NFL PA Advising FA's Not to Sign With Bears

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Don't live in Illinois so I don't follow this, but If I remember, a few years back, there was a lot of issues with the Saints when their owner was pushing some legislation that was anti-player? I don't remember how it ended, but there was a lot of bad press at the time.

 

NFLPA EVP @DeSmithNFLPA will tell free agents not to sign with the Bears if the new Illinois workers' comp act strips injury health care.

 

Chris Emma ‏@CEmma670 4m4 minutes ago

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DeMaurice Smith told @Spiegel_Parkins that the new Illinois workers' comp bill targeting athletes is being pushed by the McCaskey family.

[adam]

Does the NFLPA have the authority to target a team like that? Regardless of who is behind it, if it is a state law, how could the Bears be responsible?

[lemonej]

With a lot of the medical plans changing for companies because of doctors and hospitals getting out of some of the group medical plans because of The ACA. The one thing I have heard along those lines that there may be some lobbyists representing medical professional spearheading that legislation.

 

There has been a big push in this state for years to put a cap on the amounts that can paid out as a result of work related injuries that shouldn't have anything to do with the McCaskeys.

[Mongo3451]

Does the NFLPA have the authority to target a team like that? Regardless of who is behind it, if it is a state law, how could the Bears be responsible?

From what I read the Mccaskeys are behind the push for the legislation.

[adam]

From what I read the Mccaskeys are behind the push for the legislation.

Sure but they can be behind it all they want, but they don't pass state legislation.

[AZ54]

I had no idea Illinois had any law like this. Basically a pro athlete can still makes millions after an injury even if they can work in other fields. Apparently the athletes and their union want these million dollar payouts to last until they are 67 years old. The Bears are saying professional careers, and thus professional career earnings, end at 35 years old therefore that is when the workers comp salary-offset benefit should end for any disability. I agree with the Bears. .

 

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/02/03/dem...mp-bill-passes/

Under Illinois state law, injured workers can claim disability benefits known as a “wage differential award,” a calculation based on two-thirds of the difference between the average salary they could earn pre-injury, and the average salary they could earn in “some suitable employment or business” after the injury.

 

Most permanently injured workers in Illinois can claim compensation benefits until they’re 67 years old. However, legislation sponsored by Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) would end workers’ compensation benefits for professional athletes when they turn 35, unless they can prove their expected playing career would last longer than that.

[adam]

I had no idea Illinois had any law like this. Basically a pro athlete can still makes millions after an injury even if they can work in other fields. Apparently the athletes and their union want these million dollar payouts to last until they are 67 years old. The Bears are saying professional careers, and thus professional career earnings, end at 35 years old therefore that is when the workers comp salary-offset benefit should end for any disability. I agree with the Bears. .

 

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/02/03/dem...mp-bill-passes/

Under Illinois state law, injured workers can claim disability benefits known as a “wage differential award,” a calculation based on two-thirds of the difference between the average salary they could earn pre-injury, and the average salary they could earn in “some suitable employment or business” after the injury.

 

Most permanently injured workers in Illinois can claim compensation benefits until they’re 67 years old. However, legislation sponsored by Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) would end workers’ compensation benefits for professional athletes when they turn 35, unless they can prove their expected playing career would last longer than that.

Full compensation until 67 is crazy. I can see partial compensation, or something like a tax break for a disability, but getting millions for 30 years past their prime is ridiculous.

[Mongo3451]

Sure but they can be behind it all they want, but they don't pass state legislation.

But that's why the NFLPA can target them. Unions can boycott whatever they want.

[Mongo3451]

Full compensation until 67 is crazy. I can see partial compensation, or something like a tax break for a disability, but getting millions for 30 years past their prime is ridiculous.

Agreed

[jason]

That law is obviously not written with pro athletes in mind. Pure greed.

 

It is ridiculous to hold that against the Bears.

[lemonej]

If they are going to do that then base it on a fluctuating scale based on positions and sport because not all professional athletes should be grouped together because Golfers and Bowlers are professional athletes also.

