2025 Theo Award Winner: TrueBlue

TrueBlue, a global staffing company with over three decades of experience, built its reputation on connecting people with meaningful work opportunities. Known as “The People Company,” TrueBlue’s mission emphasizes putting people first in everything they do. This commitment extends seamlessly into their workers’ compensation program, where the organization has developed groundbreaking approaches to supporting injured workers in one of the most challenging industry environments.

The staffing industry presents unique workplace safety challenges that most other industries simply don’t face. TrueBlue employees work across disparate workplaces that the company doesn’t directly control, requiring innovative approaches to safety oversight and claims management.

“It’s incredibly challenging, and it’s probably gotten more so in the digital age,” explained Brent Pickens, Vice President of Risk Management. “With our customers, we want to ensure we are sharing responsibility properly. They still have control of the creation and correction of hazards on their work sites, but we try to understand what those are.”

Tackling the Problem

When Brent Pickens joined TrueBlue in 2019, he brought extensive experience from building successful safety and claims programs in the staffing industry. Drawing on his proven track record, Pickens immediately recognized an opportunity to elevate TrueBlue’s workers’ compensation program to new heights.

His strategic assessment revealed significant potential for improvement in claims management efficiency, with claim closure rates presenting clear opportunities for enhancement through innovative approaches that had proven successful in his previous roles.

Rather than attempting internal solutions, TrueBlue made the strategic decision to partner with Aon as a consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of their workers’ compensation program, demonstrating the company’s commitment to finding the best possible solution.

After a competitive selection process, TrueBlue chose Gallagher Bassett as its new TPA based on Gallagher Bassett’s comprehensive suite of reports, scorecards, and data analytics capabilities, along with their culture and commitment to employee retention that aligned perfectly with TrueBlue’s values.

TrueBlue established an innovative governance structure rooted in strategic objectives of reducing total cost of risk, enhancing claim closure rates, and implementing robust reserving controls.

The governance approach includes multiple touchpoints throughout the year. Monthly meetings focus on progress tracking and identifying enhancement opportunities. Quarterly claim and litigation reviews concentrate on resolving high-cost claims and reducing suits. Annual stewardship meetings review overall program performance and develop action plans.

Revolutionary Partnership Conference Model

One of TrueBlue’s most innovative initiatives is their annual in-person partnership conference with adjusters. This unique approach brings together all stakeholders to ensure perfect alignment on service instructions, audit criteria, reserving philosophy, and claim handling procedures.

Brent Pickens, Vice President of Risk Management, TrueBlue

“There’s nothing like building those human relationships between very busy professionals to make sure that you are all on the same page,” Pickens explained. “We have people come in and train on best practices. We have nurses come in, we have lawyers come in, we have the surveillance professionals come in and all talk about how to partner with them well.”

The conference includes comprehensive training from medical network providers, legal professionals, and surveillance experts. This innovative approach ensures that everyone involved in the claims process understands available resources and how to use them effectively to deliver optimal care for injured workers.

TrueBlue’s partnership model extends beyond traditional vendor relationships. The company treats adjusters as integral team members, offering comprehensive training, helping to drive better outcomes.

“We purposely treat our adjusters as part of our team, and we want them to be trained,” Pickens said. “It matters so much in an environment where getting people the right medical treatment they need at the time they need it is critical.”

TrueBlue’s comprehensive approach delivered remarkable results that demonstrate the power of strategic partnership and innovative governance. The company successfully transferred open claims from their previous TPA to Gallagher Bassett, and 36 months later, achieved an exceptional closure rate for legacy claims.

“That was a massive accomplishment, but we lined up the right governance to get it done,” Pickens said.

The success extended far beyond legacy claim resolution. TrueBlue increased closure rates for newly arising files and reduced average days to close. The company achieved a significant reduction in incurred costs on pending claims while simultaneously improving service to injured workers — proving that exceptional care and cost efficiency work hand in hand.

Organization: TrueBlue * Location: Tacoma, Wash. * Number of Employees: 4,200 * Category: At Large

The governance structure proved crucial to sustained success. The emphasis on adjuster retention and supervision created continuity that enhanced relationship-building and claim management effectiveness. TrueBlue’s focus on treating adjusters as team members, combined with comprehensive training fostered a collaborative environment focused on worker care.

Success to Build On

TrueBlue’s transformation demonstrates how strategic partnerships, robust governance, and an unwavering focus on employee care can dramatically improve workers’ compensation outcomes in even the most challenging industry environments. The company’s success stems from recognizing that effective claims management requires genuine commitment to helping injured workers recover and return to productive employment.

The partnership between TrueBlue, Aon, and Gallagher Bassett created a system that efficiently resolves claims while prioritizing injured worker care. This approach enables TrueBlue to advance their mission of connecting people and work while ensuring those workers receive proper support when injuries occur.

Pickens’ leadership throughout this transformation exemplifies the strategic thinking that makes successful workers’ compensation programs possible. His systematic approach to partnership building, innovative governance structures, and unwavering focus on worker care have created a blueprint that other staffing companies are studying and adapting.

“If your focus remains on keeping an individual person safe and then getting them well, you can’t go wrong because your mind and your heart are in the right place, and everything else kind of flows from that logically,” Pickens reflected. “You need the right partners to help make sure that goes well and that people are able to get back out supporting their families, supporting themselves with not just the money that comes from work, but the dignity that comes from work.”

TrueBlue continues to refine and enhance its workers’ compensation program, always keeping its people-first philosophy at the center. Their experience demonstrates that when organizations recognize the inherent value of every worker and implement systematic approaches to care, remarkable achievements become not just possible, but inevitable. &

The Theo Award celebrates its sophomore year, honoring 32 workers’ compensation programs for their excellence and service to workers across the nation. To learn more about the award and amazing qualities each winner possesses, visit here.

