05/01/1998 03:32 PM House L&C

CSSB 305(L&C) - IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK COMP EDITION                            
                                                                               
Number 2464                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG announced the committee's next order of business             
was CSSB 305(L&C), "An Act establishing a standard for determining             
when an injured worker is eligible for reemployment benefits and               
establishing a procedure for adopting a new, revised, or                       
replacement standard for determining when an injured worker is                 
eligible for reemployment benefits."   He noted the sponsor's                  
representative was present.                                                    
                                                                               
TAPE 98-56, SIDE B                                                             
Number 0001                                                                    
                                                                               
[THE BEGINNING OF MS. BURD'S TESTIMONY WAS NOT RECORDED DUE TO TAPE            
CHANGE]                                                                        
                                                                               
SANDY BURD, Researcher for Senator Jim Duncan, came forward to                 
testify as the sponsor's representative.   Ms. Burd stated, "...               
for workers' rehabilitation to update their selected                           
characteristics of occupations defined and the Dictionary of                   
Occupational Titles."  The sponsor statement read:                             
                                                                               
     When an injured worker suffers diminished physical                        
     capacities, vocational rehabilitation services step in.                   
     They identify occupations and retrain the worker for a                    
     job that will fit within the worker's physical abilities.                 
     There is a medical evaluation of whether the worker can                   
     perform the job at the level described.  The Selected                     
     Characteristics of Occupations Defined in the Dictionary                  
     of Occupational Titles (SCODDOT) gives the physical                       
     demands and environmental conditions for the occupations.                 
     The 1993 edition gives frequency standards for physical                   
     demands - like the number of times a worker will lift or                  
     bend.  This information is necessary for proper                           
     evaluation.                                                               
                                                                               
     The Workers' Compensation Division in the Department of                   
     Labor was recently informed that it has based decisions                   
     on a 1993 edition of SCODDOT which is not in accordance                   
     with the law.  Under current law, they are required to                    
     use a 1981 edition which lacks frequency standards.  SB
 will allow the Department of Labor to adopt revised                   
     editions of SCODDOT through regulation.  The bill                         
     provides for a public meeting to set a date for the                       
     adoption of the new standards.                                            
                                                                               
Number 0011                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG indicated the committee had previous heard this              
bill in the form of HB 475 [HB 475 - Rehabilitation of Injured                 
Workers].                                                                      
                                                                               
Number 0020                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY made a motion to move CSSB 305(L&C) with                
individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note.  There                
being no objections, CSSB 305(L&C) was moved out of the House Labor            
and Commerce Standing Committee.                                               
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG commented he become a cosponsor of SB 305 that               
day.