I’m not sure what this all means, but I suspect it’s another move by Gov. Snyder that will not sit well with the labor unions.
Snyder announced a couple hours ago that in “his drive to improve government service and efficiency” he is overhauling the state process of hearing cases by workers that are challenging their company’s refusal to grant workers’ compensation benefits or unemployment benefits.
By executive order, the governor is creating the Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission to replace the Workers’ Compensation Appellate Commission and the Employment Security Board of Review.
“With this reorganization, Michigan becomes a model of efficiency for appellate decisions in these two case areas,” Snyder said. “It provides greater flexibility in addressing fluctuating caseload levels and variations.”
The newly minted Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission will consolidate current operations by considering appeals of decisions issued by magistrates and administrative law judges related to unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation benefits.The new legal entity, according to the Snyder administration, will be able to respond nimbly and appropriately to shifts in caseloads.
The commission will consist of nine members appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate. The executive order also requires that the new appellate commissioners be evaluated under defined standards to ensure that appeals are handled in a timely, knowledgeable and appropriate manner, and that the commissioners adhere to productivity and timeliness standards.
This may be simply another example of the “nerd” governor finding obscure ways to streamline the state bureaucracy. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the outcome is another outcry that says Snyder is anti-union.
Stay tuned.
