H. Allan Hunt

H. Allan Hunt Senior Economist

Dr. Hunt has over 30 years’ experience in research and consulting on state and provincial workers’ compensation systems for injured workers. He has conducted research on such systems in Australia, Canada, and the United States. He has also worked with the Social Security Administration on broad disability issues. His work has focused on the adequacy of compensation, the promotion of return to work as an outcome, and program evaluation and improvement.

Brief Bio        Full CV

Expertise

Research Focus: Workers’ Compensation &

 

 

 

Disability

Dr. Hunt is currently working with the Workers Compensation Research Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to build a multi-jurisdictional, empirical base to evaluate the equity, adequacy and efficacy of workers’ compensation benefits. In addition to the adequacy of wage loss replacement, the study will review replacement rates across different wage levels and industry classes to assess the equity of the systems. They will also seek to determine what influences the return-to-work performance of these systems.

Dr. Hunt recently completed a study for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries that sought to explain what caused a very large increase in the number of permanent total disability pensions awarded in the Washington State workers’ compensation system. Work continues on policy options that would address some of the shortcomings that were identified in this study.

Dr. Hunt also just completed a review of the performance of the workers’ compensation system in the Canadian province of British Columbia. This review was based upon his recommendations in an earlier evaluation (Why Not the Best?) conducted for the British Columbia Ministry of Skills Development and Labour in 2002. Dr. Hunt has maintained a research and consulting relationship with the British Columbia workers’ compensation system since 1991.

Recently, Dr. Hunt was named to the Expert Review Panel for the Occupational Health and Safety System in Ontario, Canada. The panel is advising the Ministry of Labour on improvements that can be made to the system to reduce the overall incidence of accidents. Specific issues for the panel include
  • The underground economy and vulnerable workers
  • The roles of system partners, joint health and safety committees
  • Health and safety training in prevention, and general trends in the economy.

Dr. Hunt also serves on the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel for the U.S. Social Security Administration. SSA is developing an occupational information system to support more effective adjudication of disability claims. Dr. Hunt brings his labor market perspective and disability experience to this advisory assignment.