Times are undeniably tough for American workers. Stagnant wages, brutal commutes and the nagging fear that they may at any time join the tens of millions of their compatriots searching for employment.

But one area where the U.S. workforce is very well served: workers' comp programs.

For our fifth annual NU Award For Excellence in Workers' Comp Risk Management, sponsored by NCCI, I was impressed not only with the volume of submissions we received—but especially by the creativity and quality exhibited in the programs.

Having such a bounty of well-run, innovative programs to choose from was an embarrassment of riches—but also made the task of judging excruciatingly difficult. Narrowing down the field of candidates to three winners was a harrowing process.

But, as you'll see in our special coverage that starts on page 14, the trio of programs that rose to the top of the list achieved remarkable accomplishments—cutting costs by millions of dollars while also undertaking initiatives to reduce claims. And the risk managers who run these programs have been gracious enough to share with us the secrets of their success.

Congratulations to our champion, Gary Eastes, the risk and benefits manager for the City of Knoxville (our first-ever winner from the public sector); and to our two other winners, Michael Murphy, manager of global property and casualty insurance with Kennametal; and Bruce Jones, insurance director in charge of employee safety and workers' comp risks at Community Health Systems.

The fifth anniversary of these awards, of course, coincides with the 100th anniversary of workers' compensation in this country—the “Great Trade Off” (or “Wisconsin Compromise”) with management agreeing to cover medical costs and labor surrendering its right to sue.

And it's this mutual self-interest that gives workers' comp such a unique twist in the usually zero-sum relationship between employer and employee. Workers (or the vast majority of them, anyway) naturally want to avoid being injured; and owners have significant financial incentives to make their businesses as safe as possible. The “win-win” result: a more productive, less perilous workplace.

Since workers' comp arrived on the scene a century ago, the workforce, and types of work done, have changed radically: far fewer of us work with physically deadly machines or in the mines, and half of us are women. But a more sedentary work day—and lifestyle—poses its own risks, as obesity and other ailments can exacerbate the severity of work injuries and significantly delay recovery.

And it was striking how many of the programs submitted for our judges' consideration are taking this into account and beginning to treat workers' comp and general employee wellness as flipsides of the same cost-control coin. This is a trend worth applauding—and whose socio-economic benefits will accrue to the country as a whole.

Special Reports /

Workers&rsquo; Comp Awards&mdash;And A Win-Win Situation For Employers/Employed

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Workers’ Comp Awards—And A Win-Win Situation For Employers/Employed