 

In the case of a football, lets use Tom Brady for an example a QB already pass 35 who has showed no signs of slowing down and gets injured in the SB if he played for the Bears and this legislation was passed he would sue and win because of how he is currently playing and the amount of money he could earn in the next couple of years as an athlete which he has indicated that he still plans on doing.

 

I'm almost certain this isn't the first time this ownership has tried to get the attention of the state legislature. Back when Illinois didn't charge income tax to players from other teams and found out this was being done in other states, some of the owners of this states teams were trying with some of the player agents to see if they could avoid this but, instead got Illinois a new revenue flow and made it essential for all professional to fill state income tax returns in almost all the states they play their sport in.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

From what I read the Mccaskeys are behind the push for the legislation.

Along with the other professional sports teams in Illinois (White Sox, Bulls, Hawks, & Cubs). I presume the independent franchises (and minor league teams) are also on board.

[Lucky Luciano]

I had no idea Illinois had any law like this. Basically a pro athlete can still makes millions after an injury even if they can work in other fields. Apparently the athletes and their union want these million dollar payouts to last until they are 67 years old. The Bears are saying professional careers, and thus professional career earnings, end at 35 years old therefore that is when the workers comp salary-offset benefit should end for any disability. I agree with the Bears. .

 

and just when the mccaskey's 'thought' the rumors of their being CHEAP were being put to rest they shoot themselves in the foot to save pennies.

 

the law they want to pass, with the help of THEIR lobbyists and the governor, is BS. it's just another land grab by greedy owners and the corporate NFL who consider their employees replaceable meat suits. they don't just want all the pie, they want the pan it was baked in too.

 

the rebuttals and justifications for passing this law are just calculated red herring's planned and planted by the PR leg of these franchises and corporations to appeal to idiots whose visual (in this case mental) depth perception is comparable to ray charles.

 

if these were viable and just laws, why tack them nearly unheard of to the state budget to try and sneak them through?

[jason]

and just when the mccaskey's 'thought' the rumors of their being CHEAP were being put to rest they shoot themselves in the foot to save pennies.

 

the law they want to pass, with the help of THEIR lobbyists and the governor, is BS. it's just another land grab by greedy owners and the corporate NFL who consider their employees replaceable meat suits. they don't just want all the pie, they want the pan it was baked in too.

 

the rebuttals and justifications for passing this law are just calculated red herring's planned and planted by the PR leg of these franchises and corporations to appeal to idiots whose visual (in this case mental) depth perception is comparable to ray charles.

 

if these were viable and just laws, why tack them nearly unheard of to the state budget to try and sneak them through?

 

So you think and NFL player, who by nature has a limited career, should get millions per year from the McCaskey's (and city?) for decades, even though they are able to work elsewhere like any other person? It's not like they can't work ever again.

[Lucky Luciano]

So you think and NFL player, who by nature has a limited career, should get millions per year from the McCaskey's (and city?) for decades, even though they are able to work elsewhere like any other person? It's not like they can't work ever again.

 

yea, i do. in fact the nfl allots compensation to the franchises for these instances.

 

that said, tell me of ANY other profession where you are paid to literally destroy your body and take physical abuse day after day (other than the military and they are getting a pittance of what they really deserve).

 

these are not the 'electrician or welder' scenario working class hero they want to implant in peoples minds. it's not like joe schmoe can say... hmmmm i think i will become an apprentice and train to be a professional football player when i graduate from high school.

 

there is nobody else in the world can do what they do so to compare them as such is so ridiculous as to be laughable. these are gifted people who have worked nearly their entire lives to reach this level of athlete. to expect them to be compensated like a cook at burger king flipping burgers when they become incapacitated is purely greed on the owners part.

 

these owners make billions, i repeat... BILLIONS. off of these people. the owners and the league understand this and accept it as business expenses before they are ever drafted or acquired to play for their teams.

[ChileBear]

yea, i do. in fact the nfl allots compensation to the franchises for these instances.

 

that said, tell me of ANY other profession where you are paid to literally destroy your body and take physical abuse day after day (other than the military and they are getting a pittance of what they really deserve).

