The Legislature has significantly revised the Workers’ Compensation Law. New rules apply to employees injured on or after July 1, 2014. The new law generally reduces potential benefits and makes it more difficult for employees to establish a right to benefits. Trial Courts no longer have any involvement with workers’ compensation cases. All claims are now handled by a newly created Division of Workers’ Compensation. There are procedures for assisting employees to obtain benefits and mediation of all disputes is required. A special court system composed of workers’ compensation judges handles disputed matters and appeals. Only in rare cases can

Small business owners frequently imagine that human resources issues are for big business only. In reality, any number of laws, state and federal, apply to most businesses no matter how small. These include laws governing workplace safety, wages and hours, and workers compensation. Moreover, a business doesn't have to get very big before a number of other laws, including the Tennessee Human Rights Act, come into play. Finally, a growing business sometimes reaches the applicability of federal employment laws, including the ADA and the FMLA, without realizing these laws now apply. Learn how you can be prepared to protect your