Fixing Florida’s Workers’ Comp System
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Why It Matters to Florida
The Florida Chamber’s Workers’ Comp Task Force knows an unstable and unpredictable workers’ comp system leaves injured workers and job creators footing the bill. Business growth requires workers’ compensation premiums to be fair and not inflated by unnecessary costs, and an improved business climate overall will allow Floridians to get back to work and reduce the cost of living for families and small businesses.
Florida’s Competitiveness Agenda
From increases in rates by 14.5% due to cases ruled by the Florida Supreme Court (Castellanos v. Next Door Company and Westphal v. City of St. Petersburg) to a proposed decrease to 9.6%, the instability of the workers’ comp. system leaves attorneys and trial lawyers benefiting off injured workers.
Plaintiff attorney maneuvers like we’re seeing with workers’ comp. are reflective of a larger lawsuit abuse problem in Florida. In fact, according the American Tort Reform Association Florida is the worst legal climate in the nation, second only to California. And that’s important, because a state’s lawsuit environment is likely to impact important business decisions a such as where to locate a company or whether or not to expand.
Keeping our workers’ comp system fair and not inflated by trial lawyer tactics and other unnecessary costs will help lower the cost of doing business in Florida. The Florida Chamber has a long history of helping to keep Florida’s workers’ comp system working. As a result, workers’ comp rates were lowered by more than 60 percent in the last 15 years, and we will continue to fight for policies and workers’ comp reform that will reduce rates, protect injured workers and bring stability to the system.
The Fight for Free Enterprise Continues
With rates fluctuating significantly, the Florida Chamber is leading the effort to reform workers’ comp. To secure Florida’s future, we must keep Florida’s workers’ comp system working.
Act Now:
How are increased workers’ comp rates impacting your business? Let us know by contacting Carolyn Johnson at cjohnson@flchamber.com.
