Hello, dear readers!

Welcome to 2016 – your humble blogger has missed you greatly, and is excited to make this year the Year of the WC Defendants!  We will sanction the lien claimants; we will make a mountain of 5710 fees denied by the WCAB; and hang from the battlements enlarged copies of IMR affirmations of UR determination denying $25 seat cushions…

Anyway, since we’re all just trickling in from vacation, I thought I’d offer a quick recap of some of the things that we get to look forward to as of January 1, 2016:

As you will recall, minimum wage is California has gone from $9/hr to $10/hr, although local governance might have the rate even higher still.  You may want to adjust TD calculations accordingly if you have any full-time minimum wage earners.

Mileage reimbursement goes down to 54 cents per mile (from 57.5 cents)

Assembly Bill 202 took effect on January 1, 2016, statutorily moving cheerleaders for professional sports teams from independent contractors to employees, entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Additionally, any liens filed prior to January 1, 2013, for which there has not yet been an activation fee paid, are dismissed by operation of law, as of January 1, 2016.

Finally, for injuries sustained after January 1, 2016, the TD rates are at a minimum of $169.26 and the maximum is $1,128.43.

What do you think dear readers? Has your humble blogger missed anything of significance?

Happy New Year, dear readers!  I’ll see you folks, bright and early, next Wednesday!