Senate gives final approval to worker’s compensation bill

The Missouri Senate today concurred in language adopted in the House on SB 66, a bill that restores fairness to the worker’s compensation system.

The bill addresses work comp retaliation by requiring a worker prove such retaliation was motivated by the work comp claim. This was the top issue in a survey of our membership last year and AIM has been working to fix it since a recent court case set a very low standard of proof for such claims.

The bill contains a definition of “maximum medical improvement,” implements a reduction of benefits if the claimant tests positive for drug use, blocks benefits from being paid to a person that voluntarily terminates employment after an employer has made appropriate accommodations for the employee’s injury, and allows members (partners) of an S Corporation to voluntarily reject worker’s compensation coverage.

One of the biggest corrections in the bill is one that prevents lazy dependents from getting survivor benefits. Currently, people that are capable of working are receiving survivor dependent benefits if they choose not to work. This bill would end that practice.

“This bill brings fairness back to the worker’s compensation system that Associated Industries of Missouri helped originally found in the 1920’s,” said Ray McCarty, president of AIM. “We look forward to Governor Greitens signing this bill.”