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Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Attorneys in my area rarely use economists. I encountered them rarely, mainly on out of state cases. Some seemed to want to dumb stuff down and seemed to often not understand what earning capacity is solely focusing on what the individual was doing at moment of injury as in a WC case.  Compensation and earning capacity, (including benefit value) is IMO more the domain of VE.

I have seen both economists and incompetent VE say that since Joe or Sally "did not have benefits when injured benefit value is zero. Such demonstrates ignorance, bias or likely both. All employed workers have benefit of FICA, etc. Plus, loss of earning capacity NEVER should be artificially and illogically limited to focus on only the specific job or even sole occupation the individual did at DOI. Rather what the individual had/lost opportunity to access in the labor market.. Therefore, what the typical worker generally, or specifically by trade, public/private sector, occupational group must be the focus. People routinely change employers and change occupations in a worklife. Self-employed workers decide to become employed workers. 

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation – December 2024

This is what many of us use to get an accurate picture. It is quite fascinating. Spoken as a nerd. I tended to most often used a 25 percent value (wage x 1.25) to capture value of benefits in total compensation. Sometimes more or less depending upon variables. Use of the tables may in some instances suggest a much higher value but avoiding double dips and being conservative is good.

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour 
worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer 
costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Jennifer:    apologies for the delayed response.

I try to pay attention to all those "either-or" scenarios, which, do not need to be such.   Most times, growth and answers may be rightfully found in a blend.   The use of an "and" scenario may well be appropriate, as I believe it is in this case.

I am one who, as a VRC or VC, do opine on benefits-- in some cases.   And the use of the cite you noted is as authoritative as it gets.  When I think back to my early years of providing detailed Rehab Plan, the benefit part of RTW was indeed one of the components of assisting a person with disability in planning for their future.  In addition, the information which you state here is from a public domain, which does not need a credential to cite, or use as baseline.  In addition, most helpful to me is the ability to combine and average more than one of its Tables, if indeed the evaluee more correctly is identified by doing so.  

Would an economist tackle the question of benefits (alone) differently?   Some do, others don't.  I do limit myself however to cases in which there are no complexities (Present Value, T-Bill values, inflation, business valuations, etc.) for which I am neither trained nor certified.  That leaves more than 80 percent of these in which I may and do appropriately and affirmatively respond, in my experience.  When a contradiction, critique, or large disparity of dollars may occur between me and the opposing side, I confidently compare apples to apple and notably explain the use of published BLS stats, as my methodology baseline.   No problem. 

Furthermore, I do not see any issue with the "staying in my lane" argument.  As described above, the VRC or VR is well within their scope to opine on past and future earning capacity, which includes benefits in addition to wages.   Just because one is honest enough to admit that not being able to do complex geometry, does not mean one cannot do the basic 4 functions of math.   As such, once again, I attest that Benefits, WorkLife, and even Household Services may be well within our "lane" and am very confident that these types of analyses are within mine in particular, without being an Economist.  It is the extent of the sophistication (experience, credentialization, and knowledge) in which I would err if I were go further.   Your topic is not limited to an either-or question, which may unnecessarily confine the potential reply.  Hence, I am very glad that you asked.  

My long-term membership in and service on the AREA Board- to include a recent 2-term Presidency therein, have only solidified my stance on the topic and helped me with learning more.   I hope this helps.  Good luck!

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity

Jennifer:    apologies for the delayed response.

I try to pay attention to all those "either-or" scenarios, which, do not need to be such.   Most times, growth and answers may be rightfully found in a blend.   The use of an "and" scenario may well be appropriate, as I believe it is in this case.

I am one who, as a VRC or VC, do opine on benefits-- in some cases.   And the use of the cite you noted is as authoritative as it gets.  When I think back to my early years of providing detailed Rehab Plan, the benefit part of RTW was indeed one of the components of assisting a person with disability in planning for their future.  In addition, the information which you state here is from a public domain, which does not need a credential to cite, or use as baseline.  In addition, most helpful to me is the ability to combine and average more than one of its Tables, if indeed the evaluee more correctly is identified by doing so.  

Would an economist tackle the question of benefits (alone) differently?   Some do, others don't.  I do limit myself however to cases in which there are no complexities (Present Value, T-Bill values, inflation, business valuations, etc.) for which I am neither trained nor certified.  That leaves more than 80 percent of these in which I may and do appropriately and affirmatively respond, in my experience.  When a contradiction, critique, or large disparity of dollars may occur between me and the opposing side, I confidently compare apples to apple and notably explain the use of published BLS stats, as my methodology baseline.   No problem. 

Furthermore, I do not see any issue with the "staying in my lane" argument.  As described above, the VRC or VR is well within their scope to opine on past and future earning capacity, which includes benefits in addition to wages.   Just because one is honest enough to admit that not being able to do complex geometry, does not mean one cannot do the basic 4 functions of math.   As such, once again, I attest that Benefits, WorkLife, and even Household Services may be well within our "lane" and am very confident that these types of analyses are within mine in particular, without being an Economist.  It is the extent of the sophistication (experience, credentialization, and knowledge) in which I would err if I were go further.   Your topic is not limited to an either-or question, which may unnecessarily confine the potential reply.  Hence, I am very glad that you asked.  

My long-term membership in and service on the AREA Board- to include a recent 2-term Presidency therein, have only solidified my stance on the topic and helped me with learning more.   I hope this helps.  Good luck!

Good morning ,
      I would like input on employee fringe benefits when performing a Vocational Loss Earning Capacity Evaluation. Is this more so an economist who performs this type of review? I
d have a file where there is no economist present but the person evaluated obviously has loss of benefits as well as she was employed by the state. I listed two
articles below that provide better insight on the calculation of fringe benefits. What say you........ Is this the scope of a economist or as a Vocational Expert would calculating such loss be usual and customary?



US Census Economic News Release

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Summary
Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $63.46 per hour worked in December 2024. Wages and salaries averaged $39.22 and accounted for 61.8 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $24.23 and accounted for 38.2 percent.

The double whammy in calculating loss of earning capacity. (n.d.). https://plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/the-double-whammy-in-calculating-loss-of-earning-capacity