Students must select a particular U.S. state or territory (My Selected State is UTAH) , the federal OWCP system, or another country and write a research paper on the current system of workers’ compensation in that particular state/jurisdiction. Students should communicate the state of his/her choosing to his/her facilitator or instructor if no facilitator is assigned.

The research paper should be double spaced, one-inch margins all around, and drafted according to all relevant APA requirements. The substantive content of the paper should be 10 to 12 double-spaced pages. (Note: Substantive content does not include components such as a cover page, table of contents, works cited/references/bibliography, etc. Substantive content refers to the abstract and body of the paper.)

Students should have at least eight sources/references that are properly cited and relied upon in a remarkable way within the paper. (Note: Superior performance on the assignment will likely incorporate approximately eight or more sources.) It is likely that students will obtain most of the information for their papers through the state’s/jurisdiction’s government websites, however, students can- and should – expand their learning by also reading non-governmental publications. As such, students must have at least three non-governmental sources for their paper. Students should cite individual governmental sources accordingly.

The research paper should address the following topical areas:

1.) The statutory standard for an injury AND illness to be compensable (students should discuss injury and illness even if the state treats both the same);

2.) Explanation of the benefits offered to workers’ sustaining a compensable injury/illness;

a. Amount and method of calculation of temporary total disability (“TTD”) benefits (or however the state refers to temporary total disability);

b. Duration of TTD Benefits;

c. Vocational rehabilitation benefits;

d. Permanent partial disability benefits;

e. Permanent total disability benefits; and

f. Death benefits to surviving spouses/estates.

3.) Explanation of the workers’ compensation claims process from the initiation of a claim through the appeals process;

4.) Whether the state is a monopolistic, competitive market, or mix;

5.) Whether the state calculates and administers its own experience rating system, relies on the NCCI, or has some hybrid;

6.) Any methods/practices/programs that employers can participate in to reduce premiums;

7.) How light/modified duty is managed by employers and whether employers may reduce compensation for workers on light/modified duty;

8.) Any other unique features, facts or trends about the particular state’s/country’s workers compensation system.

This research paper builds upon topics covered in the course, and students are strongly encouraged to work on the research paper as the term progresses. To help optimize student performance on the research paper, students should submit the project incorporating items 1 through 3 (above)

The final research project is worth 150 of course’s points.

The Style of the Research Project is APA