May News Brief

Two FMCSA Medical Examiners Removed from Registry

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced the removal of two examiners from the National Registry of Medical Examiners for failure to comply with physical qualification examination requirements for a large population of interstate commercial motor vehicle operators. Consequently, the FMCSA voided over 15,000 unexpired Medical Examiner’s Certificates issued to commercial drivers by the two providers between March 2023 and March 2025. The agency said affected drivers must obtain a new certificate by May 10, 2025, from one of 38,000 medical examiners listed on the National Registry. WorkCare schedules Department of Transportation exams with qualified providers in its U.S. network and employs experienced occupational physicians who are available to review exam findings. 

FDA Promotes Phase-Out of Synthetic Dyes in Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to encourage food manufacturers to voluntarily phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food products by the end of next year. In an April 22, 2025, press release, the FDA said it will establish a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition to natural alternatives, starting with the removal of two food colorings (Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B) and the introduction of four new natural-color additives.

While some food manufacturers said they would comply with non-binding FDA guidelines, industry groups, including the International Association of Color Manufacturers and the Consumer Brands Association, said food products with synthetic dyes have been rigorously studied and deemed safe for consumption. Industry experts estimate that transitioning to natural color alternatives could increase manufacturing costs by up to 10 percent, primarily due to higher raw material expenses, reduced shelf life, and changes in storage and transportation methods.

EPA Issues Strategy to Facilitate Use and Protect Endangered Species from Insecticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a final plan intended to help reduce exposure to insecticides by more than 900 federally endangered and threatened species while providing flexibility for insecticide users and growers. The EPA plans to deploy the strategy as it registers and re-registers pesticides. The strategy, which is not a regulation, includes mitigation recommendations and credits for insecticide exposure reductions. Refer to Regulations.gov, docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2024-0299, to see accompanying support documents.

Study Shows Workplace Health Centers are Cost-Effective

Employer-sponsored primary care clinics located at or near workplaces can help companies reduce costs and improve productivity, according to an evidence-based review published in the April 2025 edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Researchers conducted a systematic review of 10 studies to evaluate economic outcomes associated with worksite health centers in the U.S. They found that onsite and near-site care generated annual savings (in 2024 dollars) from $35,000 to $2.1 million per center, while return on investment ranged from $1.09 to $15.88 per $1 invested. In one instance, employees using an on-site center missed 3.3 fewer workdays a year when compared to those who did not use the center. Factors contributing to higher ROI included larger company size, greater use of services, and longer duration of center operations.  

Bird Flu Continues to Afflict Poultry Flocks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) data on avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks. In April 2025, two commercial flocks and 16 backyard flocks were tested and confirmed positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), including a flock of 293,300 commercial table-egg layers in Ohio.

Since 2022, more than 168 million birds have been infected by HPAI viruses. ​Between April 2024 and March 2025, 70 human cases of avian influenza A(H5) were confirmed in the U.S. Meanwhile, the USDA announced it will invest up to $100 million in projects to help prevent the spread of bird flu on farms and ranches and award more than $15.3 million to projects that will enhance prevention, preparedness, early detection, and rapid response to prevalent infectious diseases that threaten U.S. livestock. Since 2022, studies show 1,032 dairy herds have been affected by HPAI virus.

Gallup Reports Decline in Employee Engagement and Productivity

Global employee engagement in work fell for the first time in 12 years to 21 percent in 2024, with managers experiencing the sharpest decline, according to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report.* Meanwhile, after five years of steady improvement, global employee quality-of-life ratings fell in 2023 and again in 2024, to 33 percent. The declines are collectively associated with an estimated annual productivity loss valued at $438 billion worldwide. Contributing factors identified by Gallup include: 

• Managers who feel squeezed between executive priorities and employee expectations.
• Post-COVID-19 effects such as higher rates of turnover, layoffs, and organizational shifts.
• Budgetary constraints caused by disrupted supply chains and the end of stimulus programs. 

There is a direct correlation between work engagement and life satisfaction scores. While a substantial number of employees want job flexibility and continued opportunities for remote work, many employers seek to regain control over schedules and workplace environments. To help counteract these opposing forces, Gallup advises business leaders to revise mangers’ roles and responsibilities and train leaders on performance coaching for the “new” workplace.  

*The 2009 to 2024 global findings are primarily based on interviews with 5.49 million+ employees. The respondent total was 227,346 from April to December 2024, including random samples of working populations in the U.S. conducted via a web survey. 

Celebrating National Nurses Week May 6–12

This week, we celebrate the heart and soul of healthcare: our nurses. At WorkCare, we are proud to recognize the compassion, dedication, and expertise our nurses bring to every interaction — whether it’s guiding providing crucial on-site care, or supporting workplace health and safety every single day. You are the calm in crisis, the advocate for well-being, and the reason so many lives are made better. Your impact is immeasurable, and your commitment inspires us all. Thank you for all you do — this week and every week.