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City approves $100,000 workers' compensation settlement for Parks arborist
Summary
The council authorized a $100,000 settlement to resolve workers’ comp claims by former Portland Parks arborist Jerome Johnson arising from a 2021 on‑the‑job injury; staff said the settlement preserves certain future medical benefits.
The Portland City Council on March 5 authorized settlement of a workers' compensation claim by Jerome Johnson, a Parks and Recreation arborist injured on July 26, 2021.
City attorneys said Johnson sustained injuries while removing a fallen tree branch; the claim has been handled through the city’s workers’ compensation program. Under the proposed agreement, Johnson will receive a $100,000 payment while retaining rights to future medical benefits for as long as the need for those services bears a material relationship to the work injury.
Why it matters: The payment resolves a long‑running workers’ compensation file and brings closure for the employee while preserving ongoing medical care as needed. Staff said the city had already provided medical services, temporary disability, permanent disability payments and vocational assistance and that the settlement addressed remaining benefits and potential vocational costs.
Council questions focused on whether Park staff had changed on‑the‑job safety practices. Risk and Parks staff said the bureau reviews incidents, performs root‑cause analyses and adjusts field procedures and planning practices; for tree‑work claims staff noted Parks strengthened on‑site work‑plan communications and pause points when a work plan changes.
Vote: The ordinance to pay the workers’ compensation claim was approved on recorded roll call (tally: yes 12, no 0).
