Bill > H1707

This bill amends the Worker's Compensation Act, specifically Section 36(k) of chapter 152, to change how benefits are calculated for permanent functional loss and disfigurement. Previously, a fixed amount of fifteen thousand dollars was payable, but this bill replaces that with a variable amount calculated as 30 times the average weekly wage in the commonwealth, which is determined according to a specific subsection of chapter 151A, a law that sets minimum wage standards. Additionally, the bill removes a restriction that prevented payments for disfigurement that was solely scarring, unless it occurred on the face, neck, or hands, meaning such scarring disfigurements will now be eligible for compensation.