093_SB0158

 
                                     LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b

 1        AN ACT concerning employment.

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

 4        Section  5.   The Workers' Compensation Act is amended by
 5    changing Section 6 as follows:

 6        (820 ILCS 305/6) (from Ch. 48, par. 138.6)
 7        Sec. 6.  (a) Every employer within the provisions of this
 8    Act, shall, under the rules and regulations prescribed by the
 9    Commission, post printed notices in their  respective  places
10    of  employment  in  such  number and at such places as may be
11    determined by the  Commission,  containing  such  information
12    relative to this Act as in the judgment of the Commission may
13    be necessary to aid employees to safeguard their rights under
14    this Act in event of injury.
15        In  addition  thereto,  the  employer  shall  post  in  a
16    conspicuous place on the place of the employment a printed or
17    typewritten  notice  stating whether he is insured or whether
18    he has qualified and is operating as a self-insured employer.
19    In the event the employer is insured, the notice shall  state
20    the  name and address of his insurance carrier, the number of
21    the insurance policy, its effective  date  and  the  date  of
22    termination.  In  the  event of the termination of the policy
23    for any reason prior to  the  termination  date  stated,  the
24    posted  notice  shall  promptly be corrected accordingly.  In
25    the  event  the  employer  is  operating  as  a  self-insured
26    employer the notice shall state the name and address  of  the
27    company,  if  any, servicing the compensation payments of the
28    employer, and the name and address of the person in charge of
29    making compensation payments.
30        (b)  Every employer subject to this  Act  shall  maintain
31    accurate records of work-related deaths, injuries and illness
 
                            -2-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    other  than minor injuries requiring only first aid treatment
 2    and  which  do  not  involve  medical  treatment,   loss   of
 3    consciousness,  restriction of work or motion, or transfer to
 4    another job and file  with  the  Commission,  in  writing,  a
 5    report  of  all  accidental  deaths,  injuries  and illnesses
 6    arising out of and in the course of the employment  resulting
 7    in  the loss of more than 3 scheduled work days.  In the case
 8    of death such report shall be made no later  than  2  working
 9    days following the accidental death.  In all other cases such
10    report  shall be made between the 15th and 25th of each month
11    unless required to be made sooner by rule of the  Commission.
12    In case the injury results in permanent disability, a further
13    report  shall  be  made as soon as it is determined that such
14    permanent disability has resulted or  will  result  from  the
15    injury.   All  reports  shall  state  the date of the injury,
16    including the time  of  day  or  night,  the  nature  of  the
17    employer's  business,  the  name, address, age, sex, conjugal
18    condition of the injured person, the specific  occupation  of
19    the  injured  person,  the direct cause of the injury and the
20    nature of the accident, the  character  of  the  injury,  the
21    length  of  disability,  and  in  case of death the length of
22    disability before death, the wages  of  the  injured  person,
23    whether  compensation has been paid to the injured person, or
24    to his or her legal representative or his heirs  or  next  of
25    kin,  the  amount  of  compensation paid, the amount paid for
26    physicians', surgeons' and hospital bills, and by whom  paid,
27    and  the amount paid for funeral or burial expenses if known.
28    The reports shall be made on  forms  and  in  the  manner  as
29    prescribed  by  the Commission and shall contain such further
30    information  as  the  Commission  shall  deem  necessary  and
31    require.  The making of these reports releases  the  employer
32    from  making  such  reports to any other officer of the State
33    and shall satisfy the reporting provisions  as  contained  in
34    the "Health and Safety Act" and "An Act in relation to safety
 
