Wednesday, September 15, 2010
2:00 pm	5:00 pm	Preconference Registration for Attendees and Exhibitors
Thursday, September 16, 2010 - Optional Workshops
7:15 am	8:15 am	Workshop Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:45 am		Exhibit Hall Opens
10:00 am	10:15 am	Refreshment Break in the Exhibition Hall
8:15 am	11:30 am	(Choose 1 of 3 Workshops)
		Workshop 1 RETURN TO WORK AND LIGHT DUTY Implementing Out-of-the-Box Return-to-Work and Light-Duty Programs to Overcome New Challenges (H7740003)
		Workshop 2 WORKERS’ COMP 101 Surviving the Texas Workers’ Comp Jungle: The Nuts and Bolts of Workers’ Comp Law and Managing Claims in Texas (H7740004)
		Workshop 3 PUBLIC SECTOR AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Taking a Strategic Approach to Addressing Workers’ Compensation Challenges in the Public Sector: Tackling Cost-Containment, Return to Work, and Other Burning Issues (H7740024)
9:30 am	11:00 am	Main Conference Registration
11:00 am	12:30 pm	Light Lunch in Exhibit Hall
Thursday, September 16, 2010 - Main Conference
12:30 pm	12:35 pm	Opening Remarks from the Chairs
12:35 pm	1:15 pm	OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION Answers to Economic and Political Issues Impacting Texas Employers: Workers’ Compensation, Health Care, and Other Key Challenges
1:15 pm	1:45 pm	KEYNOTE SESSION: LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Update on Sunset Commission Recommendations and New and Proposed Legislation Impacting Workers’ Compensation for Texas Employers Five Years After Reforms
1:45 pm	3:00 pm	KEYNOTE STAKEHOLDER PANEL The Current State of Texas Workers’ Comp: How Changes in the Texas Workers’ Compensation System Are Impacting Costs and Quality of Care: Overcoming the Challenges
3:00 pm	3:30 pm	Break in Exhibition Hall
3:30 pm	4:20 pm	(Choose 1 of 2)
		THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG DILEMMA Managing the Challenging Trends and Potential Changes in Texas Prescription Drug Benefits (H7740006)
		INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT Integrating Your Risk-Management, Safety, and Workers’ Comp Programs to Dramatically Reduce Costs: Reaping the Short-Term and Long-Range Benefits (H7740007)
4:25 pm	5:45 pm	(Choose 1 of 2)
		MEDICAL COST CONTAINMENT PANEL: PRIVATE SECTOR Medical Cost Drivers in Texas: Solutions for Delivering Cost-Effective, Quality Medical Care in the Private Sector (H7740009)
		MEDICAL COST CONTAINMENT PANEL: PUBLIC SECTOR Medical Cost Drivers in Texas: Solutions for Delivering Cost-Effective, Quality Medical Care in the Public Sector (H7740010)
5:45 pm	8:00 pm	Cocktail Reception in Exhibition Hall
Friday, September 17, 2010 - Day 2
7:30 am	8:30 am	Continental Breakfast
8:30 am	9:00 am	KEYNOTE SESSION: DWC UPDATE Update from the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation: Key Issues to Be Addressed in 2010 and New Goals for 2011
9:00 am	10:00 am	CASE LAW AND LEGISLATION New Developments in Workers’ Comp Case Law and Legislation: What You Need to Know to Be Proactive
10:00 am	10:30 am	Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall
10:30 am	11:20 am	(Choose 1 of 2)
		WORKERS’ COMP FRAUD Fighting Workers’ Comp Fraud in Texas: The Latest Weapons to Crack Down on Fraudulent Claims (H7740012)
		ROI ON WORKERS’ COMP PROGRAMS How to Measure Performance of Your Workers’ Comp Program: The Importance of Using Benchmarks and Tracking Losses (H7740013)
11:20 am	12:15 pm	(Choose 1 of 2)
		CASE STUDY: INJURY PREVENTION Preventing Sprain/Strain Claims: A Vital Part of Your Cost-Containment and Economic Recovery Plan (H7740015)
		ADA, FMLA, AND WORKERS’ COMP The Perfect Storm: ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Comp in a Challenging Economic Climate: Minimizing Your Liability Risks for Violations of Leave and Disability Laws (H7740016)
12:15 pm	1:30 pm	Networking Lunch in Exhibition Hall
1:30 pm	2:20 pm	(Choose 1 of 2)
		CLAIMS MANAGEMENT Tactics for Successfully Handling the Biggest Claims-Management Challenges for Employers: Chronic Health Conditions, the Aging Workforce, and More! (H7740018)
		DEFENDING BAD-FAITH CLAIMS Critical Strategies to Avoid the Pitfalls of Costly Bad-Faith Litigation (H7740019)
2:20 pm	3:15 pm	(Choose 1 of 2)
		MAKING AN IMPACT What Employers Can Do to Have an Impact on Workers’ Compensation Rule-Making and the Legislative Process (H7740021)
		WORKPLACE WELLNESS New Trends in Workplace Wellness Programs: Taking a Cost-Effective Approach to Reduce Absenteeism and Workers’ Comp Claims (H7740022)
3:15 pm	3:45 pm	Refreshment Break and Prize Draw in Exhibit Hall
3:45 pm	4:45 pm	CASE STUDY: WINNING SAFETY PROGRAM Designing a Winning Safety Program on a Tight Budget: Proven Strategies to Reduce Your Workplace Injury Rates and Experience Modifier
14:45 pm		Program Concludes

