Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 9/28/2023 - 6:00 PM
Category: Personnel Votes
Type: Action
Subject: 13.2 Resolution by the Board of Education of the City of Newark, County of Essex to Authorize Settlement of Workers Compensation Claims and to Authorize Claims Resolution Corporation, Inc. to Disburse Funds
Strategic Plans:
Priority 1.4
1.4 Attract and recruit highly effective and qualified staff who are excellent matches for the district, develop a pipeline of candidates for hard-to-fill areas, and provide support to all employees that enables and empowers them to fulfill their role in our mission.
Enclosure
File Attachment:
Summary: WHEREAS certain Workers Compensation Claimants ("Claimants") have filed Employee Petitions ("Claims") against the Board of Education of the City of Newark, County of Essex (the "Board") and/or the Newark Public Schools ("District") with the Division of Workers' Compensation seeking awards for their permanent disability; and

WHEREAS the Board's Third Party Administrator for Workers Compensation Claims, Claims Resolution Corporation, Inc. ("CRC"), and workers' compensation counsel have recommended resolving the Claims by payment of the amounts set forth herein; and

WHEREAS all parties to these Claims desire to resolve all matters in dispute and have agreed to the terms set forth in their respective Settlement Agreements, subject to approval by a Workers Compensation Judge;

WHEREAS settlement of these Claims is in the best interest of the Board since it avoids the cost and uncertain conclusion of protracted and costly proceedings at the expense of the public;

WHEREAS all parties acknowledge that the payments authorized herein do not constitute any admission of liability on the part of the Board;
Funding :
Recommendation to the Board: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Newark Board of Education hereby approves and authorizes the settlements with Claimants, authorizes the Board's worker's compensation counsel to enter into Settlement with Dismissal in Workers' Compensation Court on behalf of the Board, and authorizes CRC to disburse funds as follows:

1. Payment not to exceed $35,000.00 on Claims # 313-36403;
2. Payment not to exceed $12,381.00 on Claims # 313-36694,313-36712;
3. Payment not to exceed $5,000.00 on Claims # 313-37156;
4. Payment not to exceed $10,000.00 on Claims # 313-37001;
5. Payment not to exceed $25,560.00 on Claims # 313-37602;
6. Payment not to exceed $19,845.00 on Claims # 313-37031;
7. Payment not to exceed $4,989.00 on Claims # 313-35080;
8. Payment not to exceed $8,000.00 on Claims # 313-37704;
9. Payment not to exceed $7,560.00 on Claims # 313-36899;
10. Payment not to exceed $10,000.00 on Claims # 313-35945;
11. Payment not to exceed $18,285.75 on Claims # 313-0037433.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Dr. Yolanda Mendez - Assistant Superintendent
Signed By:
Valerie Wilson - School Business Administrator
Signed By:
Roger León - Superintendent
Vote Results:

Original Motion
Member Josephine Garcia Moved, Member Hasani Council seconded to approve the Original motion 'NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Newark Board of Education hereby approves and authorizes the settlements with Claimants, authorizes the Board's worker's compensation counsel to enter into Settlement with Dismissal in Workers' Compensation Court on behalf of the Board, and authorizes CRC to disburse funds as follows:

1. Payment not to exceed $35,000.00 on Claims # 313-36403;
2. Payment not to exceed $12,381.00 on Claims # 313-36694,313-36712;
3. Payment not to exceed $5,000.00 on Claims # 313-37156;
4. Payment not to exceed $10,000.00 on Claims # 313-37001;
5. Payment not to exceed $25,560.00 on Claims # 313-37602;
6. Payment not to exceed $19,845.00 on Claims # 313-37031;
7. Payment not to exceed $4,989.00 on Claims # 313-35080;
8. Payment not to exceed $8,000.00 on Claims # 313-37704;
9. Payment not to exceed $7,560.00 on Claims # 313-36899;
10. Payment not to exceed $10,000.00 on Claims # 313-35945;
11. Payment not to exceed $18,285.75 on Claims # 313-0037433.'. Upon a Roll-Call Vote being taken, the vote was: Aye: 7 Nay: 0.
The motion Carried 7 - 0
   
Josephine Garcia     Yes
Dawn Haynes     Yes
A'Dorian Murray-Thomas     Yes
Hasani Council     Yes
Daniel Gonzalez     Yes
Crystal Williams     Yes
Allison K. James-Frison     Yes