They’re not MY people! I don’t live in California and didn’t vote for them, so don’t blame it on me. And it wasn’t as much snarky as it was supposed to be funny. Catch a grip, Homer.
Employers should not be responsible for the employees eating habits. This will drive up the health and workers comp insurance for the employer. If this goes through, employees now how another way to beat the system and get wait loss surgery through workers comp insurance. The only winner is the workers comp attorneys
This is just another avenue for lazy people who do not want to take responcibily for their own eating habits. Obesity is a personal choice of making poor decisions in regards to eating habits. I should not have to pay higher premiums because I take care of myself. People that are obese should have to pay higher premiums for poor eating habits. I look at this as another excuse to justify poor eating habits. Just put the food down and step away.
This is ridiculous. Is it work related if you are a whale and your job makes you eat and eat and eat and eat……????? Lard now becomes a cause for Work Comp? Seems to me that this off worksite “disease” is going to turn the Work Comp system into a morass with where it can lead. Just another way to get more people on the dole and give them more “stuff.” I’m 65, own a small business and have a ton of stress but I manage it by eating right, exercising and running. I don’t sit down on the freakin’ couch in front of the TV and overeat because I have stress. People are turning into total pussies and obese ones at that.
Obesity is your choice – you either eat right/healthy and exercise or you don’t. That’s the bottom line. Workers’ Comp should not have to pay for weight loss programs, gastric bypasses, or any thing of that nature if you were FAT when you injured yourself! You being FAT was more than likely one of the causes of your injury.
SOMETIMES! Somestimes, Obesity is not a choice. Some people are genetically predisposed to wacky insulin levels, which, does impact their weight. NOW, I will say, that person who is genetically predisposed can eat right and exercise, but even if someone exercises and eats right, it doesn’t mean they are going to morph into a super model. There are plenty of thin people who eat fast food everyday and aren’t fat. So please, please, please, stop with these ridiculous comments, beachBUM!
Being thin does not equate to being healthy. I know some very thin people who are the sickliest folks I’ve known. And others that exercise like crazy and end up on the operating table having a triple bypass. There are also some obese people that are very industrious and healthy as horses. It has more to do with genetics than with “lifestyle”.
With Obamacare coming, is this perhaps an AMA strategy to create a new disease for their own benefit? If 1/3 of the population suffers from this ‘disease’, is it a disease, or just a characteristic of the population? Along that line, stupid is a disease too. Uh oh, there goes my argument……
As many of you know, workers comp is not mandatory in Texas. Employers can opt out of the system and set up their own injury plan. Benefits and legal liability are funded by an insurance policy. The injury plan is governed by ERISA and employers decide the definition of an “injury”. For instance, carpal tunnel is not considered a work injury. If someone is obese, and alleges a back injury, depending on the plan wording, the “injury” may be denied due to a “pre-existing condition”.
Switching from workers comp to an injury plan usually results in a premium cost reduction of 50-75% Medical costs are significantly reduced because employees can only treat with approved providers.
How long has this been going on? Since the first work comp act was passed in Texas in 1913. Nope, that is not a typo.
One of many reasons that employers are moving to Texas.
Yes I do. The failure of a person to control their weight is not something to be admired…..and I do not admire people like that so I guess I am guilty of discrimination…..but then I do not like salty snacks, sugary deserts and lazy ass people either so, I guess that I reek with discrimination. Give me a minute and I can probably find a few skeletons in your present closet as well.
Wow. You judge an entire segment of people based on their looks? You’re not shallow at all. You must be very young and are certainly very judgemental. Hopefully you’ll grow out of it.
August 15, 2013 at 2:00 pm
mightyquinn says:
Like or Dislike:
0
0
Libby, I’m 65 and apparently have far more experience in the realities of life than you do. Frankly, I do not have time to waste on people who destroy their bodies. Certainly I do not want to pay for their indiscretions from my tax dollars.
I’m hoping that you are just a clueless 20-30 sound bite something and will live to outgrow your naivete. Everything is NOT discrimination as you blind Obama supporters seem to think.
August 16, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Libby says:
Like or Dislike:
0
0
You are a mighty jackass, Quinn.
“Certainly I do not want to pay for their indiscretions from my tax dollars.”
What tax dollars are those? This article is about WC.
August 12, 2013 at 4:14 pm
Captain Planet says:
Like or Dislike:
0
0
Man, there is some heavy stuff going on in this article.
While there is a gene that predisposes some people to obesity, there is still much personal choice involved in becoming obese, just as there is personal choice involved in smoking and driving while intoxicated, both of which frequently result in harm to others. Obesity may or may not be a disease, but I don’t think it is work-related and should not be compensable as such.
Low quality food (the kind that low and middle income people can afford)that all promote overweight and obesity, massive $ on advertising, and don’t even get me started on public school lunches – it’s criminal how bad! Governmental policy change to promote healthy foods in lieu of the corporate garage foods is desperately needed.
So now employers will have a “legitimate” reason not to hire a person that does not meet this society’s image of “fit.” ‘Well, uh…, harrumph, harrumph… we only hire thin people so that we, uh, can keep our Worker’s Comp insurance rates affordable. Sorry, come back when you lose 50 pounds and we’ll take another look at your qualifications… if we have an open position.’
I’m very excited for the comments to come regarding this article.
I guess if you work in a bakery, obesity could be considered work-related! Gastric by-pass here we come!
Libby, these are your people making these decisions. That precludes you from making snarky comments.
