Bill > H1684

This bill aims to improve injured workers' access to medical care and workers' compensation benefits by making several changes to existing laws. It clarifies that workers' compensation disputes cannot be denied solely based on disagreements about whether an employment relationship exists or the exact amount of an employee's average weekly wages, which is the total amount earned over a week. The bill also mandates that when calculating average weekly wages, all evidence of paid wages, wages earned but not yet received, and hours worked must be considered, and if an employee was paid less than legally required, their average weekly wages will be calculated as if they were paid correctly. Additionally, it extends the time frame for certain actions related to workers' compensation from twenty to thirty days, requires insurers to consider all evidence from both employers and employees before denying weekly benefits and not refuse payment if an employer fails to participate, and mandates that qualified interpreters be provided for injured workers whose primary language is not English during conciliations, conferences, hearings, or impartial medical exams. The bill also includes provisions for the Trust Fund, a state-run workers' compensation fund, to cover payments in certain disputed cases and recover those costs later, and requires employers to provide notices about workers' compensation rights and protections in multiple languages, including posting them in visible locations. Finally, it clarifies that insurers must cover services necessary for adequate healthcare, such as interpretation and transportation, and specifies how weekly compensation rates are calculated based on a percentage of the average weekly wage in the commonwealth.