JLC • NEW ENGLAND UPDATE • FEBRUARY 1996 JLC • NEW ENGLAND UPDATE • MARCH 1996 Comp Reform in New England New comp laws have been sweeping the nation. Where do the New England states stand? by Ted Cushman Some years ago, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) embarked on a nationwide campaign to reform the workers compensation system. Most New England states have joined the nationwide trend and adopted some sort of comp reform. But results have been mixed, and comp expenses for contractors still vary widely between states in the region. Maine. Maine's biggest industries, logging and construction, are dangerous ones for workers. Rising comp costs reached a crisis point in the late 1980s, and many insurers left the state, says Maine HBA Executive Officer