Commissioner Gives Split Decision to John Deere Over Benefit Calculations

Deere & Co. and its John Deere affiliates have won a partial victory on claims that the Division of Workers’ Compensation has made inconsistent rulings when determining rate calculations for worker benefits. Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joseph S. Cortese II agreed that profit-sharing bonuses should be excluded from gross earnings when determining an employee’s weekly rate for workers’ compensation benefits. But Cortese ruled against John Deere’s claim that the company’s continuous improvement pay plan payments also should be excluded. Wage e...