                            -3-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    inspections   and  education  in  industrial  and  commercial
 2    establishments and to repeal an Act therein named",  approved
 3    July  18,  1955,  as  now  or hereafter amended.  The reports
 4    filed with the Commission pursuant to this Section  shall  be
 5    made  available by the Commission to the Director of Labor or
 6    his representatives and to all other departments of the State
 7    of Illinois which shall  require  such  information  for  the
 8    proper  discharge  of their official duties.  Failure to file
 9    with the Commission any  of  the  reports  required  in  this
10    Section is a petty offense.
11        Except  as  provided in this paragraph, all reports filed
12    hereunder shall be confidential and any person having  access
13    to  such  records  filed  with  the  Industrial Commission as
14    herein required, who shall release  any  information  therein
15    contained  including  the  names  or  otherwise  identify any
16    persons sustaining injuries or disabilities, or  give  access
17    to  such  information  to  any  unauthorized person, shall be
18    subject to discipline or discharge, and in addition shall  be
19    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. The Commission shall compile
20    and  distribute  to  interested persons aggregate statistics,
21    taken  from  the  reports  filed  hereunder.  The   aggregate
22    statistics  shall  not  give  the names or otherwise identify
23    persons sustaining injuries or disabilities or  the  employer
24    of any injured or disabled person.
25        (c)  Notice  of  the  accident  shall  be  given  to  the
26    employer  as  soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days
27    after the accident. Provided:
28        (1)  In case of the legal disability of the  employee  or
29    any  dependent  of a deceased employee who may be entitled to
30    compensation  under  the  provisions   of   this   Act,   the
31    limitations  of time by this Act provided do not begin to run
32    against such person under legal disability until  a  guardian
33    has been appointed.
34        (2)  In  cases  of  injuries  sustained  by  exposure  to
 
                            -4-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    radiological materials or equipment, notice shall be given to
 2    the  employer  within 90 days subsequent to the time that the
 3    employee knows or suspects that he has received an  excessive
 4    dose of radiation.
 5        No  defect or inaccuracy of such notice shall be a bar to
 6    the maintenance of proceedings on arbitration or otherwise by
 7    the employee unless the employer proves  that  he  is  unduly
 8    prejudiced in such proceedings by such defect or inaccuracy.
 9        Notice  of  the  accident shall give the approximate date
10    and place of the accident, if known, and may be given  orally
11    or in writing.
12        (d)  Every  employer  shall  notify each injured employee
13    who has been granted compensation  under  the  provisions  of
14    Section  8  of  this  Act  of  his  rights  to rehabilitation
15    services and advise him of the locations of available  public
16    rehabilitation  centers  and any other such services of which
17    the employer has knowledge.
18        In any case, other than one where the injury  was  caused
19    by   exposure  to  radiological  materials  or  equipment  or
20    asbestos unless the application  for  compensation  is  filed
21    with  the  Commission  within  3  years after the date of the
22    accident, where no compensation has been paid,  or  within  2
23    years  after  the  date  of the last payment of compensation,
24    where any has been paid, whichever shall be later, the  right
25    to file such application shall be barred.
26        In  any case of injury caused by exposure to radiological
27    materials or equipment or asbestos,  unless  application  for
28    compensation  is  filed  with  the Commission within 25 years
29    after the last day that  the  employee  was  employed  in  an
30    environment  of  hazardous radiological activity or asbestos,
31    the right to file such application shall be barred.
32        If in any case except one where the injury was caused  by
33    exposure  to radiological materials or equipment or asbestos,
34    the  accidental  injury  results  in  death  application  for
 
