Injured DC Workers Collect $8 Million in Overdue COLA

Checks totaling over $8 million in cost of living increases owed from 2003-2007 were mailed out August 5 to DC government workers injured on the job. "Finally these workers -- struggling not only with their work-related injuries, but also inadequate workers comp benefits -- are getting justice," said Wendy Kahn, chief attorney at Zwerdling, Paul, Kahn & Wolly, P.C., which pursued the years-long class action lawsuit on behalf of the injured workers. "Justice delayed is justice denied and for way too many years, it was certainly delayed to these union workers." The long-overdue payments come nine years after the District was sued for refusing to pay cost of living adjustments (COLAs) to unionized DC employees - members of the labor council's public sector affiliates- out on disability/workers’ comp. Non-union injured workers were receiving COLA payments, but unionized injured workers were not and this discriminatory treatment was finally remedied in the courts in 2015, with the help of the Labor Council, which lobbied the Mayor and City Council to get the worker's comp office to finally settle the case. 
- Kathleen McKirchy

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