Justices Strike Down Wage Rulings

The Ohio Supreme Court this week reversed its precedent for average weekly wage recalculation, overturning two "special circumstances" rulings while imploring the Legislature to come up with a new method for fairly compensating people who are disabled and re-enter the workforce. On a 5-2 vote, the justices refused to order the Industrial Commission to recalculate the average weekly wage of Charles Stevens, who had a compensable heart attack at work in 1982. His average weekly wage was set at $408.75, based on his earnings for the year prior to the injury. Stevens returned to the labor force...