8:15 am Workshop 1 RETURN TO WORK AND LIGHT DUTY Implementing Out-of-the-Box Return-to-Work and Light-Duty Programs to Overcome New Challenges (H7740003) Tightened budgets and downsized staffs resulting from the economic downturn have presented new and complex return-to-work challenges for employers. This comprehensive workshop will provide you with out-of-the-box solutions that work, even under tight budget constraints. Hear how leading organizations are implementing successful return-to-work programs, decreasing lost days, and significantly reducing workers’ comp costs. Our experts will identify the key factors that get in the way of bringing employees back on the job and provide you with proven strategies to overcome the challenges. Discover innovative strategies to bring employees back on the job and learn how to safely navigate the light-duty labyrinth and avoid the legal snares! What employers can do to address the return-to-work dilemmas brought on by the recession Find out how Hyatt Corporation, UPS, and Freescale Semiconducter, Inc. are continuing to achieve success in their return-to-work programs in spite of tight budget constraints Measuring the ROI of your return-to-work program and balancing business interests Update on new rules for SIBs, new injured employee job description forms, and the latest on pending case-management rules Danny Taylor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor/Return-to-Work Education Coordinator TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE – DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION J’Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN President, TEXAS SELF-INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Consultant, BOLLOM CONSULTING Formerly Occupational Health Manager, HYATT CORPORATION Thelma T. Lee, District Occupational Health Manager UPS Clydene Coy, RN, COHN-S, CCM, Occupational Health Nurse; Occupational Health Resources, EHS FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC. Back

8:15 am Workshop 2 WORKERS’ COMP 101 Surviving the Texas Workers’ Comp Jungle: The Nuts and Bolts of Workers’ Comp Law and Managing Claims in Texas (H7740004) The Texas workers’ comp system is fraught with complexities, and handling claims can be risky business, particularly for those who are not well versed in the rules and regulations. The failure to adhere to the many compliance requirements and claims-management best practices may result in costly fines and expensive liability. This comprehensive workshop will provide you with critical claims-management and compliance strategies. Topics to be addressed include: Before the claim happens: Implementing proactive policies to significantly reduce costs later After the claim occurs: Taking critical steps in the first 24 hours following injury or illness to mitigate your potential exposure Conducting an effective investigation: Developing reporting procedures and preparing required documentation Defining compensability: Clarifying coverage and examining the exceptions Calculating workers’ comp benefits: Assessing your exposure on workers’ compensation claims Avoiding fines and penalties for failure to comply with the DWC statutes and regulations Key elements of the Texas adjudication process: What you can do to enhance your chances of winning a contested case hearing in Texas Case studies: Analyze real-life scenarios throughout the workshop, and walk away with strategies to apply to your own workers’ comp cases Margaret M. Knott, Esq., Partner KNOTT & DOYLE Mark A. Doyle, Esq., Partner KNOTT & DOYLE Back

