House Plan to 'Fix' Workers' Comp Does Not Help Main Street

Date: June 05, 2015

Legislation simply codifying
current law as it pertains to Illinois’ workers’ compensation was passed in the
Illinois House this week under the guise of “reform.”

Unfortunately, simply taking
current case law and putting it into the statute does not equate to reform nor
does it provide any savings to employers in Illinois.

House Democrats unveiled four
amendments this week, declared them a compromise to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s
workers’ compensation proposal and pushed them through the House on a partisan
roll call.

NFIB/Illinois joined the rest of
the business community in condemning these actions with the following
statement:

“For
House amendments 5, 6, and 7 to HB 1287, we are asking all House lawmakers to
vote ‘no,’ since these amendments will result in zero savings for employers and
likely increase the cost of workers’ compensation. 

“Amendment
5 simply codifies current law and doubles down on the bad ideas that have been
thrust upon Illinois employers by our Courts. Amendment 6 will dramatically
increase litigation for employers. Amendment 7 does nothing to decrease
workers’ compensation costs, it only duplicates and adds additional regulation
on employers.”

HB 1287 A-5
(Hoffman) does absolutely nothing to change the causation standard under
Illinois’ workers’ compensation law.  It simply
codifies current practice, which leaves an injury compensable even if the
workplace is less than 1% at fault. This is the same practice that has led to
Illinois’ being ranking the 7th highest in workers’ compensation
costs in the country. 

HB 1287 A-6
(Hoffman)  adds a complicated process for
employers and the Workers’ Compensation Commission to assign blame on the
previous employers of a worker who has been found to have a repetitive trauma
injury.  This bill contains ZERO savings
for employers and frankly would add to the litigation and administrative costs
of our workers’ compensation system.

Amendments 5
and 6 to HB 1287 passed the Illinois House 63-39-4.  HB 1287, as amended, was voted out of the
House 63-39-4 and it now goes to the Senate where it is expected to be voted on
next Tuesday, June 9.

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