skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump signals he is open to cutting China tariffs to 80% ahead of trade negotiations; Pope Leo XIV calls Church 'a beacon to illuminate dark nights' in first mass; Medicaid cuts risk health care access for VA military families; Does climate change 'perception gap' silence action in Mississippi? 'Forever families' needed for PA children in foster care.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A judge orders certification of the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race, Wisconsin Democrats want congressional maps redrawn, and the interim U.S. Attorney for District of Columbia loses the job over his support for January 6th rioters.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Volunteers with AmeriCorps are reeling from near elimination of the 30-year-old program, Head Start has dodged demise but funding cuts are likely, moms are the most vulnerable when extreme weather hits, and in California, bullfrogs await their 15-minutes of fame.

Workplace Injuries in Spotlight During Safety Month

play audio
Play

Monday, June 26, 2023   

June is national safety month and workplace injuries are an important focus.

What is considered a workplace injury is broader than many workers may understand.

Lee Thomas, an attorney and board member of Washington State Association for Justice, said the state is unique in that it considers the wear and tear of work over time as an injury.

"Most people just think, 'Oh well, I'm just getting old and so I'm wearing out,'" said Thomas. "Well, if you're a concrete laborer, you're going to wear out sooner. And that's a workplace injury."

Thomas said the state also differs from some other states in that employees pay into the workers' compensation program alongside employers.

He said because Washington covers wear and tear incidents, it has a more expansive view of what is considered a workplace injury.

"If your injury aggravates or accelerates a preexisting condition in any way, it should be covered," said Thomas. "And so we're going to count a lot more of those kinds of injuries, which should be counted as workplace injuries, but a lot of states will not put those in their data."

Thomas said workers hurt on the job received a victory in the state Legislature this year.

When they make claims, workers are sometimes required to go to a third-party doctor to evaluate their injury - and that appointment was done in secret for the past few decades.

"If you are told you have to go to some other doctor by the Department of Labor and Industries or your employer, you can now record these with a videotape or audiotape," said Thomas. "You just have to let the company that's scheduling the examination know that you intend to do that."



Disclosure: Washington State Association for Justice contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Consumer Issues, Housing/Homelessness, Human Rights/Racial Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
The California Parent and Youth Helpline has helped almost 113,000 people since its inception in 2020. (kieferpix/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The California Parent and Youth Helpline turns five years old today - just in time for a brand new study that confirms its effectiveness. The study…


Environment

play sound

A Michigan group is speaking out after a top congressional leader's comment that lawmakers will most likely scrap the $7,500 federal tax credit for bu…

Environment

play sound

The Mississippi River is the drinking water source for 20 million people and its starting point in northern Minnesota has new protections following co…


The National Wildlife Federation said managed grazing is one of the top conservation practices used by South Dakota farmers and ranchers. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

A new mapping tool shows South Dakota is a big player on the farm conservation scene. The online feature coincides with a new poll, revealing most …

Social Issues

play sound

Sunday is Mother's Day, and what moms may need most is a day off. Research shows that inequities persist in the amount of time moms and dads spend …

Nevadans could save 16% on their utility bills by 2035 by pursuing cost-saving energy-efficiency measures, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab. (Scott Habermann/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Nevada clean-energy proponents have launched a new website to help connect Nevadans to energy and cost-saving programs. One of the nonprofits behind …

Social Issues

play sound

Ahead of Mother's Day, one Kentucky middle-school student has received recognition for honoring his grandmother in a "Grandparent of the Year" essay …

Environment

play sound

Nonprofits, businesses, organizers and leaders have signed a letter calling for more climate solutions in Arizona and around the country. They claim …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021