8:15 am Workshop 3 PUBLIC SECTOR AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Taking a Strategic Approach to Addressing Workers’ Compensation Challenges in the Public Sector: Tackling Cost-Containment, Return to Work, and Other Burning Issues (H7740024) Public sector organizations in Texas face unique challenges with workers’ compensation claims administration, risk management and safety, medical cost containment, return to work, and light duty. While the Texas workers’ comp laws prohibit public sector entities from becoming nonsubscribers, they do offer alternative options for certain public sector organizations to form their own medical-provider panels. In addition, budget constraints are often an obstacle to implementation of return-to-work, light-duty, and other programs that may be more accessible to private sector businesses. This workshop will focus on proven strategies to tackle these challenges. Topics to be addressed include: Update on key legislative issues of interest to public sector entities Recent developments in case law impacting the public sector Surviving the recession: Impact of budget cuts on your workers’ comp program and strategic solutions to address the challenges Overcoming return-to-work and light-duty challenges under difficult economic constraints: How to do more with less Learn how SORM is achieving success with their return-to-work program by implementing a holistic and proactive approach to medical and vocational case management Workers’ compensation cost containment: The best options for public sector entities 504 health care panels and how they work Practical approaches to workers’ comp claims administration in the public sector Successful public sector risk management and safety tactics Jonathan Bow, Executive Director STATE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT Stephen S. Vollbrecht, Esq., General Counsel STATE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT Mark Thomey, Executive Director POLITICAL SUBDIVISION WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ALLIANCE Krista Fergason, Division Director of Workers’ Compensation Claims Administration TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS Pamela Beachley, Esq., Attorney and Lobbyist BEACHLEY LAW Back

12:30 pm Opening Remarks from the Chairs Stuart D. Colburn, Esq., Shareholder DOWNS STANFORD, P.C. Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS, Health Services Manager MILLERCOORS BREWING COMPANY J’Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN President, TEXAS SELF-INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Consultant, BOLLOM CONSULTING Formerly Occupational Health Manager, HYATT CORPORATION Back

12:35 pm OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION Answers to Economic and Political Issues Impacting Texas Employers: Workers’ Compensation, Health Care, and Other Key Challenges Bill Hammond, President and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, will provide an update on the potential solutions to key challenges facing employers in Texas, including workers’ compensation, health care, insurance, and other key business issues. Bill Hammond, President and Chief Executive Officer TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS Back

1:15 pm KEYNOTE SESSION: LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Update on Sunset Commission Recommendations and New and Proposed Legislation Impacting Workers’ Compensation for Texas Employers Five Years After Reforms By the time employers from across the state gather in Austin for the Texas Workers’ Comp Forum, the Sunset Commission will have completed its evaluation and published recommendations for changes to the workers’ compensation system. In this enlightening keynote address, Senator Glenn Hager, Chair of the Sunset Commission, will provide you with an update on the Commission’s recommendations and how they will impact Texas employers and their workers’ compensation programs. He will also discuss what the Texas legislature can do to address workers’ comp challenges in Texas, including new and proposed legislation. Five years after reform, is the Division of Workers’ Comp meeting its statutory purpose? What is the impact on costs: Are we beginning to see better outcomes? What impact will the requirement of network certification, effective January 1, 2011, have on businesses and public sector entities? How can the legislature address the continuing challenges? Senator Glenn Hegar, Chair, Sunset Advisory Commission TEXAS STATE SENATE Back

1:45 pm KEYNOTE STAKEHOLDER PANEL The Current State of Texas Workers’ Comp: How Changes in the Texas Workers’ Compensation System Are Impacting Costs and Quality of Care: Overcoming the Challenges Our panel of industry experts and stakeholders will discuss how costs and quality of care are being impacted by changes to the Texas workers’ comp system and what can be done to address the challenges. Panelists will also offer suggestions about what the legislature and state government should be doing to improve the system. Topics to be discussed include: Impact of system changes on workers’ compensation costs in Texas and potential cost-containment solutions: Are we seeing better cost outcomes? Potential solutions for improving the quality of benefits to injured workers in both disputed and undisputed cases Response to recommendations of the Sunset Commission Legislation on indemnity benefits and exclusive remedy and the repercussions of the Intergy case How new health care reforms under the Obama administration will impact workers’ compensation in Texas: Will there be cost shifting and 24/7 health care? Moderator: Stuart D. Colburn, Esq., Shareholder DOWNS STANFORD, P.C. Panelists: Albert Betts, Esq. Partner, THOMPSON, COE, COUSINS & IRONS, LLP Former Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE – DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Lee Ann Alexander, Assistant Vice President & Legislative Counsel LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Stephen M. Norwood, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon SOUTHWEST ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP Cathy Stoebner DeWitt, Vice President, Governmental Affairs TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS Barbara Lombrano-Williamson, Esq., Founder LOMBRANO-WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES Back