                            -5-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    compensation for death  may  be  filed  with  the  Commission
 2    within  3 years after the date of death where no compensation
 3    has been paid or within 2 years after the date  of  the  last
 4    payment  of  compensation  where any has been paid, whichever
 5    shall be later, but not thereafter.
 6        If  an  accidental   injury   caused   by   exposure   to
 7    radiological  material  or  equipment  or asbestos results in
 8    death within 25 years after the last day  that  the  employee
 9    was  so exposed application for compensation for death may be
10    filed with the Commission within 3 years after  the  date  of
11    death, where no compensation has been paid, or within 2 years
12    after  the date of the last payment of compensation where any
13    has been paid, whichever shall be later, but not thereafter.
14        (e)  Any contract or agreement made by  any  employer  or
15    his  agent  or  attorney  with  any  employee  or  any  other
16    beneficiary  of  any  claim  under the provisions of this Act
17    within 7 days after  the  injury  shall  be  presumed  to  be
18    fraudulent.
19        (f)  Any condition or impairment of health of an employee
20    employed  as  a  firefighter,  emergency  medical  technician
21    (EMT), or paramedic which results directly or indirectly from
22    any  bloodborne  pathogen,  lung  or  respiratory  disease or
23    condition,  heart   or   vascular   disease   or   condition,
24    hypertension,   tuberculosis,  or  cancer  resulting  in  any
25    disability (temporary, permanent, total, or partial)  to  the
26    employee  shall  be conclusively presumed to arise out of and
27    in  the  course  of  the  employee's  firefighting,  EMT,  or
28    paramedic employment  and,  further,  shall  be  conclusively
29    presumed to be causally connected to the hazards or exposures
30    of  the employment.  This presumption shall also apply to any
31    hernia or hearing loss suffered by an employee employed as  a
32    firefighter,  EMT,  or  paramedic.  However, this presumption
33    shall not apply to any employee who has been  employed  as  a
34    firefighter,  EMT,  or paramedic for less than 5 years at the
 
                            -6-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    time the condition or impairment is discovered.
 2    (Source: P.A. 84-981.)

 3        Section 10.  The Workers' Occupational  Diseases  Act  is
 4    amended by changing Section 1 as follows:

 5        (820 ILCS 310/1) (from Ch. 48, par. 172.36)
 6        Sec.  1.  This Act shall be known and may be cited as the
 7    "Workers' Occupational Diseases Act".
 8        (a)  The term "employer" as used in  this  Act  shall  be
 9    construed to be:
10        1.   The  State  and  each  county, city, town, township,
11    incorporated  village,  school  district,  body  politic,  or
12    municipal corporation therein.
13        2.  Every person, firm, public  or  private  corporation,
14    including  hospitals, public service, eleemosynary, religious
15    or charitable  corporations  or  associations,  who  has  any
16    person  in service or under any contract for hire, express or
17    implied, oral or written.
18        3.  Where an employer operating under and subject to  the
19    provisions  of  this  Act  loans  an employee to another such
20    employer and such  loaned  employee  sustains  a  compensable
21    occupational  disease  in  the  employment  of such borrowing
22    employer and where such borrowing employer does  not  provide
23    or  pay  the  benefits  or  payments  due such employee, such
24    loaning employer shall  be  liable  to  provide  or  pay  all
25    benefits  or payments due such employee under this Act and as
26    to such employee the liability of such loaning and  borrowing
27    employers  shall  be  joint  and  several, provided that such
28    loaning employer shall in the absence  of  agreement  to  the
29    contrary  be entitled to receive from such borrowing employer
30    full reimbursement for all sums paid or incurred pursuant  to
31    this  paragraph  together with reasonable attorneys' fees and
32    expenses in any hearings before the Industrial Commission  or
 
                            -7-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    in  any  action  to  secure  such  reimbursement.   Where any
 2    benefit is provided or paid by  such  loaning  employer,  the
 3    employee   shall   have  the  duty  of  rendering  reasonable
 4    co-operation in any hearings, trials or  proceedings  in  the
 5    case, including such proceedings for reimbursement.
 6        Where  an employee files an Application for Adjustment of
 7    Claim with the Industrial Commission alleging that his or her
 8    claim  is  covered  by  the  provisions  of   the   preceding
 9    paragraph, and joining both the alleged loaning and borrowing
10    employers,  they and each of them, upon written demand by the
11    employee and within 7 days  after  receipt  of  such  demand,
12    shall  have the duty of filing with the Industrial Commission
13    a written admission or denial  of  the  allegation  that  the
14    claim is covered by the provisions of the preceding paragraph
15    and  in  default  of  such  filing  or  if any such denial be
16    ultimately determined not to have been  bona  fide  then  the
17    provisions  of  Paragraph  K  of Section 19 of this Act shall
18    apply.
19        An employer whose business or enterprise or a substantial
20    part thereof consists  of  hiring,  procuring  or  furnishing
21    employees  to  or  for  other  employers  operating under and
22    subject to the provisions of this Act for the performance  of
23    the  work of such other employers and who pays such employees
24    their salary or wage notwithstanding that they are doing  the
25    work  of  such  other  employers  shall  be  deemed a loaning
26    employer within the meaning and provisions of this Section.
27        (b)  The term "employee" as used in this  Act,  shall  be
28    construed to mean:
29        1.  Every  person  in  the  service of the State, county,
30    city,  town,  township,  incorporated   village   or   school
31    district,  body  politic  or  municipal  corporation therein,
32    whether by election, appointment or contract of hire, express
33    or implied, oral or written, including any  official  of  the
34    State,  or  of any county, city, town, township, incorporated
 
