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Returning injured workers to the workforce can be tricky in the current economic environment. Some employers question whether it is feasible to pay a less-productive injured worker and may instead consider replacing that employee with a less expensive new hire.

Cleaning products, latex, and indoor air pollution are among the agents that pose risks to health care workers. Employees in the nation's largest industry face an elevated risk of work-related asthma.

In Florida, evidence that a worker did not maintain a separate business, have a federal employee identification number or bank account in the name of a business, and he received the same weekly pay directly from the employer can show that the worker was an employee and not an independent contractor.

"Narcotics use in workers' compensation is becoming more common," says a new NCCI study. "In 2008, over one-third of claimants with prescriptions received narcotics, up from 27 percent in 2001."

Construction and other workers who developed cancer after participating in the cleanup of the World Trade Center attacks may be eligible for federal monies. A proposal is being considered to add more than 50 cancers to the list of covered illnesses despite questions about the evidence connecting the cancers to the 9/11 exposures.

The manufacturing sector is changing, largely because of the introduction of automation. Assembly-type jobs that were a staple of the American workforce for generations are now being done by machines.

Workers' comp stakeholders must be able to understand and respond to changes in the labor markets in order to keep the system healthy. One of the biggest changes on the horizon is the makeup of jobs in the manufacturing sector.

"Research that has looked at the safety effects of state policies using the measure of reported nonfatal injuries may need to be reexamined," suggests a new study. It raises questions about the accuracy of injury reporting in some states.

Remote workers, exclusive remedy challenges, and Medicare set-asides are among the issues in this year's Legal track.

Drug testing workers' comp claimants as a way to monitor and control the use of opioids is on the rise. However, a new report raises questions about drug testing's effectiveness and costs, possibly warranting new rules and regulations.

Self-insurance groups can be an effective way for companies to obtain workers' comp insurance at an affordable cost. However, a lack of appropriate controls has led to several high-profile group failures in recent years.

Reintegrating veterans to the workforce can be challenging. A variety of stressors may make it difficult if not impossible to return to a typical work site.

Promoting the employment of people with disabilities in the health care industry is the focus of a new alliance. Two organizations have teamed up to help boost employment and educational opportunities.

ORLANDO -- Claim frequency decreased in 2011. That was one of the positive factors for workers' comp in a year noted for its mix of both good and bad influences. All in all, the indicators and uncertainties led NCCI to categorize the state of workers' comp as conflicted.

The Missouri General Assembly quickly approved new workers' comp legislation in the waning days of the session.

Binge eating may be the next target of health risk behaviors among employed populations. A new study suggests a strong association between binge eating and productivity impairment.

The workers' comp program that applies to Illinois' state employees is fraught with problems, says a state audit. The report makes nearly two dozen recommendations and says state legislative changes may be warranted.

Preexisting conditions and the influence of alcohol or drugs -- including prescription medications -- would have more of a bearing on workers' comp benefits under legislation before the governor. If signed, S.B. 2576 would take effect in July.

The average duration of payments for temporary total disability indemnity benefits might be moderating, according to research from NCCI.

Employers seeking to better manage their workers' comp dollars should be on the lookout for signs of potential trouble, suggest several workers' comp practitioners.