Bills Take Aim at Employer-Stacked Workers' Comp Judge Nominating Panel

After an outcry over a closed-door nominating process by a panel that is stacked in favor of employer representatives, two bills have been introduced in the Kansas Legislature to address perceived inequities in the nominating process for workers’ comp and unemployment judges. One measure would require the panel that nominates the judges to hold public hearings when vetting judge candidates, and another would require the panel’s labor and employer representatives to rotate the chairmanship position annually. The legislation was introduced after complaints by representatives of...