State Fund names new president and CEO

July 28, 2010
State Compensation Insurance Fund board of directors on Tuesday named Thomas E. Rowe as the San Francisco-based firm's new president and CEO. He replaces Jan Frank, who left State Fund, as it is commonly called, in October.  Read more...
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State Fund hires new president-CEO

July 27, 2010
California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund has tagged a new president and chief executive officer.

State Fund, which employs almost 600 people in Sacramento and is the largest provider of workers’ compensation in California, has hired Thomas Rowe to replace Jan Frank, who left State Fund in October, the insurer announced Tuesday.   Read more...

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Schwarzenegger asks Supreme Court to review furlough case

July 22, 2010
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday asked the state Supreme Court to add SEIU Local 1000 v. Schwarzenegger to the list of furlough cases under the high court's review.

The governor is hoping the court will overturn an appellate ruling that upheld trial court Judge Charlotte Woolard's decision that furloughing SEIU-covered employees at the State Compensation Insurance Fund violated California insurance code.  Read more...

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Ex Parte Case Back Before Second District Court of Appeal

July 21, 2010
State Compensation Insurance Fund is often accused by the rest of the industry of making poor case law, and a recent Court of Appeal decision only adds to that reputation. So what's it doing to correct the mistake? Inquiring minds can click here to get the full story.  Read more...
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Court Says SCIF Owes the Money but It Ain’t Payin’

July 21, 2010
Insurers aren’t paying what courts have ruled they’re supposed to. Maybe the carriers just like adding litigation expenses to LAE or maybe they just can’t get enough litigation over things it’s clear they owe. Find out what multiple judges say and be prepared to think about these things. Premium subscribers can click here.  Read more...
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State Fund instructors to provide safety training for industrial forklift drivers July 7 in Finley

June 28, 2010
The Lake County Farm Bureau will hold its annual industrial forklift safety training July 7.

This class will cover two of the three required segments for forklift drivers to be certified to operate an industrial forklift.

Instructors from State Compensation Insurance Fund will provide formal instruction for the operation of industrial forklifts, which include lecture, discussions, videos and written material.  Read more...

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SEIU Challenges Repo of SCIF Cars

June 23, 2010
Implementing new rules for company cars is getting quite a response at one carrier. Is there some road rage out there? Is management headed down the right path, or is it likely to get run over? Click here for the full story.  Read more...
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Court Rules Furloughs Illegal for Employees in Workers' Compensation

June 14, 2010
On Friday, the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled that about 7,900 State Compensation Insurance Fund employees were illegally furloughed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) last year and are entitled to $25 million in back pay, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.  Read more...
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Court: State Compensation Insurance Fund Employees Eligible for Back Pay

June 14, 2010
State Compensation Insurance Fund employees are eligible for back pay after the governor illegally ordered three furlough days per month in a cost-cutting move.  Read more...
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Appeals Court Backs Union In Furlough Fight

June 14, 2010
The California Supreme Court is set to review the Governor's authority to furlough state workers but that isn't keeping other courts from weighing in on the issue. Does the First District's new opinion change the legal landscape? Click here for the details.  Read more...
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Court rules workers' comp furloughs illegal

June 13, 2010
About 7,900 state workers' compensation employees were furloughed illegally by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last year and are entitled to $25 million in back pay, a state appeals court ruled Friday.

A state law that exempts employees of the State Compensation Insurance Fund from hiring freezes and staff cutbacks also prohibits Schwarzenegger from cutting their workweeks, said the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco.   Read more...

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Schwarzenegger loses second furlough lawsuit appeal

June 11, 2010
The 1st District Court of Appeal has ruled against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's appeal of Judge Charlotte Woolard's judgment in SEIU Local 1000 v. Schwarzenegger. The union's lawsuit successfully argued that furloughing State Compensation Insurance Fund employees violated state insurance code.  Read more...
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Various State Funds Roll With the Market

June 9, 2010
It’s not if but when as California heads into a hard market, and the same holds true for the rest of the country. Are state funds ready to go for it and how might they stand to benefit? Where can they fit into the federal health care scheme? Premium subscribers can get all the answers by clicking here.  Read more...
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SCIF Board Hears About Premium Loss

June 9, 2010
SCIF’s premium decreases as it continues to lose business to the competition. Read stats, results and predictions by clicking here.  Read more...
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Staffing Firm, State Fund Fight over Classifications

June 9, 2010
An interesting classification fight has ensued between a staffing firm and a carrier. It is of interest for all property owners or their brokers. Click here to read the details.  Read more...
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State Fund Not Filing Midyear Rate Increase

June 7, 2010
The California State Compensation Insurance Fund will hold the line on premiums and not file for a midyear rate increase. Instead, officials from the state's largest provider of workers' compensation said they will revise the fund's rating plan to provide underwriters greater flexibility to reward better-performing accounts.   Read more...
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State argues in court for furloughs

May 29, 2010
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's lawyer defended his furloughs of 7,900 state workers' compensation employees before a skeptical state appeals court Friday, saying a law that protects them from cutbacks leaves the governor free to reduce their workweeks.

