Frequently Asked Questions

About WCRI

How does WCRI select its research topics?

WCRI has a Research Committee which establishes the research priorities of the Institute.

How does WCRI ensure the quality of its research?

WCRI collects data in accordance with recognized scientific methods and further ensures quality through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. Nearly all of WCRI’s studies are sent to at least two external technical peer-reviewers and also to a very broad set of practitioners. Technical reviewers are selected because of their demonstrated, relevant expertise in the subject matter and/or research methods of the specific report. The studies are published only if the technical peer-reviewers, not WCRI members or management, sign-off on the study. Practitioners are selected to represent all of the major stakeholder groups affected by the report’s findings in each state covered by a study. All of these practitioners receive information about the study by email and are invited to comment. If they do submit comments, they are taken seriously, answered, and can sometimes result in changes to the study.

Does WCRI make policy recommendations?

WCRI does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather the institute provides research to help inform stakeholders in the system and ground debates within it.

How is WCRI funded?

WCRI is an independent, not-for-profit research organization which is funded by its members.

Membership

What are the membership categories?

There are full members and associate members of the Institute.  Please click here for more details on membership categories.

Who can join WCRI?

Membership in the Institute is open to insured and self-insured employers, insurers, reinsurers, national trade and professional associations, national labor organizations, universities, insurance brokers, third-party administrators, managed care organizations, other service providers, and law firms.

Associate memberships are available in several categories:

• Public sector: available to state workers' compensation agencies (except state funds), insurance commissioners, labor departments, and foreign entities
• Labor association: available to state labor organizations
• Ratings organization: available to ratings organizations

What is the cost of membership?

The cost of membership varies depending on the type of organization you are. Please click here for more details.

Who are WCRI members?

For a list of all WCRI members, please click here.

How can I apply for membership?

For an application for membership, please click here.

Governance

Who is on WCRI's Board of Directors?

Click here to see WCRI’s Board of Directors.

What are the responsibilities of the Board of Directors?

The responsibility of policy-making rests with the Institute’s Board of Directors.

How often does the Board meet?

The Board meets three times year.

Who is on WCRI’s Research Committee?

Click here to see who is on WCRI’s Research Committee.

What are the responsibilities of the Research Committee?

The research committee establishes the research priorities for the Institute and plays a key role in assuring the quality and practical value of the Institute's studies.

Publications

How can I obtain a publication if I am a member?

If you have logged in with your member user name and password, you can download a publication directly from the publication’s report page.

How can I obtain a publication if I am a non-member?

If you are not a member, you can purchase one of our report's from the publication's report page.

News & Media

How do I get on WCRI’s press list?

For all press and media related questions, please contact Andrew Kenneally at akenneally@wcrinet.org or call 617-661-9274 ext. 257.

Who do I contact for media inquiries?

For all press and media related questions, please contact Andrew Kenneally at akenneally@wcrinet.org or call 617-661-9274 ext. 257.

How do I contact WCRI research experts?

Please contact us here with any questions for our research experts.

Annual Conference & Webinars

What is the annual conference?

Each year WCRI hosts its Annual Issues & Research Conference where WCRI researchers present their work and engage in panels with other experts in the workers' compensation community to discuss the important issues of the time.

Contact & Directions

How do I contact WCRI?

You can email WCRI at wcri@wcrinet.org or you can phone us at 617-661-9274 (WCRI).

You can also fill out our Contact Us form by clicking here.

Where is WCRI located?

WCRI is located in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts at 955 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.

Privacy Policy and Legal Notices

Privacy

At the WCRI web site, user privacy is of utmost importance. This section explains what type of information is collected from you when you visit our web site. WCRI does not collect personally-identifying information from the WCRI web site unless you choose to provide that information to us. All of the information collected by WCRI is used for internal WCRI purposes only and is not distributed to outside parties.

We collect financial information to bill you for the products and services you indicate. We have taken several steps to protect this information against loss or misuse. First, we store no financial information on our site. Second, the personal information we store on our system is protected by firewall and password. Your contact information may be used to contact you about issues related to your account, the release of new reports, and upcoming events.

The WCRI web site uses cookies and server logs to gather statistical information to understand site usage and to improve the content and offerings on our website. We do not collect any individually identifying information about a user. The collected information includes the following:

• The type of browser and operating system they use to visit our site
• The date and time of when they access our site
• Which portions of the website they visit and for how long
• How they come to our site (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
• How many use a mobile device

WCRI may use a third party e-mail service provider, such as Constant Contact, to send out, track, and manage our e-mail communications. Constant Contact is prohibited from using individual personal information for any purpose other than sending out e-mail communications from WCRI. For Constant Contact’s complete privacy policy, refer to Privacy Policy in the footer of a Constant Contact email.

Any changes to these notices will be posted to this page as soon as reasonably possible. Use of the WCRI web site constitutes consent to any policy then in effect.

 

Applicable Law

This site is created and controlled by WCRI in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. As such, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will govern these disclaimers, terms, and conditions, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of laws. We reserve the right to make changes to our site and these disclaimers, terms and conditions at any time. 

 

Copyright

All content included on this site, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images and software, is the property of the WCRI and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. The compilation of all content on this site is the exclusive property of WCRI and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Any use, including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, display or performance of the content of this site is strictly prohibited. 

 

Disclaimer

This site is provided by WCRI on an "as is" basis. WCRI makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the site or the information, content, materials, or products included on this site. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, WCRI disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall WCRI be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss or use or performance on any information posted on this site. 

If you have any questions or comments concerning our privacy policy or legal notices, please contact us at Workers Compensation Research Institute, 955 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.