They’re not MY people! I don’t live in California and didn’t vote for them, so don’t blame it on me. And it wasn’t as much snarky as it was supposed to be funny. Catch a grip, Homer.
Is that Gov. Christie in the bubble?
Employers should not be responsible for the employees eating habits. This will drive up the health and workers comp insurance for the employer. If this goes through, employees now how another way to beat the system and get wait loss surgery through workers comp insurance. The only winner is the workers comp attorneys
This is just another avenue for lazy people who do not want to take responcibily for their own eating habits. Obesity is a personal choice of making poor decisions in regards to eating habits. I should not have to pay higher premiums because I take care of myself. People that are obese should have to pay higher premiums for poor eating habits. I look at this as another excuse to justify poor eating habits. Just put the food down and step away.
I’ll put down my donut just as soon as you take away “smoking” breaks for smokers. :)
This is ridiculous. Is it work related if you are a whale and your job makes you eat and eat and eat and eat……????? Lard now becomes a cause for Work Comp? Seems to me that this off worksite “disease” is going to turn the Work Comp system into a morass with where it can lead. Just another way to get more people on the dole and give them more “stuff.” I’m 65, own a small business and have a ton of stress but I manage it by eating right, exercising and running. I don’t sit down on the freakin’ couch in front of the TV and overeat because I have stress. People are turning into total pussies and obese ones at that.
Morass. Is that a compound word?
Obesity is your choice – you either eat right/healthy and exercise or you don’t. That’s the bottom line. Workers’ Comp should not have to pay for weight loss programs, gastric bypasses, or any thing of that nature if you were FAT when you injured yourself! You being FAT was more than likely one of the causes of your injury.
SOMETIMES! Somestimes, Obesity is not a choice. Some people are genetically predisposed to wacky insulin levels, which, does impact their weight. NOW, I will say, that person who is genetically predisposed can eat right and exercise, but even if someone exercises and eats right, it doesn’t mean they are going to morph into a super model. There are plenty of thin people who eat fast food everyday and aren’t fat. So please, please, please, stop with these ridiculous comments, beachBUM!
Being thin does not equate to being healthy. I know some very thin people who are the sickliest folks I’ve known. And others that exercise like crazy and end up on the operating table having a triple bypass. There are also some obese people that are very industrious and healthy as horses. It has more to do with genetics than with “lifestyle”.
dk
With Obamacare coming, is this perhaps an AMA strategy to create a new disease for their own benefit? If 1/3 of the population suffers from this ‘disease’, is it a disease, or just a characteristic of the population? Along that line, stupid is a disease too. Uh oh, there goes my argument……
As many of you know, workers comp is not mandatory in Texas. Employers can opt out of the system and set up their own injury plan. Benefits and legal liability are funded by an insurance policy. The injury plan is governed by ERISA and employers decide the definition of an “injury”. For instance, carpal tunnel is not considered a work injury. If someone is obese, and alleges a back injury, depending on the plan wording, the “injury” may be denied due to a “pre-existing condition”.
Switching from workers comp to an injury plan usually results in a premium cost reduction of 50-75% Medical costs are significantly reduced because employees can only treat with approved providers.
How long has this been going on? Since the first work comp act was passed in Texas in 1913. Nope, that is not a typo.
One of many reasons that employers are moving to Texas.
Yes, Texas doesn’t have Work Comp or Liability…instead, they just misuse FEMA.
Ahhh. FAT. The last acceptable discrimination in America.
……and deservedly so
You condone discrimination? Discrimination of any sort is wrong.
Yes I do. The failure of a person to control their weight is not something to be admired…..and I do not admire people like that so I guess I am guilty of discrimination…..but then I do not like salty snacks, sugary deserts and lazy ass people either so, I guess that I reek with discrimination. Give me a minute and I can probably find a few skeletons in your present closet as well.
Wow. You judge an entire segment of people based on their looks? You’re not shallow at all. You must be very young and are certainly very judgemental. Hopefully you’ll grow out of it.
Libby, I’m 65 and apparently have far more experience in the realities of life than you do. Frankly, I do not have time to waste on people who destroy their bodies. Certainly I do not want to pay for their indiscretions from my tax dollars.
I’m hoping that you are just a clueless 20-30 sound bite something and will live to outgrow your naivete. Everything is NOT discrimination as you blind Obama supporters seem to think.
You are a mighty jackass, Quinn.
“Certainly I do not want to pay for their indiscretions from my tax dollars.”
What tax dollars are those? This article is about WC.
Man, there is some heavy stuff going on in this article.
The pork spending is so out of control!
Another perfect example of why the productive people have been fleeing California for decades.
California has long been the most insane state
While there is a gene that predisposes some people to obesity, there is still much personal choice involved in becoming obese, just as there is personal choice involved in smoking and driving while intoxicated, both of which frequently result in harm to others. Obesity may or may not be a disease, but I don’t think it is work-related and should not be compensable as such.
Low quality food (the kind that low and middle income people can afford)that all promote overweight and obesity, massive $ on advertising, and don’t even get me started on public school lunches – it’s criminal how bad! Governmental policy change to promote healthy foods in lieu of the corporate garage foods is desperately needed.
So now employers will have a “legitimate” reason not to hire a person that does not meet this society’s image of “fit.” ‘Well, uh…, harrumph, harrumph… we only hire thin people so that we, uh, can keep our Worker’s Comp insurance rates affordable. Sorry, come back when you lose 50 pounds and we’ll take another look at your qualifications… if we have an open position.’