3:30 pm THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG DILEMMA Managing the Challenging Trends and Potential Changes in Texas Prescription Drug Benefits (H7740006) Workers’ compensation payers need to be aware of the many proposed legislative changes in Texas regarding prescription drug benefits in addition to being well armed with facts and strategies to overcome the current challenges arising from new costly drug trends. This informative session will provide details about some of the opportunities the legislative changes present while offering strategies to manage some of the most costly and troubling prescription drug trends occurring today. Topics include: The proposed adoption of ODG workers’ compensation drug formulary and the potential for improved outcomes The impact of Oxycontin and other prescription narcotics and strategies to manage current and future trends Compounds and repackaged drugs: Their impact on treatment plans and strategies available to better manage them Michael Seise, PharmD, MBA, Manager of Clinical Services/Associate Clinical Professor HEALTHESYSTEMS Back

3:30 pm INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT Integrating Your Risk-Management, Safety, and Workers’ Comp Programs to Dramatically Reduce Costs: Reaping the Short-Term and Long-Range Benefits (H7740007) Discover how you can break down barriers to integrating your workers’ compensation, safety, risk-management, and disability programs! This session will focus on how you can realize short-term and long-term benefits from a carefully designed and implemented integrated disability-management strategy. In 2009 MillerCoors Brewing Company celebrated 1 million hours of no lost time, and as of the spring of 2010, they reached1.7 million hours. Find out how the integrated disability-management program at MillerCoors reduced workers’ compensation costs by 87 percent and decreased lost days by 100 percent. Since 2005, Texas Health Resources (THR) has reduced workers’ comp claims by 38 percent and workers’ comp costs by 45 percent. Find our how THR has developed and implemented successful programs to address the leading causes of workplace injuries for their 19,000 employees. Wanda Estrada, CWCP, CPDM, RWCS, Health Services Manager MILLERCOORS BREWING COMPANY Robin Davis, M.S., CPDM, Director, Integrated Disability Management TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES Back

4:25 pm MEDICAL COST CONTAINMENT PANEL: PRIVATE SECTOR Medical Cost Drivers in Texas: Solutions for Delivering Cost-Effective, Quality Medical Care in the Private Sector (H7740009) Discover how Lockheed Martin is achieving success with their Health Care Network (HCN), and hear how Hyatt Corporation’s non-network approach is working to keep costs down. Our panel of experts will identify the biggest medical cost drivers in Texas and offer proven solutions for delivering cost-effective, quality medical care to injured employees. Topics to be discussed include: UR and ODG: How businesses with HCNs and those without are reaping the cost-containment benefits of the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) Case management and utilization review: How case management and utilization rework are working for both networks and non-networks The importance of selecting the best medical providers Why communication is key and how to ensure you are keeping the lines of communication open with health care providers and injured workers Getting closure on problematic, lingering claims What impact will the requirement of network certification, effective January 1, 2011, have on costs and the options for medical care? Moderator: J’Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN President, TEXAS SELF-INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Consultant, BOLLOM CONSULTING Formerly Occupational Health Manager, HYATT CORPORATION Panelists: Sam J. McMurry, ARM, Administrator, Workers’ Compensation LOCKHEED MARTIN AERONAUTICS COMPANY Lucinda Dean Saxon, Governmental Affairs Manager WORK LOSS DATA INSTITUTE Back

4:25 pm MEDICAL COST CONTAINMENT PANEL: PUBLIC SECTOR Medical Cost Drivers in Texas: Solutions for Delivering Cost-Effective, Quality Medical Care in the Public Sector (H7740010) Hear how Texas public sector entities are achieving success in cost-containment and improving outcomes for injured workers. Discover how the Dallas Independent School District reduced costs by $800,000 and significantly reduced lost days through the implementation of a 504 public sector health care panel! Learn how the Political Subdivision Workers’ Compensation Alliance’s direct-contracting program initiative is working to provide quality care at a reasonable cost and significantly improving outcomes for injured workers Hear how Herman Wilkes at the Texas Association of School Boards has successfully implemented an innovative program to significantly reduce costs for prescription drugs and improve outcomes for injured workers Measuring the results of implementation of medical panels: Determining the short-term and long-term benefits, including both medical costs and wage replacement What to do when treatment recommendations conflict: How to determine who to listen to Update on utilization review and the Official Disability Guidelines: How public sector entities are reaping the cost-containment benefits of ODG Cheryl Johnson, Risk Manager DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Raymond Lanoux, Director of Risk/Emergency/Facilities Management DALLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS Pamela Beachley, Esq., Attorney and Lobbyist BEACHLEY LAW Mark Thomey, Executive Director POLITICAL SUBDIVISION WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ALLIANCE Herman Wilks, Workers’ Compensation Department Director TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS Krista Fergason, Division Director of Workers’ Compensation Claims Administration TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS Back

