February 23, 2011
Topeka – Today the House passed a workers’ compensation reform 90 to 29. The legislation is the result of committee deliberation and extensive negotiation between labor and business representatives. It is the most comprehensive workers’ compensation package considered in seventeen years and the first to pass with support from both labor and business interests.
“Recent case law that has strayed from legislative intent served as the impetus for this reform,” said Speaker O’Neal (R-Hutchinson). “This compromise package addresses those decisions and reinforces the fairness of the workers’ compensation system. This clarification will improve the business climate in Kansas and increase our competitiveness with surrounding states while ensuring injured workers receive the care and benefits they need.”
The compromise protects and reinforces the fairness of the Kansas workers’ compensation system by making the four following changes. Employers must pay for workplace injuries. Employees are compensated without regard to fault. Employers do not have to pay unwarranted claims. Benefit caps for injured workers are significantly increased. The cap for permanent injuries is raised by $30,000 while the death benefit will increase from $250,000 to $300,000.
“The Commerce and Economic Development Committee has made economic growth our top priority,” said Representative Anthony Brown (R-Eudora) the chair of the committee that authored the compromise. “By clarifying the workers’ compensation guidelines, this legislation improves the business climate in our state and benefits both labor and business. I am excited about the positive impact this reform will have on economic growth in Kansas.”
Ranging from the Kansas Secretary of Labor Karin Brownlee to the AFL-CIO and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, this reform legislation enjoys unprecedented support that is due to the countless hours these groups worked with the committee members to draft a package that addresses the interests and concerns of all involved parties.
“As a small-business owner, I see this legislation as a critical part of creating and retaining Kansas jobs,” said Representative Kleeb (R-Overland Park) one of the committee members who helped draft the bill.
