Are you particularly proud of your organization's workers' compprogram?

Have you greatly improved your expense ratio? Instituted newloss-control or safety protocols that have greatly paid off? Ordeveloped a return-to-work program that has reduced time off thejob for injured workers?

If so, we want to hear from you.

National Underwriter Property & Casualty andPropertyCasualty360.com will once againrecognize the “best of the best” in workers' comp this year withour Excellence in Workers' Compensation Risk Management Award, forwhich we are now accepting entries at http://tinyurl.com/jmbgf5b.

Three winners will be selected. Each will receive:

• An exclusive profile in the August 2016 issue of NationalUnderwriter Property & Casualty and onPropertyCasualty360.com.

• Round-trip airfare to the leading event for Workers' Compprofessionals—The Workers' Compensation Educational Conference(WCEC) on Aug. 21–24 in Orlando, Fla.—where we will present theawards, and two nights' hotel accommodations.

• The opportunity to discuss their award-winning program during aroundtable panel held at WCEC (with highlights appearing inNational Underwriter Property & Casualty's October2016 issue and on PropertyCasualty360.com).

In 1,200 words or less, entrants are asked to describe thenominated program and explain why it is deserving of recognition.Among the points you should address in your essay:

• What makes your organization stand out in terms of workers' comprisk management? What makes your program unique?

• What is your organization's top workers' comp concern, and whatare you doing to address it?

• Detailed loss control and safety programs. What changes havebeen implemented to improve your loss experience?

• How has your workers' comp loss control program evolved over thepast three years?

• How do you work with your insurer, broker, safety consultant orthird-party claims administrator to limit the frequency of workers'comp claims, as well as control severity costs for those claimsthat are filed?

• How do you manage your return-to-work programs?

• How do you handle claims management? What protocols are in placewith your insurer or third-party administrator to make sure claimsare adjusted fairly and within a reasonable time?

The person entering must be a risk manager or someone who worksin a risk management department of a U.S. company, responsible atleast in part for the firm's workers' comp program. Entrants mustfill out all of the company profile information in the onlineapplication. All proprietary information will be kept confidential,and is being collected for judging purposes only.

I look forward to this competition each year for severalreasons. First, it provides us a series of great stories to tell,sharing details on the winners' strategies and efficiencies gained.Everyone involved in a workers' comp program can learn somethingnew from the winners that they can add to their own list of bestpractices.

Second, it affords me the opportunity to spend some quality timewith the winners at WCEC before the awards ceremony, during theconference's general session when we present the awards statuettesto the recipients, and during our panel at WCEC.

Lastly, it enables NU to heap some well-deserved praiseon those who have been able to deliver rock-solid results in asector beset by so many challenges.

Enter today! There is no fee for entering. Those with anyquestions can always contact me directly [email protected].