                            -8-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    village,  school  district,   body   politic   or   municipal
 2    corporation  therein  and except any duly appointed member of
 3    the fire department in  any  city  whose  population  exceeds
 4    500,000  according  to  the last Federal or State census, and
 5    except any member of a fire insurance patrol maintained by  a
 6    board  of  underwriters  in  this  State.  One  employed by a
 7    contractor who has contracted with the State,  or  a  county,
 8    city,  town, township, incorporated village, school district,
 9    body politic or municipal corporation  therein,  through  its
10    representatives,  shall  not  be considered as an employee of
11    the  State,  county,  city,  town,   township,   incorporated
12    village,   school   district,   body   politic  or  municipal
13    corporation which made the contract.
14        2.  Every person in the  service  of  another  under  any
15    contract  of  hire,  express or implied, oral or written, who
16    contracts an occupational disease while working in the  State
17    of  Illinois,  or who contracts an occupational disease while
18    working outside of  the  State  of  Illinois  but  where  the
19    contract  of  hire  is made within the State of Illinois, and
20    any person whose employment is principally  localized  within
21    the  State  of  Illinois,  regardless  of the place where the
22    disease was contracted or place where the  contract  of  hire
23    was  made,  including aliens, and minors who, for the purpose
24    of this Act, except Section 3 hereof, shall be considered the
25    same and have the same power to  contract,  receive  payments
26    and give quittances therefor, as adult employees. An employee
27    or  his  or  her  dependents  under this Act who shall have a
28    cause  of  action  by  reason  of  an  occupational  disease,
29    disablement or death arising out of and in the course of  his
30    or  her  employment  may elect or pursue his or her remedy in
31    the State where the disease was contracted, or in  the  State
32    where the contract of hire is made, or in the State where the
33    employment is principally localized.
34        (c)  "Commission" means the Industrial Commission created
 
                            -9-      LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    by  the  Workers' Compensation Act, approved July 9, 1951, as
 2    amended.
 3        (d)  In this Act the term "Occupational Disease" means  a
 4    disease arising out of and in the course of the employment or
 5    which  has  become  aggravated  and  rendered  disabling as a
 6    result of the exposure of the employment.   Such  aggravation
 7    shall  arise  out  of  a risk peculiar to or increased by the
 8    employment and not common to the general public.
 9        A disease shall be deemed to arise out of the  employment
10    if there is apparent to the rational mind, upon consideration
11    of  all  the  circumstances,  a causal connection between the
12    conditions  under  which  the  work  is  performed  and   the
13    occupational  disease.  The  disease  need  not  to have been
14    foreseen or expected but after its contraction it must appear
15    to have had its origin or aggravation  in  a  risk  connected
16    with  the employment and to have flowed from that source as a
17    rational consequence.
18        An employee shall be conclusively  deemed  to  have  been
19    exposed  to  the hazards of an occupational disease when, for
20    any length of time however short, he or she is employed in an
21    occupation or process in which  the  hazard  of  the  disease
22    exists;  provided  however,  that  in  a claim of exposure to
23    atomic radiation, the fact of such exposure must be  verified
24    by  the records of the central registry of radiation exposure
25    maintained by the Department of  Public  Health  or  by  some
26    other  recognized  governmental agency maintaining records of
27    such exposures whenever and to the extent  that  the  records
28    are  on  file  with  the  Department  of Public Health or the
29    agency.
30        The employer liable for  the  compensation  in  this  Act
31    provided  shall  be  the  employer  in  whose  employment the
32    employee was last exposed to the hazard of  the  occupational
33    disease claimed upon regardless of the length of time of such
34    last  exposure,  except, in cases of silicosis or asbestosis,
 