 

these are not the 'electrician or welder' scenario working class hero they want to implant in peoples minds. it's not like joe schmoe can say... hmmmm i think i will become an apprentice and train to be a professional football player when i graduate from high school.

 

there is nobody else in the world can do what they do so to compare them as such is so ridiculous as to be laughable. these are gifted people who have worked nearly their entire lives to reach this level of athlete. to expect them to be compensated like a cook at burger king flipping burgers when they become incapacitated is purely greed on the owners part.

 

these owners make billions, i repeat... BILLIONS. off of these people. the owners and the league understand this and accept it as business expenses before they are ever drafted or acquired to play for their teams.

Well put Lucky. Those poor owners, yeah, right. The players get well compensated, but the owners don't lose a dime in paying them. And it was probably all paid by insurance.

[jason]

yea, i do. in fact the nfl allots compensation to the franchises for these instances.

 

that said, tell me of ANY other profession where you are paid to literally destroy your body and take physical abuse day after day (other than the military and they are getting a pittance of what they really deserve).

 

these are not the 'electrician or welder' scenario working class hero they want to implant in peoples minds. it's not like joe schmoe can say... hmmmm i think i will become an apprentice and train to be a professional football player when i graduate from high school.

 

there is nobody else in the world can do what they do so to compare them as such is so ridiculous as to be laughable. these are gifted people who have worked nearly their entire lives to reach this level of athlete. to expect them to be compensated like a cook at burger king flipping burgers when they become incapacitated is purely greed on the owners part.

 

these owners make billions, i repeat... BILLIONS. off of these people. the owners and the league understand this and accept it as business expenses before they are ever drafted or acquired to play for their teams.

 

If you honestly believe that, we obviously can't agree. To pay them until 67 is insane to me, because the point of the payments is to take care of the reason they can't work anymore. That's one thing for the average joe, because we all have to work until we're almost dead anyway. But for these guys, they don't have to do that. And their careers don't last that long. Which brings me to the other point...

 

You bring up the fact they have a career where they get beat up a lot. First, that's a choice. Aside from that, however, is the entire reason why they shouldn't be paid until 67. They are in a career that they wouldn't work at until their mid-60s. So why should they be compensated until their mid-60s?

[Lucky Luciano]

If you honestly believe that, we obviously can't agree. To pay them until 67 is insane to me, because the point of the payments is to take care of the reason they can't work anymore. That's one thing for the average joe, because we all have to work until we're almost dead anyway. But for these guys, they don't have to do that. And their careers don't last that long. Which brings me to the other point...

 

they ARE NOT average joe's. AGAIN, name ANY OTHER NON MILITARY PROFESSION that the employees are subject to blunt force trauma as a job requirement. CAN YOU?

 

You bring up the fact they have a career where they get beat up a lot. First, that's a choice. Aside from that, however, is the entire reason why they shouldn't be paid until 67. They are in a career that they wouldn't work at until their mid-60s. So why should they be compensated until their mid-60s?

 

YES it's a choice for players to decide on this career. it's ALSO a choice for the owners if they don't like paying damaged players workers comp to SELL their freaking teams to someone who IS willing to pay this built in cost to operate. simple as that.

 

if the NFL corporate doesn't like and can't live with this practice or procedure then just flat out dissolve the NFL so they do not have to pay these 'unfair' allotments of money!!!

 

FINALLY......... if you really want ANY sympathy from me for these poor mistreated owners, have them open up their financial tax forms/records/books to the public and let's see just how much they are being unfairly treated having to pay former players who are permanently disabled. think they would be willing? give the mccaskey's a call and ask them. keep us informed on your progress.

[BearFan PHX]

They get paid market value to sacrifice their bodies, and no one is putting a gun to anyone's head to agree to any contract.

 

To have to pay someone until they are 65 as an NFL starter is ridiculous.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

They get paid market value to sacrifice their bodies, and no one is putting a gun to anyone's head to agree to any contract.

 

To have to pay someone until they are 65 as an NFL starter is ridiculous.

I agree.

[jason]

they ARE NOT average joe's. AGAIN, name ANY OTHER NON MILITARY PROFESSION that the employees are subject to blunt force trauma as a job requirement. CAN YOU?