The law covering employees of the State Compensation Insurance Fund is "a narrow limitation on the authority of the governor," attorney David Tyra told the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco. He said the ban on staff cutbacks should be interpreted as prohibiting only layoffs and not unpaid furloughs.   Read more...

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California Supreme Court takes case on state worker furloughs

May 21, 2010
California's highest court has jumped into the middle of the legal fight over state worker furloughs, a move that could speed up resolving whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger legally exercised his authority when furloughing more than 200,000 state workers last year.   Read more...
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Calif. Court Plunges Into Furlough Litigation Brought by State-Employed Attorneys

May 21, 2010
California's Supreme Court dived into the growing pool of state worker furlough litigation Thursday when it reopened a challenge brought by attorneys employed by the State Compensation Insurance Fund.

In March, the 1st District ruled in CASE v. Schwarzenegger, 10 C.D.O.S. 3475, that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not have the authority to order 500 SCIF attorneys in 2009 to take two unpaid days each month because state law expressly protects the fund's employees from "staff cutbacks."   Read more...

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S.C. to Decide if State Fund Workers May Be Furloughed

May 21, 2010
The California Supreme Court has voted unanimously to consider whether attorneys, administrative law judges and hearing officers who work for the State Compensation Insurance Fund can be furloughed.

The justices, at their weekly conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, said they would decide whether the First District Court of Appeal was correct when it ruled in March, in California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment v. Schwarzenegger (2010) 182 Cal.App.4th 1424, that such furloughs violate the Insurance Code.   Read more...

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State Supreme Court to review furlough case

May 20, 2010
The state Supreme Court said Thursday that it would hear arguments in a lawsuit brought against the Schwarzenegger administration challenging the forced-furloughs of workers at the State Compensation Insurance Fund.

At issue is whether the governor has the authority to furlough state employees through an executive order, the court said. The court noted that it may review the case while considering issues raised in other legal challenges targeting the administration’s furlough policies.  Read more...

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Heat seminar set to cook in Bakersfield

May 19, 2010
Training to help prevent heat illness will be offered for Free at a June 1 seminar in Bakersfield, sponsored by State Compensation Insurance Fund and Cal/OSHA Consultation.  Read more...
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State Fund won’t file for rate hike

May 6, 2010
The State Compensation Insurance Fund announced Wednesday that it will hold the line on any increase in collectible premiums and not file for a mid-year rate increase.  Read more...
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Union Relents, SCIF Bill Passes

May 5, 2010
A prominent union for state employees is pushing a tough slate of reforms for California's largest workers' comp carrier. Will policyholders see a benefit or did it give up too much to get the bill through committee? Premium subscribers can get the full story by clicking here.  Read more...
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State Fund lowers base rates, credit threshold

May 5, 2010
State Fund is reducing base rates by 3.2 percent across the board starting July 1. But State Fund’s rate revision with the Department of Insurance is designed to be revenue neutral for the amount of premium collected, spokeswoman Jennifer Vargen said Wednesday — some customers will pay less, while others will pay more.   Read more...
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As summer approaches, heat-illness prevention seminar offered by State Fund

April 29, 2010
A seminar to help employers, supervisors and trainers prevent heat illness among their workers will be offered in Sacramento on May 13.

Sponsored by the State Compensation Insurance Fund and Cal/OSHA, it is scheduled from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the State Fund Regional Office, 2275 Gateway Oaks Drive.   Read more...

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State Fund Hosts Free Seminar on Workers’ Comp in Santa Maria

April 28, 2010
State Fund will present a free seminar on workers’ compensation Thursday, May 6, at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road, Santa Maria.

Designed to help employers learn the ins and outs of the claims process and what the law requires once a claim occurs, the seminar will cover basic workers’ compensation benefits, types of claims and claims resolution.  Read more...

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SCIF holding free heat illness prevention seminars for employers

April 27, 2010
State Fund is partnering with Cal/OSHA Consultation to offer a statewide series of over 25 heat-illness prevention seminars. This is the fifth consecutive year State Fund is co-hosting these seminars to help spread awareness of the serious dangers of heat illness.  Read more...
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State Fund offering seminars on heat illness prevention

April 24, 2010
State Fund is partnering with Cal/OSHA Consultation to offer a statewide series of more than 25 heat-illness prevention seminars.

The events are happening throughout the state through the end of June.  Read more...

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Free Fresno seminars on preventing heat illness set

April 23, 2010
The State Compensation Insurance Fund and Cal/OSHA Consultation are holding free local seminars on preventing heat illness on May 5 in Fresno at the State Fund office at 10 River Park Place East.

The seminars are designed for employers to learn ways to protect employees from heat-related illnesses and how to update safety programs to include a heat-illness prevention plan. Those who attend can receive two hours of continuing education credit from Cal/OSHA and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.  Read more...

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