Question

1. In California, medical care costs for back injuries are 43 percent higher when part of a workers’ compensation claim than when part of a group medical insurance plan. Critics of workers’ compensation claim that this difference can be attributed to abuse of the system by both injured employees and their physicians. Proponents of workers’ compensation argue that the higher costs indicate exactly the opposite: that is, under workers’ compensation, injured employees are receiving more and better (hence more costly) medical care. They claim that group medical plans are shortchanging employees by allowing insurance companies to make medical decisions. What is your opinion?

2. Following an order from his supervisor, a carpenter working for Jones Construction Company removed all the guardrails from stairwell openings, floor openings, and open-sided stairs. Uncomfortable with this action, the carpenter telephoned his union representative, who, in turn, called OSHA. Jones Construction Company was fined $15,000 for willful violations. Jones Construction Company, in turn, fired the carpenter. Was the firing lawful (under OSHA standards)? Was the action of the carpenter appropriate (under OSHA standards)?

Answer 1

Q1) Workers may have more complex injuries than normal people , they require intensive care which may not be the case for non- workers . Especially labourers who have been carrying heavy materials since long would need more care than non-labourers so, this may be the reason for expensive treatment costs.However, it is unfair to incur extra costs on their treatment without analysis of their problem / injuries.

Q2) According to OSHA , it is illegal to fire employees for reporting the violations of the standard rules .

The carpenter was ordered by the supervisor to follow the orders so he had to do it , however he was right to report the violations.

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