8:30 am KEYNOTE SESSION: DWC UPDATE Update from the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation: Key Issues to Be Addressed in 2010 and New Goals for 2011 In this enlightening keynote address, Commissioner Rod Bordelon will provide you with an update on key issues of interest to stakeholders in the Texas workers’ compensation system. Topics to be addressed include a status report on insurance premiums, loss ratios, cost containment, return-to-work initiatives, drug formulary, and the performance ratings of system stakeholders. Find out what’s on the DWC’s agenda for the remainder of 2010 and for 2011, as well as what rules they are contemplating and how they will impact employers. Rod Bordelon, Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE – DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Back

9:00 am CASE LAW AND LEGISLATION New Developments in Workers’ Comp Case Law and Legislation: What You Need to Know to Be Proactive Leading workers’ comp attorney Stuart Colburn will provide you with a complete update on noteworthy new cases and how they impact employers and other stakeholders in the Texas workers’ compensation system. You will hear about the very latest decisions and learn what you can do to be proactive in light of new litigation trends. Stuart D. Colburn, Esq., Shareholder DOWNS STANFORD, P.C. Back

10:30 am WORKERS’ COMP FRAUD Fighting Workers’ Comp Fraud in Texas: The Latest Weapons to Crack Down on Fraudulent Claims (H7740012) This session will provide you with an update on workers’ compensation fraud in Texas and new enforcement efforts that are being implemented. Find out about the latest fraud scams and what you can do to thwart fraudulent claims in your workplace. Dennis A. Pompa, Associate Commissioner and Director TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FRAUD UNIT Back

10:30 am ROI ON WORKERS’ COMP PROGRAMS How to Measure Performance of Your Workers’ Comp Program: The Importance of Using Benchmarks and Tracking Losses (H7740013) As workers’ comp costs continue to rise and private companies and public sector organizations struggle to recover from the economic downturn, it has never been more important to be well prepared to prove your accountability to upper management. Find out how you can accurately track losses and measure the performance of your workers’ comp program. Topics to be addressed include: Managing and documenting the effectiveness of your workers’ compensation program How to carefully monitor results and communicate program performance to the management team Drafting reports to present your case and illustrate the return on investment James E. Huckaby, ARM-P, Director of Risk Management MESQUITE ISD Back

11:20 am CASE STUDY: INJURY PREVENTION Preventing Sprain/Strain Claims: A Vital Part of Your Cost-Containment and Economic Recovery Plan (H7740015) For a company running on a healthy 5 percent profit margin, $2 million in revenue has to be earned to pay for every $100,000 spent on workers’ comp! How, in this new economy, can we continually fund this type of expense? Workers’ comp can no longer be considered “just the cost of doing business.” Our new economy is changing the workers’ comp model to include much more aggressive and proactive methods to prevent claims before they ever occur. The cheapest claim you will ever have is the one that never happened. Hear how both private and public sector organizations are focused on protecting employees’ health and have taken workers’ comp from an expense to a new source of revenue. If you are experiencing losses from back injuries and other sprain/strains you will need to attend this session. Be prepared to get some personal tips for your aches and pains as well. Dennis Downing, President FUTURE INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES Back

11:20 am ADA, FMLA, AND WORKERS’ COMP The Perfect Storm: ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Comp in a Challenging Economic Climate: Minimizing Your Liability Risks for Violations of Leave and Disability Laws (H7740016) Discover why ADA claims are now a lot easier to file and lot more difficult to defend! The recession brought with it a rise in litigation and an increase in both employment law and workers’ compensation liability risks. In addition to sweeping ADA and FMLA changes, Texas employers need to find their way through a complex maze of leave and disability laws that overlap with workers’ compensation. This session will provide you with the critical strategies you need to safeguard your organization from costly litigation. Topics to be addressed include: Get updates on expanding ADA responsibilities and strategies for a successful accommodations process The latest Texas and federal ADA and FMLA cases and how they impact employers Ensuring that you are in compliance with the new ADA Amendments Act and FMLA regulations Safely navigating the perfect storm of FMLA, ADA, and workers’ comp laws Case studies: Get practical solutions to real-life ADA, FMLA, and workers’ comp quandaries Sheila B. Gladstone, Esq., Principal LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & TOWNSEND, P.C. Back

