Newsletter

2025 Workers’ Compensation Symposium Review

The California JPIA hosted its 17^th Annual Workers’ Compensation Symposium on Thursday, August 14. The event was attended by representatives from Authority member agencies, the workers’ compensation claims team at Athens Administrators, and many of the Authority’s panel attorneys. As in prior years, attendees learned about topics relevant to their agencies’ workers’ compensation programs.

Read More

The symposium began with a presentation from St. George’s Medical Clinic Medical Director, Dr. Glen Apramian. Dr. Apramian drew on nearly four decades of practicing occupational medicine to educate attendees about what goes into his evaluation of an injured employee. Plethy Chief Executive Officer, Raja Sundaram, discussed the company’s Recupe program, which assists injured workers recovering from an orthopedic injury. The Recupe program allows injured workers to utilize a wearable device while performing home exercises and provides access to a physical therapist who can assist the employee with their recovery. Mary Linn Moore, an experienced nurse case manager with ISYS, introduced attendees to the Authority’s “Utilization Preview” program, which seeks to increase the percentage of medical treatment requests that are approved as part of the state’s Utilization Review process. California Workers’ Compensation Institute President Gideon Baum shared some of the Institute’s extensive research into the workers’ compensation system, and he also provided an update on some of the workers’ compensation legislation being considered by the legislature.

Then, Jeff Rush, the Authority’s workers’ compensation program manager, moderated a panel including Senior Claims Examiner Chrisi Salazar and defense attorneys Catherine McWhorter and Chris Griffin. The panel discussed some of the creative approaches they utilize to resolve claims, including several specific examples involving Authority claims. The closing speaker was the Authority’s Employment Practices Manager, Kelly Trainer Policky, who educated members about five things to keep in mind when they try to bring employees back to work.

For those who were unable to attend the Symposium, a recording of the event is available in myJPIA. If you have any topics you would like to be considered for next year’s Symposium, please contact Jeff Rush, workers’ compensation program manager.

< Back to Full Issue Print Article