Wage protections for home health care workers

This is great news. This class of employee has been taken advantage of for years and years. As our population ages, home health care workers have a daunting job.

Here is a link to the article from the New York Times.

Layoffs at Wyalusing's Cargill Plant

From the Towanda Daily Review:

The Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Wyalusing has eliminated ten positions as part of a worldwide reduction in the company's workforce. The cuts amount to about one percent of the Wyalusing plant's 1,100-person workforce, said Cargill Meat Solutions spokesman Mike Martin. The eliminated positions come from a variety of departments within the plant, Martin said.

The only reason I highlight this article is to point out and remind workers that if you're laid off due to economic conditions AND you're still on light duty from an accepted work injury, then your workers' comp wage benefits automatically get reinstated-- no questions asked.  If the insurance company refuses to immediately reinstate your weekly wage benefits, then you need to contact a lawyer so he/she can file a penalty petition with the workers' compensation judge.  This rule even applies to old injuries.  As long as you're still on restricted duty from a work injury and you get laid off, then your benefits are reinstated.

Hope this helps.  And my heart goes out to the laid off workers and their families.  Tough time of the year to be unemployed.  Good luck to them.

Less regulation means more death and injuries in the gas industry

Here's a great article about the unsafe practices of the gas industry, specifically related to the construction of the gas pipelines that criss-cross the Commonwealth. Less regulation and enforcement of those regulations will lead to more worker death and injury. It's a simple fact. And no matter how many billboards the gas industry erects toting how wonderful they are will not change this simple fact.

If you're a gas worker and you are injured, don't be afraid to contact a good workers' compensation lawyer. There are several great comp lawyers in our region that will help you and protect you.