2016 NJ State PBA Collective Bargaining Seminar
‘Insure yourself well’
WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW
Daniel Geddes, Esq.
Daniel Geddes, an attorney with more than 20 years specializing
in workers compensation law, presented the following scenario to
members:
A snowstorm buries the roadways, but as you know, that’s not an
excuse to not clock in. After parking
in the police department’s lot and
exiting the vehicle, an officer slips
on a patch of black ice and cannot
move his or her neck.
Westfield Local 90 secretary Elizabeth Savnik experienced that same
situation during Winter Storm
Jonas – without the serious injury.
But imagine if she had? The department sends her to a doctor who
says, “go back to light duty.” Over
time, she visits an orthopedist, gets
an MRI and is diagnosed with serious nerve damage and needs surgery.
Three to four months into treatment she is out of work and Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) kicks in, which means Savnik
just received her last paycheck.
“That doctor knows nothing about the rules or the statues that
apply to (first responders),” informed Geddes. “You don’t have to be
totally disabled; you have to not be able to perform the duties and
functions of a law enforcement officer.”
Geddes has helped thousands of officers understand exactly what
to do if an injury occurs on the job and how to file a workers compensation claim.
Remember to immediately report a work-related injury to a
supervisor and request authorized medical treatment. Unless an
authorized doctor places you out of work (a visit to the ER is always
covered), the insurance company will not cover the associated costs.
Slipping on the ice on the way to work is one reason to file a claim,
as is getting into a car accident in a patrol vehicle or having a heart
attack from exertion on the job.
“In our line of work, getting seriously injured to protect the public
is huge,” explained Westfield Local 90 member Joseph Habeiche. “It’s
something we all know may happen and there has to be people in
the PBA that know the rules, the laws and what we can or can’t do if
that unfortunate circumstance ever does present itself.”
‘One of the biggest issues in contract negotiations’
HEALTH BENEFITS
David Beckett, Esq.
The Law Office of David Beckett
Kevin Lyons
NJ State PBA Health Benefits Coordinator
Hopatcong Local 149 member Mike O’Shea and Local 149 President Rich Sadowski listened intently to the Health Benefits session
as the duo gears up to enter their fourth contract negotiation at the
end of this year.
“It’s a combination of what the (presenters) say and other members’ experiences,” recapped O’Shea. “It’s helpful to see what they’re
doing to combat the same type of problems.”
Negotiating a new contract is difficult and Chapter 78 has added
to the complexity of negotiating health insurance benefits for members by restricting what can be done.
“With Chapter 78 it’s a whole new ball game,” asserted Sadowski.
“Your hands are kind of tied with what you can do.”
David Beckett of the Law Office of David Beckett brought his
extensive experience in the field of labor and employment law to the
seminar, recommending to go into negotiations with as strong a
base plan as possible, and to walk away with a plan equal to or better
than the previous contract.
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NEW JERSEY COPS
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FEBRUARY 2016
Healthcare insurance
companies are squeezing
hospitals and doctors to
accept as low of a rate as
possible by reducing supply of doctors you can go
to.
“They’re saying we will
deliver a population of ‘X’
if you agree to provide this
service at this charge,”
informed Beckett.
Before switching insurance carriers, the key is to make sure the
majority of hospitals and doctors members use are listed in the plan
and know if it excludes brand-name prescription drugs. Beckett’s
proposal is to ask for the in-network and formative prescription drug
list and understand it before heading into negotiations.
“It seems like comparing plans so you have apples to apples is the
biggest thing,” O’Shea acknowledged about what he learned from
this session. “You have to make sure you’re getting the same thing
from one plan to the other. We weren’t very familiar (with the State
Benefits Plan) but after meeting some of the (members) here, they
said they’re paying a lot less than what we’re paying. Maybe we need
to look into that.”