 

 

 

YES it's a choice for players to decide on this career. it's ALSO a choice for the owners if they don't like paying damaged players workers comp to SELL their freaking teams to someone who IS willing to pay this built in cost to operate. simple as that.

 

if the NFL corporate doesn't like and can't live with this practice or procedure then just flat out dissolve the NFL so they do not have to pay these 'unfair' allotments of money!!!

 

FINALLY......... if you really want ANY sympathy from me for these poor mistreated owners, have them open up their financial tax forms/records/books to the public and let's see just how much they are being unfairly treated having to pay former players who are permanently disabled. think they would be willing? give the mccaskey's a call and ask them. keep us informed on your progress.

 

I don't see anywhere that someone is defending the owners because of their finances.

 

Everyone opposed just appears to think this law, as it currently stands, is ridiculous. Their career never would go to 67. The reason for that age and other professions is because it links up to when theyd stop working. NFL players stop working three decades earlier.

[Lucky Luciano]

I don't see anywhere that someone is defending the owners because of their finances.

 

Everyone opposed just appears to think this law, as it currently stands, is ridiculous. Their career never would go to 67. The reason for that age and other professions is because it links up to when theyd stop working. NFL players stop working three decades earlier.

 

i disagree that it is ridiculous.

 

first, i am in the dark as to how much a payment is paid to players and what the scale and determination is to arriving at a fixed sum. do you have any model examples that have been paid out to professional athletes and how they have implemented payments to players on this? it would seem logical to understand this before anyone would want to cry foul.

 

how convenient it is that the owners and governor have failed to create a forum to bring out the facts and chose to tag this to a hidden bill for the state budget.

 

i believe workman's comp/disability does not give you the full amount of money as it relates to your full salary but is determined by a formula percentage (i could be wrong on this). but, even if it is at the full amount i am still in the camp that this law is just.

 

EXAMPLE: let's say you work at minimum wage in the fast food industry for 3 or 4 years as a youth. as an adult you decide to go into a trade as a union pipe fitter. you pass your tests and work as an apprentice for 2 years until you get certified as a pipe fitter. you work as a full fledged union fitter for 1 year and are injured on the job and become incapacitated.

 

what should your workman's comp pay you? most of your life you worked for minimum wage. is that what you should be compensated for the rest of your life? minimum wage benefits? is that what YOU would accept?

 

in your definition, it was your CHOICE to go into this higher risk job.why should you get paid that higher rate for the next 30-40 years of your life? you knew that being a fitter was certainly more dangerous of an occupation than the minimum wage fast food worker.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: when does the labor clock start on a professional athlete? what counts as time and effort leading to the final results of your profession?

 

in most instances it started as training and hard work in a pre-high school timeframe. if so, that implemented at the LEAST an 8 year window of training, hard work and hard knocks to even GET to the point of being drafted by an NFL team. this was all non paid work in which you personally gave up your time and effort and in the mean time were physically assaulted in the profession you hoped to achieve.

 

so let's see... if you were drafted at age 20 and were incapacitated in the NFL after a 12 year career you were in the '"workforce" per se', of your profession for TWENTY YEARS. that is a vested commitment in nearly any viable company or corporation for a pension.

 

even IF you were injured the first year in the NFL you have already at no expense to the NFL corporate put 8 YEARS with no salary and no benefits into your career. you are an even rarer percentage rate of individual that the 1% billionaires who hired you.

 

your specialty puts you in a class of individuals in which you are one out of 1696 players in a population of 7.5 BILLION people. you are a rarer commodity than the cheap billionaire bastards that hired you by FAR. shouldn't you be compensated as such?

 

 

[jason]

i disagree that it is ridiculous.

 

first, i am in the dark as to how much a payment is paid to players and what the scale and determination is to arriving at a fixed sum. do you have any model examples that have been paid out to professional athletes and how they have implemented payments to players on this? it would seem logical to understand this before anyone would want to cry foul.

 

how convenient it is that the owners and governor have failed to create a forum to bring out the facts and chose to tag this to a hidden bill for the state budget.

