HB6645 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 19311 WGH 45047 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB6645

Introduced 02/09/04, by Jay C. Hoffman

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

820 ILCS 305/4	from Ch. 48, par. 138.4
820 ILCS 310/4	from Ch. 48, par. 172.39

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act and the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act. In provisions setting forth civil penalties for failing or refusing to comply with specified requirements relating to insurance or self-insurance, deletes language requiring that the failure or refusal be knowing and willful. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Workers' Compensation Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(820 ILCS 305/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 138.4)

Sec. 4. (a) Any employer, including but not limited to general contractors and their subcontractors, who shall come within the provisions of Section 3 of this Act, and any other employer who shall elect to provide and pay the compensation provided for in this Act shall:

(1) File with the Commission annually an application for approval as a self-insurer which shall include a current financial statement, and annually, thereafter, an application for renewal of self-insurance, which shall include a current financial statement. Said application and financial statement shall be signed and sworn to by the president or vice president and secretary or assistant secretary of the employer if it be a corporation, or by all of the partners, if it be a copartnership, or by the owner if it be neither a copartnership nor a corporation. All initial applications and all applications for renewal of self-insurance must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the requested effective date of self-insurance. An employer may elect to provide and pay compensation as provided for in this Act as a member of a group workers' compensation pool under Article V 3/4 of the Illinois Insurance Code. If an employer becomes a member of a group workers' compensation pool, the employer shall not be relieved of any obligations imposed by this Act.

If the sworn application and financial statement of any such employer does not satisfy the Commission of the financial ability of the employer who has filed it, the Commission shall require such employer to,

(2) Furnish security, indemnity or a bond guaranteeing the payment by the employer of the compensation provided for in this Act, provided that any such employer whose application and financial statement shall not have satisfied the commission of his or her financial ability and who shall have secured his liability in part by excess liability insurance shall be required to furnish to the Commission security, indemnity or bond guaranteeing his or her payment up to the effective limits of the excess coverage, or

(3) Insure his entire liability to pay such compensation in some insurance carrier authorized, licensed, or permitted to do such insurance business in this State. Every policy of an insurance carrier, insuring the payment of compensation under this Act shall cover all the employees and the entire compensation liability of the insured: Provided, however, that any employer may insure his or her compensation liability with 2 or more insurance carriers or may insure a part and qualify under subsection 1, 2, or 4 for the remainder of his or her liability to pay such compensation, subject to the following two provisions:

Firstly, the entire compensation liability of the employer to employees working at or from one location shall be insured in one such insurance carrier or shall be self-insured, and

Secondly, the employer shall submit evidence satisfactorily to the Commission that his or her entire liability for the compensation provided for in this Act will be secured. Any provisions in any policy, or in any endorsement attached thereto, attempting to limit or modify in any way, the liability of the insurance carriers issuing the same except as otherwise provided herein shall be wholly void.

Nothing herein contained shall apply to policies of excess liability carriage secured by employers who have been approved by the Commission as self-insurers, or

(4) Make some other provision, satisfactory to the Commission, for the securing of the payment of compensation provided for in this Act, and

(5) Upon becoming subject to this Act and thereafter as often as the Commission may in writing demand, file with the Commission in form prescribed by it evidence of his or her compliance with the provision of this Section.

(a-1) Regardless of its state of domicile or its principal place of business, an employer shall make payments to its insurance carrier or group self-insurance fund, where applicable, based upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois if:

(A) the employer is engaged primarily in the building and construction industry; and

(B) subdivision (a)(3) of this Section applies to the employer or the employer is a member of a group self-insurance plan as defined in subsection (1) of Section 4a.

The Industrial Commission shall impose a penalty upon an employer for violation of this subsection (a-1) if:

(i) the employer is given an opportunity at a hearing to present evidence of its compliance with this subsection (a-1); and

(ii) after the hearing, the Commission finds that the employer failed to make payments upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois.

The penalty shall not exceed $1,000 for each day of work for which the employer failed to make payments upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois, but the total penalty shall not exceed $50,000 for each project or each contract under which the work was performed.

Any penalty under this subsection (a-1) must be imposed not later than one year after the expiration of the applicable limitation period specified in subsection (d) of Section 6 of this Act. Penalties imposed under this subsection (a-1) shall be deposited into the Industrial Commission Operations Fund, a special fund that is created in the State treasury. Subject to appropriation, moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the operations of the Industrial Commission.

(b) The sworn application and financial statement, or security, indemnity or bond, or amount of insurance, or other provisions, filed, furnished, carried, or made by the employer, as the case may be, shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.

Deposits under escrow agreements shall be cash, negotiable United States government bonds or negotiable general obligation bonds of the State of Illinois. Such cash or bonds shall be deposited in escrow with any State or National Bank or Trust Company having trust authority in the State of Illinois.

Upon the approval of the sworn application and financial statement, security, indemnity or bond or amount of insurance, filed, furnished or carried, as the case may be, the Commission shall send to the employer written notice of its approval thereof. The certificate of compliance by the employer with the provisions of subparagraphs (2) and (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section shall be delivered by the insurance carrier to the Industrial Commission within five days after the effective date of the policy so certified. The insurance so certified shall cover all compensation liability occurring during the time that the insurance is in effect and no further certificate need be filed in case such insurance is renewed, extended or otherwise continued by such carrier. The insurance so certified shall not be cancelled or in the event that such insurance is not renewed, extended or otherwise continued, such insurance shall not be terminated until at least 10 days after receipt by the Industrial Commission of notice of the cancellation or termination of said insurance; provided, however, that if the employer has secured insurance from another insurance carrier, or has otherwise secured the payment of compensation in accordance with this Section, and such insurance or other security becomes effective prior to the expiration of the 10 days, cancellation or termination may, at the option of the insurance carrier indicated in such notice, be effective as of the effective date of such other insurance or security.

(c) Whenever the Commission shall find that any corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or other insurer effecting workers' compensation insurance in this State shall be insolvent, financially unsound, or unable to fully meet all payments and liabilities assumed or to be assumed for compensation insurance in this State, or shall practice a policy of delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement, or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order and direct that such corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or insurer, shall from and after a date fixed in such order discontinue the writing of any such workers' compensation insurance in this State. Subject to such modification of the order as the Commission may later make on review of the order, as herein provided, it shall thereupon be unlawful for any such corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or insurer to effect any workers' compensation insurance in this State. A copy of the order shall be served upon the Director of Insurance by registered mail. Whenever the Commission finds that any service or adjustment company used or employed by a self-insured employer or by an insurance carrier to process, adjust, investigate, compromise or otherwise handle claims under this Act, has practiced or is practicing a policy of delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order and direct that such service or adjustment company shall from and after a date fixed in such order be prohibited from processing, adjusting, investigating, compromising or otherwise handling claims under this Act.

Whenever the Commission finds that any self-insured employer has practiced or is practicing delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may, after reasonable notice and hearing, order and direct that after a date fixed in the order such self-insured employer shall be disqualified to operate as a self-insurer and shall be required to insure his entire liability to pay compensation in some insurance carrier authorized, licensed and permitted to do such insurance business in this State, as provided in subparagraph 3 of paragraph (a) of this Section.

All orders made by the Commission under this Section shall be subject to review by the courts, said review to be taken in the same manner and within the same time as provided by Section 19 of this Act for review of awards and decisions of the Commission, upon the party seeking the review filing with the clerk of the court to which said review is taken a bond in an amount to be fixed and approved by the court to which the review is taken, conditioned upon the payment of all compensation awarded against the person taking said review pending a decision thereof and further conditioned upon such other obligations as the court may impose. Upon the review the Circuit Court shall have power to review all questions of fact as well as of law. The penalty hereinafter provided for in this paragraph shall not attach and shall not begin to run until the final determination of the order of the Commission.

(d) Upon a finding by the Commission, after reasonable notice and hearing, of the knowing and wilful failure or refusal of an employer to comply with any of the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section or the failure or refusal of an employer, service or adjustment company, or an insurance carrier to comply with any order of the Industrial Commission pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section disqualifying him or her to operate as a self insurer and requiring him or her to insure his or her liability, the Commission may assess a civil penalty of up to $500 per day for each day of such failure or refusal after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989. The minimum penalty under this Section shall be the sum of $10,000. Each day of such failure or refusal shall constitute a separate offense. The Commission may assess the civil penalty personally and individually against the corporate officers and directors of a corporate employer, the partners of an employer partnership, and the members of an employer limited liability company, after a finding of a knowing and willful refusal or failure of each such named corporate officer, director, partner, or member to comply with this Section. The liability for the assessed penalty shall be against the named employer first, and if the named employer fails or refuses to pay the penalty to the Commission within 30 days after the final order of the Commission, then the named corporate officers, directors, partners, or members who have been found to have knowingly and willfully refused or failed to comply with this Section shall be liable for the unpaid penalty or any unpaid portion of the penalty. All penalties collected under this Section shall be deposited in the Industrial Commission Operations Fund.

Upon the failure or refusal of any employer, service or adjustment company or insurance carrier to comply with the provisions of this Section and with the orders of the Commission under this Section, or the order of the court on review after final adjudication, the Commission may bring a civil action to recover the amount of the penalty in Cook County or in Sangamon County in which litigation the Commission shall be represented by the Attorney General. The Commission shall send notice of its finding of non-compliance and assessment of the civil penalty to the Attorney General. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General within 30 days after receipt of the notice, to institute prosecutions and promptly prosecute all reported violations of this Section.

(e) This Act shall not affect or disturb the continuance of any existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit, or relief association or department, whether maintained in whole or in part by the employer or whether maintained by the employees, the payment of benefits of such association or department being guaranteed by the employer or by some person, firm or corporation for him or her: Provided, the employer contributes to such association or department an amount not less than the full compensation herein provided, exclusive of the cost of the maintenance of such association or department and without any expense to the employee. This Act shall not prevent the organization and maintaining under the insurance laws of this State of any benefit or insurance company for the purpose of insuring against the compensation provided for in this Act, the expense of which is maintained by the employer. This Act shall not prevent the organization or maintaining under the insurance laws of this State of any voluntary mutual aid, benefit or relief association among employees for the payment of additional accident or sick benefits.

(f) No existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit or relief association or department shall, by reason of anything herein contained, be authorized to discontinue its operation without first discharging its obligations to any and all persons carrying insurance in the same or entitled to relief or benefits therein.

(g) Any contract, oral, written or implied, of employment providing for relief benefit, or insurance or any other device whereby the employee is required to pay any premium or premiums for insurance against the compensation provided for in this Act shall be null and void. Any employer withholding from the wages of any employee any amount for the purpose of paying any such premium shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

In the event the employer does not pay the compensation for which he or she is liable, then an insurance company, association or insurer which may have insured such employer against such liability shall become primarily liable to pay to the employee, his or her personal representative or beneficiary the compensation required by the provisions of this Act to be paid by such employer. The insurance carrier may be made a party to the proceedings in which the employer is a party and an award may be entered jointly against the employer and the insurance carrier.

(h) It shall be unlawful for any employer, insurance company or service or adjustment company to interfere with, restrain or coerce an employee in any manner whatsoever in the exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act or to discriminate, attempt to discriminate, or threaten to discriminate against an employee in any way because of his or her exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act.

It shall be unlawful for any employer, individually or through any insurance company or service or adjustment company, to discharge or to threaten to discharge, or to refuse to rehire or recall to active service in a suitable capacity an employee because of the exercise of his or her rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act.

(i) If an employer elects to obtain a life insurance policy on his employees, he may also elect to apply such benefits in satisfaction of all or a portion of the death benefits payable under this Act, in which case, the employer's compensation premium shall be reduced accordingly.

(j) Within 45 days of receipt of an initial application or application to renew self-insurance privileges the Self-Insurers Advisory Board shall review and submit for approval by the Chairman of the Commission recommendations of disposition of all initial applications to self-insure and all applications to renew self-insurance privileges filed by private self-insurers pursuant to the provisions of this Section and Section 4a-9 of this Act. Each private self-insurer shall submit with its initial and renewal applications the application fee required by Section 4a-4 of this Act.

The Chairman of the Commission shall promptly act upon all initial applications and applications for renewal in full accordance with the recommendations of the Board or, should the Chairman disagree with any recommendation of disposition of the Self-Insurer's Advisory Board, he shall within 30 days of receipt of such recommendation provide to the Board in writing the reasons supporting his decision. The Chairman shall also promptly notify the employer of his decision within 15 days of receipt of the recommendation of the Board.

If an employer is denied a renewal of self-insurance privileges pursuant to application it shall retain said privilege for 120 days after receipt of a notice of cancellation of the privilege from the Chairman of the Commission.

All orders made by the Chairman under this Section shall be subject to review by the courts, such review to be taken in the same manner and within the same time as provided by subsection (f) of Section 19 of this Act for review of awards and decisions of the Commission, upon the party seeking the review filing with the clerk of the court to which such review is taken a bond in an amount to be fixed and approved by the court to which the review is taken, conditioned upon the payment of all compensation awarded against the person taking such review pending a decision thereof and further conditioned upon such other obligations as the court may impose. Upon the review the Circuit Court shall have power to review all questions of fact as well as of law.

(Source: P.A. 91-375, eff. 1-1-00; 91-757, eff. 1-1-01; 92-324, eff. 8-9-01.)

Section 10. The Workers' Occupational Diseases Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(820 ILCS 310/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 172.39)

Sec. 4. (a) Any employer, including but not limited to general contractors and their subcontractors, required by the terms of this Act or by election to pay the compensation provided for in this Act shall:

(1) File with the Commission an application for approval as a self-insurer which shall include a current financial statement. The application and financial statement shall be signed and sworn to by the president or vice-president and secretary or assistant secretary of the employer if it be a corporation, or by all of the partners if it be a copartnership, or by the owner if it be neither a copartnership nor a corporation. An employer may elect to provide and pay compensation as provided for in this Act as a member of a group workers' compensation pool under Article V 3/4 of the Illinois Insurance Code. If an employer becomes a member of a group workers' compensation pool, the employer shall not be relieved of any obligations imposed by this Act.

If the sworn application and financial statement of any such employer does not satisfy the Commission of the financial ability of the employer who has filed it, the Commission shall require such employer to:

(2) Furnish security, indemnity or a bond guaranteeing the payment by the employer of the compensation provided for in this Act, provided that any such employer who shall have secured his or her liability in part by excess liability coverage shall be required to furnish to the Commission security, indemnity or bond guaranteeing his or her payment up to the amount of the effective limits of the excess coverage in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, or

(3) Insure his or her entire liability to pay such compensation in some insurance carrier authorized, licensed or permitted to do such insurance business in this State. All policies of such insurance carriers insuring the payment of compensation under this Act shall cover all the employees and all such employer's compensation liability in all cases in which the last day of the last exposure to the occupational disease involved is within the effective period of the policy, anything to the contrary in the policy notwithstanding. Provided, however, that any employer may insure his or her compensation liability under this Act with 2 or more insurance carriers or may insure a part and qualify under Subsection 1, 2, or 4 for the remainder of his liability to pay such compensation, subject to the following two provisions:

Firstly, the entire liability of the employer to employees working at or from one location shall be insured in one such insurance carrier or shall be self-insured.

Secondly, the employer shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Commission that his or her entire liability for the compensation provided for in this Act will be secured.

Any provision in a policy or in any endorsement attached thereto attempting to limit or modify in any way the liability of the insurance carrier issuing the same, except as otherwise provided herein, shall be wholly void.

The insurance or security in force to cover compensation liability under this Act shall be separate and distinct from the insurance or security under the "Workers' Compensation Act" and any insurance contract covering liability under either Act need not cover any liability under the other. Nothing herein contained shall apply to policies of excess liability carriage secured by employers who have been approved by the Commission as self-insurers, or

(4) Make some other provision, satisfactory to the Commission, for the securing of the payment of compensation provided for in this Act, and

(5) Upon becoming subject to this Act and thereafter as often as the Commission may in writing demand, file with the Commission in form prescribed by it evidence of his or her compliance with the provision of this Section.

(a-1) Regardless of its state of domicile or its principal place of business, an employer shall make payments to its insurance carrier or group self-insurance fund, where applicable, based upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois if:

(A) the employer is engaged primarily in the building and construction industry; and

(B) subdivision (a)(3) of this Section applies to the employer or the employer is a member of a group self-insurance plan as defined in subsection (1) of Section 4a.

The Industrial Commission shall impose a penalty upon an employer for violation of this subsection (a-1) if:

(i) the employer is given an opportunity at a hearing to present evidence of its compliance with this subsection (a-1); and

(ii) after the hearing, the Commission finds that the employer failed to make payments upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois.

The penalty shall not exceed $1,000 for each day of work for which the employer failed to make payments upon the premium rates of the situs where the work or project is located in Illinois, but the total penalty shall not exceed $50,000 for each project or each contract under which the work was performed.

Any penalty under this subsection (a-1) must be imposed not later than one year after the expiration of the applicable limitation period specified in subsection (c) of Section 6 of this Act. Penalties imposed under this subsection (a-1) shall be deposited into the Industrial Commission Operations Fund created under Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act.

(b) The sworn application and financial statement, or security, indemnity or bond, or amount of insurance, or other provisions, filed, furnished, carried, or made by the employer, as the case may be, shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.

Deposits under escrow agreements shall be cash, negotiable United States government bonds or negotiable general obligation bonds of the State of Illinois. Such cash or bonds shall be deposited in escrow with any State or National Bank or Trust Company having trust authority in the State of Illinois.

Upon the approval of the sworn application and financial statement, security, indemnity or bond or amount of insurance, filed, furnished, or carried, as the case may be, the Commission shall send to the employer written notice of its approval thereof. Said certificate of compliance by the employer with the provisions of subparagraphs (2) and (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section shall be delivered by the insurance carrier to the Industrial Commission within 5 days after the effective date of the policy so certified. The insurance so certified shall cover all compensation liability occurring during the time that the insurance is in effect and no further certificate need be filed in case such insurance is renewed, extended or otherwise continued by such carrier. The insurance so certified shall not be cancelled or in the event that such insurance is not renewed, extended or otherwise continued, such insurance shall not be terminated until at least 10 days after receipt by the Industrial Commission of notice of the cancellation or termination of said insurance; provided, however, that if the employer has secured insurance from another insurance carrier, or has otherwise secured the payment of compensation in accordance with this Section, and such insurance or other security becomes effective prior to the expiration of said 10 days, cancellation or termination may, at the option of the insurance carrier indicated in such notice, be effective as of the effective date of such other insurance or security.

(c) Whenever the Commission shall find that any corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or other insurer effecting workers' occupational disease compensation insurance in this State shall be insolvent, financially unsound, or unable to fully meet all payments and liabilities assumed or to be assumed for compensation insurance in this State, or shall practice a policy of delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement, or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order and direct that such corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or insurer, shall from and after a date fixed in such order discontinue the writing of any such workers' occupational disease compensation insurance in this State. It shall thereupon be unlawful for any such corporation, company, association, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange, or insurer to effect any workers' occupational disease compensation insurance in this State. A copy of the order shall be served upon the Director of Insurance by registered mail. Whenever the Commission finds that any service or adjustment company used or employed by a self-insured employer or by an insurance carrier to process, adjust, investigate, compromise or otherwise handle claims under this Act, has practiced or is practicing a policy of delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order and direct that such service or adjustment company shall from and after a date fixed in such order be prohibited from processing, adjusting, investigating, compromising or otherwise handling claims under this Act.

Whenever the Commission finds that any self-insured employer has practiced or is practicing delay or unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of benefits due such employees, the Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order and direct that after a date fixed in the order such self-insured employer shall be disqualified to operate as a self-insurer and shall be required to insure his entire liability to pay compensation in some insurance carrier authorized, licensed and permitted to do such insurance business in this State as provided in subparagraph (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section.

