2012 -- S 2226

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LC00169

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WORKERS' COMPENSATION

BENEFITS

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, P Fogarty, McCaffrey, Lanzi, and Doyle

     Date Introduced: January 24, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Labor

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-33-18.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-33 entitled

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"Workers' Compensation - Benefits" is hereby repealed.

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     28-33-18.3. Continuation of benefits -- Partial incapacity. -- (a) (1) For all injuries

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occurring on or after September 1, 1990, in those cases where the employee has received a notice

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of intention to terminate partial incapacity benefits pursuant to section 28-33-18, the employee or

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his or her duly authorized representative may file with the workers' compensation court a petition

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for continuation of benefits on forms prescribed by the workers' compensation court. In any

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proceeding before the workers' compensation court on a petition for continuation of partial

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incapacity benefits, where the employee demonstrates by a fair preponderance of the evidence

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that his or her partial incapacity poses a material hindrance to obtaining employment suitable to

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his or her limitation, partial incapacity benefits shall continue. For injuries on and after July 1,

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2010, "material hindrance" is defined to include only compensable injuries causing a greater than

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sixty-five percent (65%) degree of functional impairment and/or disability. Any period of time for

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which the employee has received benefits for total incapacity shall not be included in the

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calculation of the three hundred and twelve (312) week period.

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      (2) The provisions of this subsection apply to all injuries from Sept. 1, 1990, to July 1,

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2010.

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      (b) (1) Where any employee's incapacity is partial and has extended for more than three

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hundred and twelve (312) weeks and the employee has proved an entitlement to continued

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benefits under subsection (a) of this section, payments made to these incapacitated employees

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shall be increased annually on the tenth (10th) day of May thereafter so long as the employee

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remains incapacitated. The increase shall be by an amount equal to the total percentage increase

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in the annual consumer price index, United States city average for urban wage earners and

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clerical workers, as formulated and computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United

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States Department of Labor for the period of March 1 to February 28 each year.

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      (2) "Index" as used in this section refers to the consumer price index, United States city

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average for urban wage earners and clerical workers, as that index was formulated and computed

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by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor.

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      (3) The annual increase shall be based upon the percentage increase, if any, in the

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consumer price index for the month of a given year, over the index for February, the previous

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year. Thereafter, increases shall be made on May 10 annually, based upon the percentage

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increase, if any, in the consumer price index for the period of March 1 to February 28.

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      (4) The computations in this section shall be made by the director of labor and training

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and promulgated to insurers and employers making payments required by this section. Increases

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shall be paid by insurers and employers without further order of the court. If payment payable

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under this section is not mailed within fourteen (14) days after the employer or insurer has been

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notified by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the state it becomes due, there

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shall be added to the unpaid payment an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of it, to be paid at

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the same time as but in addition to the payment.

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      (5) This section applies only to payment of weekly indemnity benefits to employees as

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described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, and does not apply to specific compensation

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payments for loss of use or disfigurement or payment of dependency benefits or any other

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benefits payable under the Workers' Compensation Act.

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      (c) No petitions for commutation shall be allowed or entertained in those cases where an

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employee is receiving benefits pursuant to this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply retroactively

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regardless of the date of injury.

     

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LC00169

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WORKERS' COMPENSATION

BENEFITS

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     This act would repeal the section of the Rhode Island General Laws relating to

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continuation of workers' compensation benefits for partial incapacity.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply retroactively regardless of the

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date of injury.

     

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LC00169

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S2226