 

i believe workman's comp/disability does not give you the full amount of money as it relates to your full salary but is determined by a formula percentage (i could be wrong on this). but, even if it is at the full amount i am still in the camp that this law is just.

 

EXAMPLE: let's say you work at minimum wage in the fast food industry for 3 or 4 years as a youth. as an adult you decide to go into a trade as a union pipe fitter. you pass your tests and work as an apprentice for 2 years until you get certified as a pipe fitter. you work as a full fledged union fitter for 1 year and are injured on the job and become incapacitated.

 

what should your workman's comp pay you? most of your life you worked for minimum wage. is that what you should be compensated for the rest of your life? minimum wage benefits? is that what YOU would accept?

in your definition, it was your CHOICE to go into this higher risk job.why should you get paid that higher rate for the next 30-40 years of your life? you knew that being a fitter was certainly more dangerous of an occupation than the minimum wage fast food worker.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: when does the labor clock start on a professional athlete? what counts as time and effort leading to the final results of your profession?

 

in most instances it started as training and hard work in a pre-high school timeframe. if so, that implemented at the LEAST an 8 year window of training, hard work and hard knocks to even GET to the point of being drafted by an NFL team. this was all non paid work in which you personally gave up your time and effort and in the mean time were physically assaulted in the profession you hoped to achieve.

 

so let's see... if you were drafted at age 20 and were incapacitated in the NFL after a 12 year career you were in the '"workforce" per se', of your profession for TWENTY YEARS. that is a vested commitment in nearly any viable company or corporation for a pension.

 

even IF you were injured the first year in the NFL you have already at no expense to the NFL corporate put 8 YEARS with no salary and no benefits into your career. you are an even rarer percentage rate of individual that the 1% billionaires who hired you.

 

your specialty puts you in a class of individuals in which you are one out of 1696 players in a population of 7.5 BILLION people. you are a rarer commodity than the cheap billionaire bastards that hired you by FAR. shouldn't you be compensated as such?

 

Ultimately, it should pay you for the length of time you were conceivably going to be able to do the job. In 99.9% of jobs, that's up until retirement age, if not a bit sooner. In the case of professional athletes, that's not the same.

[Lucky Luciano]

Ultimately, it should pay you for the length of time you were conceivably going to be able to do the job. In 99.9% of jobs, that's up until retirement age, if not a bit sooner. In the case of professional athletes, that's not the same.

 

really?

 

"The Average Number of Times People Change Jobs

 

Today, the average person changes jobs ten to fifteen times (with an average of 12 job changes) during his or her career.

 

Many workers spend five years or less in every job, so they devote more time and energy transitioning from one job to another.

 

Gender and Age Factors

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that people born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 11.7 jobs from ages 18 to 48. Remarkably, women held almost as many jobs as men despite taking more time out of their career for child-rearing activities. On average, men held 11.8 jobs and women held 11.5 jobs. 25% percent held 15 jobs or more while 12% held four jobs or less.

 

A worker's age impacted the number of jobs that they held in any period. Workers held an average of 5.5 jobs during the six-year period when they were 18 - 24 years old."

 

Courtesy of https://www.thebalance.com/how-often-do-peo...ge-jobs-2060467

[jason]

really?

 

"The Average Number of Times People Change Jobs

 

Today, the average person changes jobs ten to fifteen times (with an average of 12 job changes) during his or her career.

 

Many workers spend five years or less in every job, so they devote more time and energy transitioning from one job to another.

 

Gender and Age Factors

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that people born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 11.7 jobs from ages 18 to 48. Remarkably, women held almost as many jobs as men despite taking more time out of their career for child-rearing activities. On average, men held 11.8 jobs and women held 11.5 jobs. 25% percent held 15 jobs or more while 12% held four jobs or less.

 

A worker's age impacted the number of jobs that they held in any period. Workers held an average of 5.5 jobs during the six-year period when they were 18 - 24 years old."

 

Courtesy of https://www.thebalance.com/how-often-do-peo...ge-jobs-2060467

 

All those job changes don't mean anything or change the point I was making. Those professions all work towards about the same age range (i.e. retirement age).

 

You're confusing "number of jobs" with "type of jobs".