All orders made by the Commission under this Section shall be subject to review by the courts, the review to be taken in the same manner and within the same time as provided by Section 19 of this Act for review of awards and decisions of the Commission, upon the party seeking the review filing with the clerk of the court to which said review is taken a bond in an amount to be fixed and approved by the court to which said review is taken, conditioned upon the payment of all compensation awarded against the person taking the review pending a decision thereof and further conditioned upon such other obligations as the court may impose. Upon the review the Circuit Court shall have power to review all questions of fact as well as of law. The penalty hereinafter provided for in this paragraph shall not attach and shall not begin to run until the final determination of the order of the Commission.

(d) Upon a finding by the Commission, after reasonable notice and hearing, of the knowing and wilful failure of an employer to comply with any of the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section or the failure or refusal of an employer, service or adjustment company, or insurance carrier to comply with any order of the Industrial Commission pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section the Commission may assess a civil penalty of up to $500 per day for each day of such failure or refusal after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989. Each day of such failure or refusal shall constitute a separate offense.

Upon the failure or refusal of any employer, service or adjustment company or insurance carrier to comply with the provisions of this Section and orders of the Commission under this Section, or the order of the court on review after final adjudication, the Commission may bring a civil action to recover the amount of the penalty in Cook County or in Sangamon County in which litigation the Commission shall be represented by the Attorney General. The Commission shall send notice of its finding of non-compliance and assessment of the civil penalty to the Attorney General. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General within 30 days after receipt of the notice, to institute prosecutions and promptly prosecute all reported violations of this Section.

(e) This Act shall not affect or disturb the continuance of any existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit, or relief association or department, whether maintained in whole or in part by the employer or whether maintained by the employees, the payment of benefits of such association or department being guaranteed by the employer or by some person, firm or corporation for him or her: Provided, the employer contributes to such association or department an amount not less than the full compensation herein provided, exclusive of the cost of the maintenance of such association or department and without any expense to the employee. This Act shall not prevent the organization and maintaining under the insurance laws of this State of any benefit or insurance company for the purpose of insuring against the compensation provided for in this Act, the expense of which is maintained by the employer. This Act shall not prevent the organization or maintaining under the insurance laws of this State of any voluntary mutual aid, benefit or relief association among employees for the payment of additional accident or sick benefits.

(f) No existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit or relief association or department shall, by reason of anything herein contained, be authorized to discontinue its operation without first discharging its obligations to any and all persons carrying insurance in the same or entitled to relief or benefits therein.

(g) Any contract, oral, written or implied, of employment providing for relief benefit, or insurance or any other device whereby the employee is required to pay any premium or premiums for insurance against the compensation provided for in this Act shall be null and void. Any employer withholding from the wages of any employee any amount for the purpose of paying any such premium shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

In the event the employer does not pay the compensation for which he or she is liable, then an insurance company, association or insurer which may have insured such employer against such liability shall become primarily liable to pay to the employee, his personal representative or beneficiary the compensation required by the provisions of this Act to be paid by such employer. The insurance carrier may be made a party to the proceedings in which the employer is a party and an award may be entered jointly against the employer and the insurance carrier.

(h) It shall be unlawful for any employer, insurance company or service or adjustment company to interfere with, restrain or coerce an employee in any manner whatsoever in the exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act or to discriminate, attempt to discriminate, or threaten to discriminate against an employee in any way because of his exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him by this Act.

It shall be unlawful for any employer, individually or through any insurance company or service or adjustment company, to discharge or to threaten to discharge, or to refuse to rehire or recall to active service in a suitable capacity an employee because of the exercise of his or her rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act.

(i) If an employer elects to obtain a life insurance policy on his employees, he may also elect to apply such benefits in satisfaction of all or a portion of the death benefits payable under this Act, in which case, the employer's premium for coverage for benefits under this Act shall be reduced accordingly.

(Source: P.A. 90-109, eff. 1-1-98; 91-375, eff. 1-1-00; 91-757, eff. 1-1-01.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.