Oakland, CA – The California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) has announced that registration is open for its 58^th Annual Meeting, which is planned as a live event on Tuesday, March 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Pacific) at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.  For those who are unable to attend the live event, there will be an “Encore” broadcast with live Q&A on Thursday, March 10^th at 9:00 a.m.

The theme of this year’s meeting will be “Are We There Yet?” an acknowledgement and analysis of our industry’s dual state of mind after almost two years of working through the worldwide pandemic and the anticipation of returning to “normal.”  CWCI staff and guest speakers will examine both the current environment as well as the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the California workers’ compensation community as we move toward and into the post-pandemic environment.  The meeting will include the following:

• Dr. Mark Schniepp, Director of the California Economic Forecast, will examine the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on the California and the U.S. economies, the “great resignation,” and the economic outlook for the year ahead. 
• CWCI’s Rena David and Alex Swedlow will present a 3-part Research Update on COVID-19’s continuing impact on California workers’ compensation, changes in medical-legal utilization and reimbursement under the new medical-legal fee schedule, and injured worker access to medical care. 
• Industry advocates Jason Schmelzer and Jeremy Merz will discuss the 2022 legislative and regulatory environment. 
• Veteran defense attorney Michael Marks will wrap up the meeting, revisiting the theme of “Are We There Yet?” by reviewing how our current system operates, examining how well it fulfills the original workers’ compensation grand bargain, and providing his insights on what is left to accomplish and whether or not we can ever “get there.” 

CWCI’s 58^th Annual Meeting is free to CWCI member company employees, regulators, and the press; $325 for all others.  The live meeting will begin with a Continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m., and will also include a luncheon from noon to 1:00 p.m.  All those planning to attend the March 8 live event or the March 10 Encore broadcast must preregister.  To register and get information on the Lesher Center, the meeting agenda, and hotel options, go to conferences.html.  If you have questions, please call CWCI at 510-251-9470 or email pmedrano@cwci.org.

Please Note:  To balance our desire to meet in person with the safety of all attendees, CWCI and the Lesher Center will abide by all COVID-19 public health directives from Contra Costa County’s Health Director.  Currently those directives include masking requirements and proof of full vaccination, with medical and religious exemptions allowed if specified criteria detailed on the Lesher Center Website are met, but please note that these criteria are subject to change so please check the website before attending the live event.  The Lesher Center is large enough to allow for necessary distancing for attendees.