The 100th anniversary of workers' compensation will not passunnoticed. The Workers' CompensationCentennial Commission (WCCC) was formed earlier this year tocelebrate this milestone and to be a resource for those interestedin the evolution of workers' compensation in this country.

As part of its mission, the organization is gatheringinformation on the past, present, and future of workers'compensation and posting the resource material online. Included inits library is a notice that appeared in the Racine (Wis.) DailyJournal in 1911, describing the outcome of the first officialworkers' compensation death claim, filed less than three weeksafter the passage of the May 3, 1911, law. The decision, made bythe Wisconsin Industrial Commission, marked the first workers'compensation award in America.

In its entirety, the article reads: "The first decision in thestate workingmen's compensation act was won by the city onWednesday when it was decided that Milwaukee would not have to pay$3,000 for the death of one of its employees. The case is expectedto be a precedent.