     
Isaiah Sankey