Session on the climate & workers' comp at the 2022 National Comp Conference features Health Strategy Associates’ Joe Paduda, LWCC’s Jill Leonard and California JPIA’s Jeff Rush

Las Vegas, Nev. (Oct. 3, 2022) — Health Strategy Associates Principal Joe Paduda will lead a lively conversation on how climate change is affecting workers’ compensation at the 2022 National Comp Conference.

“Protecting Workers and Employers from the Impact of Climate Change” features Jill Leonard, vice president of claims operations for Louisiana Workers Compensation Corp. (LWCC) and Jeff Rush, workers’ compensation manager of California JPIA, a municipal risk pool that covers public safety officers and firefighters, among others. Paduda will interview these experts about risk assessment and management strategies. 

“There are climate-change events, like high winds, floods, storms, and fires that call for crises preparation and management,” Paduda said. 

However, risk management means more than ensuring care for injuries occurring during a hurricane, according to Leonard. “You’ve also got to deal with the aftermath, things like injured employees accessing care when roads are impassable or getting payments to workers when banks are closed,” she said, adding that rebuilding after major damage brings another layer of risks. 

“Unlike specific, climate-change events, steadily rising temperatures have brought on heat-related illnesses and managing these risks takes a more structural approach, such as air conditioning in all vehicles, cooling tents, mandatory breaks, and scheduling adjustments,” Rush said. 

The hour-long session starts at 12:30 p.m. on October 20. “It will be highly interactive, and we invite audience members to ask questions and talk about their climate-change events and other experiences,” Rush added. 

The National Comp Conference, also known as the National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference and Expo, will be held October 19-21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. More information and registration details are available at www.wcconference.com 

### 

Media Contact:  Helen Patterson, King Knight Communications, helen@kingknight.com,

813-690-4787 

Share This Article: