FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1980
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SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION
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EMPLOYEES INJURED AT WORK AND THE DEPENDANTS OF THOSE KILLED CAN EXPECT SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN COMPENSATION IF AMENDING LEGISLATION IS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE BILL, TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL ON JUNE 25, PROPOSES TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM LEVELS OF WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION IN FATAL CASES FROM $60 000 TO $147 000 AND FOR PERMANENT TOTAL INCAPACITY FROM $80 000 TO $168 000,
AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT ALSO INTENDS TO EXTEND THE BENEFITS OF WORKMEN'S" COMPENSATION TO ALL EMPLOYEES IRRESPECTIVE OF THE IR EARNINGS.
THESE PROPOSALS, WHICH ARE PART OF A PACKAGE OF BETTER DEALS FOR THOSE INJURED OR KILLED AT WORK, ARE SPELT OUT IN THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT CAZETTE.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IN CONSIDER ING THE COMPENSATION LEVELS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE AGE FACTOR,
+IT IS PROPOSED TO BASE THE COMPENSATION ON THE AGE OF THE EMPLOYEE AT THE TIME WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURS.
+THE PROPOSED KEY AGE BASES WOULD BE ON A THREE TIER SCALE EMPLOYEES UNDER 40, 40 TO UNDER 56, AND 56 AND OVER, HE ADDED.
THE COMPENSATION LEVELS PROPOSED BY THE BILL ARE — UNDER 40, DEATH 84 MONTHS EARNINGS, PERMANENT TOTAL INCAPACITY 96 MONTHS EARNINGS- 40 TO UNDER 56 YEARS OLD, 60 MONTHS AND 72 MONTHS- 56 AND OVER, 36 MONTHS AND 48 MONTHS.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSED MINIMUM COMPENSATION FOR FATAL CASES WAS $49 000 COMPARED WITH THE EXISTING $9 600, WHILE THE PRESENT MINIMUM OF $12 800 FOR CASES OF PERMANENT TOTAL INCAPACITY WOULD BE INCREASED TO $56 000.
IT WAS ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE MAXIMUM CONSTANT ATTENTION ALLOWANCE IN PERMANENT TOTAL INCAPACITY CASES BE RAISED FROM $32 000 TO $67 000 AND THAT THE MEDICAL AND BURIAL EXPENSES IN FATAL CASES FROM $800 TO $2 000,
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT SINCE COMPENSATION BENEFITS WOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES REGARDLESS OF THEIR EARNINGS THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE RETITLED 'EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE".
THE BILL ALSO PROPOSES BETTER DEALS FOR WORKERS REQUIRING PROSTHESES OR SURGICAL APPLIANCES AND THOSE SUFFERING PERMANENT PARTIAL INCAPACITY.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS INTENDED THAT EMPLOYERS, WHO WERE NOW REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE TO MEET THE INITIAL COST OF A PROSTHESIS OR SURGICAL APPLIANCE FOR AN INJURED WORKER, WOULD ALSO BE LIABLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIR AND RENEWAL OF SUCH ITEMS FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE INITIAL FITTING, SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM OF $30 000.
/AFTER THE