WCRI 2021 Virtual Conference -Definitely Worth It
The WCRI 2021 Virtual Conference will be broadcasting on March 23rd and 24th. This is a great way to spend two afternoons if you have the time. I always learn something from their PhDs.
Three of my favorite researchers will be presenting their research. They have always taken the time to talk with me during the conference and answer any questions that I have for them.
- Vennela Thumula, Ph.D. Policy Analyst
- Bogdan Savych, Ph.D. Public Policy Analyst
- Olesya Fomenko, Ph.D. Economist

WCRI’s 2020 Conference was the last in-person conference that I attended until now. I hope the 2022 Conference will be an in-person one – hopefully in Arizona.
They graciously invited me to report on this conference. I will provide some of the info from the sessions next week.
Below is all the information on what is covered and how to sign up for one of the better data reporting conferences.
WCRI also gives away a great report on pricing if you allow them to send you emails -sign up for that info even if you cannot make the conference. Both are top-notch.
NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard to Discuss Future of Work, COVID-19, and Worker Safety at WCRI Conference
Cambridge, MA, Feb. 24, 2021 ― The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Director John Howard will deliver a keynote on the future of work, COVID-19, and worker safety at the end of the second day of the Workers Compensation Research Institute’s (WCRI) 37th Annual Issues & Research Conference, held virtually March 23 and 24, 2021.
“We’re excited to have Dr. Howard be the closing keynote speaker at our annual conference,” said John Ruser, WCRI’s president and CEO. “There are a lot of questions about the impact of COVID-19 and the vaccines on people returning to work. I look forward to Dr. Howard addressing these questions, as well as others, about how changes in work will affect occupational safety and health.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for a renewed focus on work issues today and in the future. NIOSH and other occupational safety and health stakeholders are leading the way in understanding the implications of future of work scenarios and translating effective interventions into practice for employers safeguarding the safety, health, and well‐being of their workforces. In this session, Dr. Howard will discuss NIOSH’s Future of Work Initiative and the role technology, automation, gig work, and remote workplaces play in emerging workplace safety and health issues. He will also address pandemic preparedness and what employers can do to help ensure employee safety and well-being.
In addition to serving as the director of NIOSH, Dr. Howard is the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. He was first appointed as NIOSH director in 2002, and was re-appointed to an unprecedented third six-year term as director in 2015. Previously, Dr. Howard served as chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) in the California Department of Industrial Relations from 1991 through 2002.
The WCRI conference is a leading workers’ compensation forum. The two-day program highlights the Institute’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts and policymakers from across the country. This year’s virtual conference will be shorter and feature four sessions per day in the afternoon from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET.
The following are among the other topics the conference will address:
- Economic Impact of COVID-19
- Health Equity and COVID-19 Vaccinations
- Impact of COVID-19 on Claims and the Delivery of Medical Care
- Off-Label Prescribing and the Effects of Opioid-Related Policies
- Physical Therapy Treatment Patterns and Outcomes
The conference is free for WCRI members, state legislators, and members of the press, and $175 for non-members. To learn more or to register, visit https://www.wcrinet.org/news/events/37th-annual-wcri-issues-research-conference.
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