                            -10-     LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    the only employer liable shall be the last employer in  whose
 2    employment  the  employee was last exposed during a period of
 3    60 days or more after the effective date of this Act, to  the
 4    hazard  of  such occupational disease, and, in such cases, an
 5    exposure during a period of less  than  60  days,  after  the
 6    effective  date  of  this  Act,  shall  not  be deemed a last
 7    exposure.  If a miner  who  is  suffering  or  suffered  from
 8    pneumoconiosis  was  employed  for 10 years or more in one or
 9    more coal mines there shall, effective  July  1,  1973  be  a
10    rebuttable  presumption  that his or her pneumoconiosis arose
11    out of such employment.
12        If a deceased miner was employed for 10 years or more  in
13    one  or  more  coal  mines and died from a respirable disease
14    there  shall,  effective  July  1,  1973,  be  a   rebuttable
15    presumption that his or her death was due to pneumoconiosis.
16        Any  condition  or  impairment  of  health of an employee
17    employed  as  a  firefighter,  emergency  medical  technician
18    (EMT), or paramedic which results directly or indirectly from
19    any bloodborne  pathogen,  lung  or  respiratory  disease  or
20    condition,   heart   or   vascular   disease   or  condition,
21    hypertension,  tuberculosis,  or  cancer  resulting  in   any
22    disability  (temporary,  permanent, total, or partial) to the
23    employee shall be conclusively presumed to arise out  of  and
24    in  the  course  of  the  employee's  firefighting,  EMT,  or
25    paramedic  employment  and,  further,  shall  be conclusively
26    presumed to be causally connected to the hazards or exposures
27    of the employment.  This presumption shall also apply to  any
28    hernia  or hearing loss suffered by an employee employed as a
29    firefighter, EMT, or paramedic.   However,  this  presumption
30    shall  not  apply  to any employee who has been employed as a
31    firefighter, EMT, or paramedic for less than 5 years  at  the
32    time the condition or impairment is discovered.
33        The  insurance  carrier liable shall be the carrier whose
34    policy was in effect covering the employer liable on the last
 
                            -11-     LRB093 03928 WGH 03965 b
 1    day  of  the  exposure  rendering  such  employer  liable  in
 2    accordance with the provisions of this Act.
 3        (e)  "Disablement"  means  an   impairment   or   partial
 4    impairment,  temporary  or  permanent, in the function of the
 5    body or any of the members of  the  body,  or  the  event  of
 6    becoming  disabled  from  earning  full  wages at the work in
 7    which the employee was  engaged  when  last  exposed  to  the
 8    hazards of the occupational disease by the employer from whom
 9    he  or  she  claims  compensation,  or  equal  wages in other
10    suitable employment; and  "disability"  means  the  state  of
11    being so incapacitated.
12        (f)  No  compensation  shall be payable for or on account
13    of any occupational disease  unless  disablement,  as  herein
14    defined,  occurs  within  two years after the last day of the
15    last exposure to the hazards of the disease, except in  cases
16    of  occupational  disease  caused  by  berylliosis  or by the
17    inhalation of silica dust  or  asbestos  dust  and,  in  such
18    cases, within 3 years after the last day of the last exposure
19    to  the  hazards  of  such  disease and except in the case of
20    occupational  disease  caused  by  exposure  to  radiological
21    materials or equipment, and in such  case,  within  25  years
22    after  the  last  day of last exposure to the hazards of such
23    disease.
24    (Source: P.A. 81-992.)