FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2009
Contact: Chad Previch
cprevich@saxumpr.com
 (Office) 405.608.0445 or (Cell) 405.487.9249

Oklahoma receives failing grade on 2009 State Report Cards for Workers' Comp
 
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma has received an "F" from a national research firm for being one of the worst performing states in workers' compensation. The Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI) recently announced the release of the "2009 State Report Cards for Workers' Comp." Neighboring Texas received a "D," Kansas and Arkansas a "B" and New Mexico and Missouri both earned an "A."

Rankings for the 2009 State Report Cards are determined from five different outcome measures compared among the states for each year: (1) Incidence Rates, (2) Cases Missing Work, (3) Median Disability Durations, (4) Delayed Recovery Rate and (5) Key Conditions: Low Back Strain. In total, nine of the 43 states measured received a grade of "F" in 2006. Iowa was the country's top performer and Illinois its worst. A summary of grades for all states can be found at http://www.odg-disability.com/pr_src2009_us.htm.

"This report confirms that workers' compensation remains the primary negative economic impact issue in Oklahoma," said Mike Seney, senior vice president of operations for The State Chamber of Oklahoma. "Businesses considering moving to Oklahoma look at these figures and with tight competition in the current state of the national economy, we cannot afford to pass on reform."

While the report is based on data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Oklahoma's Workers' Compensation Court reports that the rate of claims filed per 100 workers has come down dramatically over the past 20 years.

â"Something is very wrong with our workers' compensation system," Seney said. "We need to seriously consider scrapping the lawyer friendly system we have put up with for decades."

The State Chamber of Oklahoma: Representing more than 2,000 Oklahoma businesses and 400,000 employees, The State Chamber of Oklahoma has been the state's leading advocate for business since 1926. For more information, visit www.okstatechamber.com.

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