I have several new calculators in the works and could use a few guinea pigs to help test them. A few days ago I sent an e-mail to a select few of this website’s users asking them to participate. As a result of their testing and feedback, I’ve made a few changes to these new calculators.
However, I’d also appreciate the help of anyone interested in testing. If you are willing to provide feedback and want to try out these new calculators, please send me an e-mail.
I recently launched a new social security verification tool. One user raised some very important issues – privacy and security. 1 The commenter pointed out that the Verify!® social security number lookup tool did not appear to utilize a secure connection – and could permit the unintended dissemination of private information.
To this, I make the following statements/suggestions:
Thanks Zeke!
As promised! A new calculator!
Well, check out my new social security number online search tool, powered by Verify.com. It has some pretty cool features. You can Verify!®:
I’m working on several more workers compensation calculators. I’m really excited about one of them in particular. 1
I’ve been working to develop calculators and search engines that are easier to use, easier to understand, and make them available to everyone for less than my competitors. One benefit to doing it all myself is that I can innovate faster than anyone else. For instance, my wildly popular Ogilvie calculator was available to beta testers just days after the Ogilvie case came out.
But, this new calculator is something entirely new. Tantalized? Titilated? Tremulous?
Stay tuned!
The Division of Workers’ Compensation has posted a link to an EAMS survey. I noticed a lot of fliers around the Oakland District office of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board for this survey in the last few weeks.
Having taken the survey, I’m not optimistic its going to do anyone any good. My problem with the survey is the inherent question bias.
Several of the survey questions deal with the availability and efficacy of EAMS training resources. Take it from someone who actually designs software user interfaces – if people don’t like the user interface or the way your software works, they will either not use it or try to find ways around it. The only viable solution is to design a system that doesn’t need a lot of training and explanation.
This is really shows the engineering perspective on the problem. Once engineers have designed the system, its up to the user to read the manual and figure it all out. The problem is not sufficient education, training, and understanding. People are not suddenly going toembrace EAMS because now they understand how it works.
While its more work to comb through open ended responses from users, at least those answers will be more representative of their opinions. Take the final question, for example: “Please identify the top 3 improvements that you would like to see in EAMS . Please choose three and rank them in order of priority.” Your only choices are:
This can’t possibly be an exhaustive list of user concerns with EAMS. What other EAMS related issues do you perceive?
If you’re using my Ogilvie calculator for situations involving a 100% earnings loss, you’re working too hard. 1
If you have 100% earnings loss and WPI less than 45, the Ogilvie adjustment formula will always result in WPI + 18.
Not to worry. I can make Ogilvie even easier:
The Ogilvie mathematical proof has been available for several weeks for peer review. I’ve only received positive feedback.2 The above Ogilvie Adjustment Chart has been testing by myself and other workers’ compensation attorneys, but like everything else on this site is provided subject to all legal disclaimers.
Here’s a peek at what they look like:
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A defense attorney friend of mine called me up yesterday to say (I’m paraphrasing here), “You jackass. Thanks to your Ogilvie proof every Applicant’s attorney I know is calling me up, gloating, and asking for 18 points on top of the whole person impairment on every case! Why the hell did you do that???”1 My first thought was of my favorite quote from Swingers.2 What I actually said was something along the lines of:
For the moment, let’s set aside the issue of whether California’s injured workers have gotten a raw deal since SB899. Suppose there’s an injured worker with a finger injury, stays on temporary disability for two years, and is immediately made permanent and stationary. If instead they get a 0% WPI, they get nothing. If they gets a 1% WPI, Ogilvie tells us this person gets a DFEC adjusted WPI of 19%.
Nearly every litigated case involves an extended period of temporary disability and a whole person impairment less than 45.4 Ogilvie effectively removes the first 18% permanent partial disability levels.
I really don’t think the WCAB intended this consequence. Don’t get upset with me – as long as Ogilvie is the law I might as well make Ogilvie calculations easy for you, right?5
Yesterday from about noon to 4pm the server which hosts this website (and many others) was down. This unfortunately lead to an interruption for which I apologize.1 During this time I was unable to send/receive emails and the website was unavailable.
The hosting company I use is very good. When there’s been downtime it normally occurs during non-peak hours and is very short in duration. This was an anomaly.
Anyhow, everything is back on line and open for business.
Since updating this website to WordPress v2.8 in the middle of June they’ve released two additional security updates. Unfortunately, the latest update also required a little extra tinkering and work on my part. I look on constant security fixes for this fantastic (free!) open source software as a small price to pay for increased security.
Again, the calculators should all be completely impervious to changes in the WordPress program itself. However, its theoretically possible you might notice a little weirdness in how the website looks/acts. If so, please drop me a line and let me know so I can take a look.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled rating…
Some days I’m inspired to develop new things for this website. Here’s a few things I did this morning:1
