The City of Tucson faced a daunting challenge in 2020 when its Experience Modification Rating (EMOD) reached an all-time high of 1.37. The municipal government, which employs thousands across diverse departments from public safety to public works, recognized that this upward trend threatened both employee wellbeing and financial sustainability.
Under the leadership of Workers’ Compensation Manager Sara Hussak and her team, including Noemi Mills, Lead Workers’ Compensation Analyst, partnered with a consultant and Vince Tracey, the city’s Safety and Health Loss Control Manager, the City embarked on a comprehensive transformation that would ultimately drive their EMOD down to 0.88 by 2024.
The City achieved its dramatic improvement during a period when no risk manager was in place from June 2023 through September 2024.
Tackling the Problem
The City’s approach centered on identifying and addressing root causes rather than simply managing symptoms. Through careful analysis, the team discovered several critical issues undermining its program: volunteer hours weren’t being captured accurately, salary for law enforcement volunteers was under-reported, physicians were placing employees off-duty when light duty was available, and routine physical therapy was being prescribed without proper evaluation…