Bill > H4174

This bill aims to protect injured workers in several ways: 1. It requires the Department of Industrial Accidents to promptly investigate worker injury claims and hold investigative conferences, regardless of whether the case is currently active. 2. It expands the definition of "person" under the state's anti-discrimination law to include those defined as employees under the Workers' Compensation Act. 3. It adds a new definition of "earnings" to the Workers' Compensation Act, which includes any wages the employer was required to pay under state or federal law. If an employer failed to pay the full required wages and the insurer has to pay higher compensation as a result, the employer must indemnify the insurer. 4. It mandates that employers post a notice provided by the Department about workers' rights and unlawful retaliation, discrimination, and fraud under the Workers' Compensation Act, and provide the notice to employees in their primary languages. 5. It strengthens protections against retaliation or discrimination for exercising workers' compensation rights, creating a rebuttable presumption of unlawful action if adverse actions are taken within 90 days of the employee exercising their rights. It also allows employees to directly file court claims for these violations without first filing with the state anti-discrimination commission.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development (J)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4174