Worker Compensation Benefits Package Introduced

Liz Gullett

Feb 26, 2021

Five members of the Senate Democratic Caucus introduced legislation to help ensure essential workers can access workers’ compensation benefits. Specifics of the reforms include:

- Presuming essential workers who test positive for COVID-19, without knowing their time of infection, contracted the virus during their employment and therefore eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Encourages collaboration among Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) and other state regulatory agencies to create general industry standards to mitigate COVID-19 exposure in the workplace. It also increases MIOSHA fines and penalties to strengthen accountability.
- Protects employees from adverse action if they report unsafe work conditions to MIOSHA.
- Protects employees from adverse action if they are unable to come into work for any reasons related to COVID-19.
- Requires employers to obtain, publicly post, and make readily available to employees a list of testing sites from their local public health department.

The bill package has been referred to the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee for consideration.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.