In 1988, Congress passed the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act to provide workers with time to prepare for the transition between the jobs they currently hold and new jobs when large employers are going to shut down their facilities or perform mass layoffs. As companies have been forced to shut their doors and…
While the North Carolina Industrial Commission has not yet issued any decisions specifically related to COVID-19, there are prior cases that have considered whether a claimant is entitled to indemnity benefits when their disability is the result of economic conditions. In general, when a claimant’s disability is due to an economic downturn, rather than a…
On March 27, 2020, and again on March 30, 2020, Mike Causey, Insurance Commissioner at the North Carolina Department of Insurance issued Orders that N.C.G.S. § 58-2-46 be effective across all North Carolina counties. The Orders are effective until April 26, 2020, and apply to all insurance companies including service corporations, HMO, MEWA, surplus lines…
With the spread of COVID-19 continuing across North Carolina, additional restrictions for residents were announced on Monday, March 23, 2020, by Governor Roy Cooper. Restrictions include the closure of more businesses by 5pm on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and a ban on gatherings of more than fifty people. Employers have had to quickly adjust many…
Brief overview of the legal analysis of COVID-19 workers’ compensation exposure in North Carolina. COVID-19 cases must be handled and analyzed on a case-by-case basis; however, based upon the current statute and case law, it is unlikely that suspected COVID-19 or actual COVID-19 cases would be considered compensable under either an injury by accident or…
Gov. Roy Cooper has nominated Wanda Blanche Taylor for a six-year term as a Commissioner to the Full Commission. Ms. Taylor’s appointment is pending confirmation by the North Carolina General Assembly. If confirmed, Ms. Taylor would take the position currently held by Charlton Allen, whose term ends June 30, 2020. Many of you will know…
In celebration of Black History Month, Teague Campbell hosted a book drive to promote literacy within the minority populations of Wake County. The goal is to disseminate books featuring black and/or minority characters in the hopes that intentional exposure will spark an increased interest in reading. The firm collected books for students in Kindergarten through…
Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham, LLP is pleased to announce that Jim Stanley has joined the firm’s Raleigh office in an Of Counsel capacity. Jim’s legal experience includes serving in private practice, as in-house counsel for an insurance company, and as a government attorney with the NC Attorney General’s Office. He is an experienced trial…
The New Year will bring a number of issues to the forefront of workers’ compensation. Though some are familiar, there are a few new issues we anticipate will take center stage in 2020. “Form 63, box 2” In 2019, the “Form 63, box 2,” also known as the medical-only Form 63, became very unpopular with…
We are pleased to announce that four attorneys from Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham, LLP have been selected to the 2020 North Carolina Super Lawyers list and one attorney has been selected to the 2020 North Carolina Rising Stars list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of attorneys in North…