The United States Labor Department released a report today that calls for deeper investigations into federal oversight and federal minimum benefits. The report examines changes in state workers’ compensation legislation, which have resulted in systems failing to provide injured employees with adequate benefits. The Labor Department also suggests revisiting a commission by the Nixon administration in 1972, which called upon Congress to take action if states failed to comply with recommended minimum benefits for employees. In an effort to prompt federal action, the report specifically details the government’s involvement in promoting benefit standards since 1939.
See "Labor Report Urges Study Of A Federal Role In State Workers' Comp Laws", Howard Berkes, NPR, October 5, 2016