1:30 pm CLAIMS MANAGEMENT Tactics for Successfully Handling the Biggest Claims-Management Challenges for Employers: Chronic Health Conditions, the Aging Workforce, and More! (H7740018) This session will focus on the increasing challenges that employers are facing in the management of workers’ compensation claims, including increasing injury risks for older workers’ and employees with chronic health conditions. Topics to be addressed include: Managing workers’ comp claims when the injured employees have underlying chronic health conditions: Diabetes, obesity, and more Mitigating the increasing workplace injury risks for older employees How the skilled-worker shortage is impacting workers’ comp claims and what you can do about it J’Don M. Bollom, BSN, RN President, TEXAS SELF-INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Consultant, BOLLOM CONSULTING Formerly Occupational Health Manager, HYATT CORPORATION Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS Partner, ZD CONSULTANTS, LLC Past President, TEXAS REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION Back

1:30 pm DEFENDING BAD-FAITH CLAIMS Critical Strategies to Avoid the Pitfalls of Costly Bad-Faith Litigation (H7740019) In this enlightening session, attorneys on both sides will go head-to-head on key issues involved in a bad faith case. You will discover the myriad of problems that arise and learn what you can do to avoid the potential pitfalls of costly bad-faith litigation. David Brenner, Esq., Partner BURNS, ANDERSON, JURY & BRENNER, L.L.P. Marc Mayfield, Esq., Managing Partner MAYFIELD WEEDON, L.L.P. Back

2:20 pm MAKING AN IMPACT What Employers Can Do to Have an Impact on Workers’ Compensation Rule-Making and the Legislative Process (H7740021) The role of employers in the workers’ compensation system is often forgotten amidst the chatter from injured workers, doctors, insurers, attorneys, TPAs, etc. The employer pays the insurance premiums and is impacted when an employee is injured on the job. Employers need to be involved in the system, especially in the areas of agency rule-making and legislative action. These arenas determine the laws that govern how the system operates and the rules interpreting those laws. This session will cover the following: How the agency rule-making process works and opportunities for input both prior to and during formal rule-making Effective communication with the agency and legislators Telling the story from an employers’ perspective Albert Betts, Esq. Partner, THOMPSON, COE Former Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE – DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Back

2:20 pm WORKPLACE WELLNESS New Trends in Workplace Wellness Programs: Taking a Cost-Effective Approach to Reduce Absenteeism and Workers’ Comp Claims (H7740022) Find out how SeaWorld in San Antonio and the City of Arlington are implementing successful and cost-effective wellness programs! Successful employee wellness programs can inspire healthy behaviors that will reduce absenteeism and workplace injuries and lower workers’ compensation and disability management costs. This session will focus on how to design and implement an affordable wellness program that will get buy-in from management and staff, reduce health and injury risks in your workforce, and have a positive impact on your bottom line. Strategies for designing and implementing a winning wellness program on a tight budget How a successful wellness program will impact your safety culture Getting buy-in from management and staff Ensuring a high level of participation: Incentivizing your workforce to participate Measuring the ROI: Using metrics to assess the results Christopher Ramirez, Manager of Risk Management SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO Leeann Shackelford, Workforce Services Manager CITY OF ARLINGTON Back

3:45 pm CASE STUDY: WINNING SAFETY PROGRAM Designing a Winning Safety Program on a Tight Budget: Proven Strategies to Reduce Your Workplace Injury Rates and Experience Modifier Hear how Balcones Recycling was able to significantly reduce their experience modifier and injury rate! Discover how Sara Koeniger, Vice President of Project Management and Safety at Balcones Recycling, Inc., designed and implemented a winning safety program resulting in a significant reduction in insurance costs and injury rates. This session will provide you with proven strategies for: Getting buy-in from management and staff Conducting a safety audit that will accurately identify the weak links in your program Conducting thorough accident investigations of the root cause so that you can prevent future incidents Preventing the costliest safety management mistakes Making maximum use of OSHA resources, including consultation services and free materials to incorporate into training Sara Koeniger, VP Project Management and Safety BALCONES RECYCLING, INC. Back