Over 700 industry leaders and stakeholders gathered July 10-12 in Austin for the annual Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference hosted by the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation. The conference was one of the most well-attended to date, and the sessions proved to be both popular and educational for attendees from across the state and nation. The conference theme, “Basics and Beyond,” gave newcomers and veterans both a basic overview of the industry and latest in workers’ compensation trends. The 22 sessions included workplace safety issues, a legislative overview, and several expert panels, among many others.
“This was such an incredible experience for me. I truly believe everyone in attendance benefited from this event,” remarked one attendee.
“I think you guys did a marvelous job from planning to executing the event. I know how much work this is and as an attendee and speaker, the event was flawless,” said an industry leader.
DWC executives, including Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Jeff Nelson and Deputy Commissioners Erica De La Cruz and Jennifer Hopens, also had the opportunity to sit down with the hosts of the “Deconstructing Comp” podcast to offer a glimpse into the division and share what sets the Texas workers’ compensation system apart from other states.
“The results that we see of fewer claims and injured employees getting to back to work faster just shows the whole state’s focus on safety and on the injured employee,” said Commissioner Nelson. On what he hoped attendees would take away from the conference, “I want people to have a better understanding of how the entire system works.”
Deputy Commissioner of Claims and Customer Services Erica De La Cruz wants injured employees to have the same access to information as more experienced stakeholders. “We are always looking at ways to produce more informative videos that we can put on our website and improve the resources that we provide or tell injured employees about when they call us on the phone.”
“I think our agency is very proactive and always looking for ways to improve the system. At the end of the day, we are in the customer service business,” added Deputy Commissioner of Appeals Panel Jennifer Hopens.
Thank you to the International Workers’ Compensation Foundation and to the attendees, exhibitors, speakers, and DWC staff for making this conference a success.
Listen to the Deconstructing Comp conference podcast episodes wherever you get your podcasts and watch our conference highlights.