FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1977
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UNDER THE PROPOSED BILL, THE TIME LIMIT WITHIN WHICH APPLICATIONS FOR COMPENSATION HAVE TO BE MADE WILL ALSO BE EXTENDED FROM THE EXISTING PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS TO 24 MONTHS.
A SURCHARGE OF FIVE PER CENT OR $50, WHICHEVER IS THE GREATER, ON LATE PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION MADE 21 DAYS AFTER THE DUE DATÉ STIPULATED IN THE AGREEMENT IS ALSO PROPOSED.
EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED COVERAGE OF NON-MANUAL WORKERS,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT NON-MANUAL WORKERS EARNING MORE THAN $2,000 PER MONTH AT PRESENT WERE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THAT THEY COULD NOT CLAIM WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION UNDER THE ORDINANCE AND WERE LIABLE TO HAVE TO PAY THE COSTS OF ANY PROCEEDING FOR RECOVERY OF CIVIL DAMAGES.
FURTHERMORE THEY HAD TO PROVE THAT THEIR EMPLOYER HAD A CIVIL LIABILITY TO PAY DAMAGES IN THE EVENT OF A COMPENSATION CLAIM.
ON THE PROPOSAL TO MAKE ASSESSMENT OF NON-SCHEDULED INJURIES BASED ON THE FIRST SCHEDULE OF THE ORDINANCE. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE MOVE WAS TO ACHIEVE UNIFORMITY BETWEEN ASSESSMENTS FOR INJURIES SPECIFIED IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE AND ASSESSMENTS FOR INJURIES OF A LIKE NATURE NOT SO SPECIFIED.
THE EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT TO 24 MONTHS IN WHICH TO APPLY FOR COMPENSATION WAS PROPOSED TO ALLOW WORKERS WITH INJURIES THAT NEEDED MORE THAN 12 MONTHS TO HEAL.
THE OTHER AMENDMENT TO IMPOSE A SURCHARGE ON LATE COMPENSATION PAYMENT WAS INTENDED TO MAKE EMPLOYERS PAY THEIR WORKERS WITHOUT DELAY.
EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THAT IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES WHERE EMPLOYERS INVOLVED HAD INSURED THE IR WORKERS AGAINST LIABILITY UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE THEY WISHED TO AWAIT REIMBURSEMENT FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES BEFORE MAKING PAYMENTS TO THE WORKERS CONCERNED.
IN A NUMBER OF OTHER CASES, THE DELAY WAS CAUSED BY QUERIES RAISED BY THE INSURER WITH THE EMPLOYERS ON THE ACCURACY OF THE CALCULATION OR THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE INSURANCE COVERAGE TAKEN OUT.
SUCH DELAYS IN PAYMENT CAUSED SERIOUS HARDSHIP TO THE INJURED EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDANTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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