Bill > SB956

This bill modifies several aspects of employer liability and workers' compensation law in Missouri. The bill expands the definition of workplace accidents to include unprovoked violence or assault against an employee, and increases potential compensation by 25-50% if an employer fails to comply with safety standards or regulations. The legislation also introduces more stringent rules around workplace injuries involving drugs or alcohol, creating rebuttable presumptions and potential forfeiture of benefits if an employee violates workplace drug and alcohol policies. Additionally, the bill adjusts compensation limits for burial expenses (increasing from $5,000 to $15,000) and modifies liability insurance coverage for public entities, raising maximum coverage from $2 million to $4 million for all claims arising from a single occurrence. The bill also introduces a provision allowing punitive damages against public entities in cases where clear evidence shows a violation of safety standards, which was previously prohibited. Furthermore, the legislation addresses mental injury claims, stipulating that work-related stress must be extraordinary and unusual to qualify for compensation, and clarifies dependent benefit provisions for children and spouses in cases of workplace fatalities.

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https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=90