Illinois' injury-prone workers' comp arbitrators

Illinois: Home of high workers' comp

Just when you think that Illinois can't look any worse--short of a default--a story like this one, from the Belleville News-Democrat, comes along:

Who knew that handling workers' comp claims could be such an injury-prone line of work? Seven of the state's 32 workers' comp arbitrators have filed claims themselves. Having more than 20 percent of workers with the same job file claims should be a cause for alarm. But in state government, workers' comp gets treated as an entitlement.

"They are entitled to file claims. They are entitled to go through the process," said Mitch Weisz, chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission.

"We're not second-class citizens. We can file," said Ruth White, an arbitrator who got $19,084 after she fell and fractured her leg.

To some in Illinois, workers' comp is an entitlement. Which explains why Costco says its workers' comp rate are double here compared to any other state. Caterpillar, one of Illinois' largest private employers, says these rights are seven times what they are in Indiana.

Hat tip to Capitol Fax.

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