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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Cavender (573)
751-7500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 27, 2007
Jeff Buker Named Workers’ Compensation Director
Jefferson City, MO – Rod Chapel, director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations today announced the appointment of Jeff Buker to serve as the Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation.
“Jeff has been a tremendous asset to the Division of Workers’ Compensation,” said Chapel. “He has a depth of knowledge and understanding of the workers’ compensation system and I look forward to working with him in this position.”
Buker holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s in business administration from Lincoln University. He has worked on various division projects over the past year and a half involving self insurance and the second injury fund.
“I’m looking forward to addressing the challenges that face the Division of Workers’ Compensation and the second injury fund,” said Jeff Buker. “I’ve been working closely with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP to fulfill Governor Blunt’s request for an actuarial study of the second injury fund. PricewaterhouseCoopers is researching the boost in expenditures, including cases that receive immediate payouts and how that has contributed to the increase from $18 to $63 million in total benefits paid since 1994.”
Governor Blunt requested an actuarial study be completed after his disappointment in the scope and lack of recommendations with the Missouri State Auditor’s report. Governor Blunt specifically requested solid facts and numbers to show the dramatic growth in expenditures, the affect of the Schoemehl case and administration costs. PricewaterhouseCoopers final report will be available next week.
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Information and Planning · 421 East Dunklin
· P.O. Box 504 · Jefferson City, MO
65102-0504
573-751-7500 · 573-751-6552 (Fax)
Relay Missouri: 1-800-735-2966 (TDD) 1-800-735-2466 (Voice)