New Jersey WCMCO vs MCO

The importance of care direction and the provider network.

Workers’ compensation is designed to provide medical care and wage replacement to employees who suffer job related injuries or illnesses. In New Jersey, workers’ compensation is regulated by the Division of Workers’ Compensation under the Department of Labor and Workforce development.

A critical component of a successful workers’ compensation system lies in how medical care is delivered and managed. This is where the distinction between a Workers’ Compensation Managed Care Organization (WCMCO) and a traditional Managed Care Organization (MCO) becomes especially important. Horizon Casualty Services (HCS) is an affiliate of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; however, the product that HCS delivers to its clients – a robust occupational health network – is different than the medical products that Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey delivers to its members.

A WCMCO is specifically designed to address the unique needs of the workers’ compensation system. A traditional MCO operates in the group insurance space focusing on providing access to routine and preventive care and managing complex health care needs in the right setting, while a WCMCO is structured around the effective and appropriate management of occupational injuries. A WCMCO focuses on timely treatment, appropriate return to work strategies, and regulatory compliance within the workers’ compensation framework. While both types of organizations manage provider networks and oversee care delivery, a WCMCO must adhere to different standards and legal obligations specific to workplace injuries. A WCMCO must focus solely on the claimant’s injury and not take into consideration the claimant’s other health conditions.

Provider networks play a pivotal role in the effectiveness of the overall workers’ compensation process. These networks are composed of physicians and specialists experienced in occupational medicine and trained in the documentation and protocols necessary for managing work related injuries. HCS partners with providers on education, a critical component to maintaining its prominent status in New Jersey. Using specialized oversight strategies also ensures providers meet performance benchmarks. This includes regular quality audits, outcome tracking, adherence to evidence-based guidelines such as ODG, and prompt communication with all parties involved in the claim.

WCMCOs focus on return-to-work outcomes, or the complexities of workers’ compensation claims management. The HCS provider network has been cultivated over the last 30 years to streamline and identify the best occupational health providers in New Jersey. HCS established and maintains its own Outcomes Focused Network (OFN) which ensures claimants will receive optimal care.

Heidi Coluni, Director of Provider Network Services, HCS

Heidi Coluni, Director of Provider Network Services, HCS, added “When I joined the organization almost 5 years ago, I did not realize how different a WCMCO operates from an MCO and the utmost importance of having the right provider in place the very first time an injured worker is seen. The OFN that my team has built over the years under Maura Berger, RN, ensures that our clients have access to not only providers, but access to providers who understand the difference between an injured worker and an insurance member.”

“I quickly learned that it’s nearly impossible to treat an injured worker like a member, so I dropped my MCO mindset,” Coluni added.

One of the most important advantages of having the right provider network in place is the ability to direct care from the outset of a claim. In New Jersey, employers have the right to choose the treating physician for workers’ compensation claims. This means that if a robust and high-performing provider network is already established, the employer or insurance carrier can quickly direct the injured worker to a highly qualified, in-network physician who specializes in occupational injuries. The early intervention is critical for several reasons:

1) Getting the injured worker to the right doctor early improves diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes. A provider familiar with work-related injuries will not only treat the condition effectively but will also be equipped to assess work restrictions and recovery timelines.

2) Early and appropriate care can reduce the likelihood of complications or delayed recovery, which in turn lowers the cost of the claim.

3) Timely and transparent communication from the provider helps claims adjusters make informed decisions quickly, preventing administrative delays and ensuring that benefits are delivered without unnecessary interruptions. Collaborating with providers ensures that notes are delivered promptly, and causality statements are clear right from the start.

Moreover, the direction of care at the beginning of the claim helps establish a framework for consistent, goal-oriented treatment. With the right providers in place, treatment plans are more likely to align with return-to-work goals and avoid unnecessary procedures or referrals. This coordination promotes accountability between workers, employers, and insurers.

The structure and oversight of medical provider networks are essential components of the workers’ compensation system in New Jersey. By leveraging the strengths of a well-managed provider network, employers and insurers can ensure that injured workers receive prompt, effective care from the right specialists. This early direction of care not only enhances recovery outcomes for the injured workers but also contributes to the overall success and efficiency of the workers’ compensation claim process. HCS is well poised to offer its workers’ compensation clients and prospective clients a network of professionals focused on occupational health throughout New Jersey.

For More Information

To learn more, email Jed Hoban, HCS Business Development Executive, at [email protected] or visit or visit https://www.horizonblue.com/horizoncasualty/.

About Horizon Casualty Services, Inc.

HCS, in business since 1994, is a leading PPO in New Jersey WC and PIP. HCS has a 100% direct-contracted provider network that includes almost all New Jersey acute care hospitals. The network delivers significant overall savings and, with its deep focus on precision, an extremely low appeals rate. Its PPO results, combined with its Healthcare Value Strategy and Outcomes Focused Network, enable insurers to be the best at delivering quality medical care to claimants at the right cost — clearly a win-win for all. HCS and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

This article was produced by the R&I Brand Studio, a unit of the advertising department of Risk & Insurance, in collaboration with Horizon Casualty Services, Inc. The editorial staff of Risk & Insurance had no role in its preparation.

Horizon Casualty Services Inc., an affiliate of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, in business since 1994, is a leading PPO in New Jersey workers' compensation and personal injury protection. The company's 100% direct-contracted provider network includes almost all New Jersey acute care hospitals, significant overall WC savings and, with its deep focus on precision, an extremely low WC appeals rate of 0.2%. Its PPO results, combined with its WC healthcare value and OFN strategy, enables insurers to be the best at delivering quality medical care to claimants at the right cost — clearly a win-win for all.

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