We are fast approaching Springtime in Tallahassee and the annual pilgrimage of politicians, lobbyists, media pundits, and various interest groups to our unassuming state capital.

A recent salary and workplace e-mail survey with Florida Underwriter readers produced a remarkably good return rate (more than double the industry average) and answers that were enlightening and, at times, surprising.

If current conventional wisdom prevails, workers' compensation legislation will take a back seat to more pressing economic issues on both the state and federal levels this year.

Our cover story and several companion articles this month focus on Florida's workers' compensation system.

In December, Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw convened and facilitated a discussion on the potential creation of an advisory board to help improve the state's workers' compensation process.

With workers' compensation rates under control (or, depending on your perspective, underpriced), there is an opportunity to examine other components of this complex market.

The Chinese drywall saga continues as homeowner complaints, governmental studies, and court cases multiply. To date, over 2,000 consumers have contacted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to report problems in their homes.

Here we are at the end of another year together. Looking back, these past twelve months fall somewhere between an annus horribilis and an annus mirabilis, with a decided slant to the horribilis side.