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Showing posts with label State legislature (United States). Show all posts
Showing posts with label State legislature (United States). Show all posts

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Bill limiting workers' comp claims by athletes is sent to governor


Today's post was shared by Workers Comp Brief and comes from www.latimes.com

Months of heavy lobbying by the National Football League and other professional sports team owners paid off when lawmakers gave final passage to a bill to limit most workers' compensation claims by out-of-state professional athletes.

The bill, AB 1309 by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno), cleared the Assembly on a 66-3 vote and was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor is expected to sign the bill into law, Perea's office said.

Last week, the measure received an overwhelming endorsement in the state Senate with a 34-2 vote.

Perea's proposal, which was opposed by the NFL Players' Assn. and the AFL-CIO, would close a provision in California law that allowed players from out of state to file workers' compensation claims for so-called cumulative trauma, including head injuries that manifested themselves years after their careers had ended.

Many of those players may have participated in just a handful of games in California over the course of their careers.

During the bill's eight-month transit through the Legislature, team owners argued that California had become a de facto forum for claims filed against football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer franchises and their insurance companies.

Players unions countered that the employers don't want to be responsible for their former workers' head injuries and other ailments.

Former athletes have filed more than 4,400 claims involving head and brain injuries since 2006, according to the state workers'...

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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

State Senate passes bill limiting pro teams' workers' comp liability


Today's post was shared by WCBlog and comes from www.latimes.com

An effort by the National Football League and owners of other professional sports teams to limit workers' compensation claims by out-of-state athletes is close to final passage in the California Legislature.

The measure cleared the state Senate on Friday on a 34-2 vote. In May, it passed the Assembly, 61-4.

The latest version of the bill is expected to win final passage next week in the Assembly and be on the governor's desk shortly after the scheduled Sept. 13 legislative recess.
Because of its liberally interpreted workplace-injury laws, California has become the de facto forum of last resort for so-called cumulative trauma claims, including head injuries, by retired players. Many of them may have participated in just a handful of games in California over the course of their careers.

The crackdown on a workers' compensation claims by athletes has been the focus of a major lobbying campaign by the National Football League and other pro-sports franchises. Former athletes have filed more than 4,400 claims involving head and brain injuries since 2006.

Claims by athletes represent an estimated potential $1-billion liability for the NFL alone, though they represent only a tiny percentage of all California workers' compensation cases

The bill, AB 1309 by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno), does not affect players who spent their careers with California-based football, baseball, basketball, hockey or soccer teams.

However, it bans claims from athletes who...

[Click here to see the rest of this post]

Sunday, September 8, 2013

California bill limiting workers' comp claims by athletes advances

Today's post was shared by WCBlog and comes from www.latimes.com

An effort by the National Football League and owners of other professional sports teams to limit workers' compensation claims by out-of-state athletes is close to final passage in the California Legislature.
The measure cleared the state Senate on Friday on a 34-2 vote. In May, it passed the Assembly on a 61-4 tally.

The proposal is expected to win final passage next week in the Assembly and to be on the governor's desk shortly after the scheduled Sept. 13 legislative recess.

Because of its liberally interpreted workplace injury laws, California has become the de facto forum of last resort for so-called cumulative trauma claims, including head injuries, by retired players. Many of them may have participated in just a handful of games in California over the course of their careers.

The crackdown on athletes' workers' compensation claims has been the focus of a major lobbying campaign by the NFL and other pro-sports leagues. Former athletes have filed more than 4,400 claims involving head and brain injuries since 2006.

Such claims represent an estimated potential $1-billion liability for the NFL alone.

The bill, AB 1309 by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno), does not affect players who spent their careers with California-based football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer teams.

However, it bans claims from athletes who played for California teams for less than two seasons, and those who played for California teams at least two seasons but spent seven...

[Click here to see the rest of this post]


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