The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday providing for significant changes in the state’s workers’ compensation law. House Bill 5002, sponsored by Representative Bradford Jacobsen (R-Oxford), codified current case law and places greater limitations on benefits paid to injured workers.
The measure passed the House on a largely party-line vote of 59-49 with four Republicans, Representatives Mike Callton (R-Nashville), Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant), Tom Hooker (R-Byron Center) and Ken Yonker (R-Caledonia), joining all Democrats in opposing the bill.
The first of the two most significant changes would require that workers make a “good-faith” effort to find other employment that is “reasonably available,” while leaving both terms undefined. The second places specific limits on the amount of benefits a worker is eligible to receive, setting the limit at 80 percent of the worker’s after-tax wages.
Speaking in opposition to the measure, Representative Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak) noted that compensation insurance rates have decreased rather consistently in recent years. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) has indicated the measure will be addressed in the Senate after the November recess for deer hunting season and Thanksgiving.