Bill > SB145

This bill amends Delaware's workers' compensation law to make several key changes. The bill modifies provisions related to compensation agreements, payment methods, and administrative processes. Specifically, it allows insurance carriers and self-insured employers to pay disability benefits by check or direct deposit, with claimants able to electronically or physically sign authorization forms. The bill updates language around penalty provisions for insurers and self-insurers, clarifying fines for violations and standardizing terminology (such as changing "wilfully" to "willfully"). It also adjusts financial reporting requirements, including changing how certain administrative expenses are calculated and where certain funds are deposited. The bill increases the percentage of certain Division of Industrial Affairs expenses that must be covered from 66.6% to 100%, and shifts the reporting of some funds from the Secretary of Finance to the Department of Labor. Additionally, the bill modifies how self-insurers report payroll and pay taxes, now requiring these payments to be made to the Department of Labor's Division of Industrial Affairs and ultimately directed to the General Fund. These changes aim to streamline administrative processes, enhance transparency, and update penalty and payment mechanisms in the workers' compensation system.

Labor and Employment

https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142286