SENATE GOP BLOCKS BILL TO PROTECT INJURED WORKERS

Measure would allow injured workers to bring representation during medical eval

AUGUSTA – Today, 19 Republican Senators voted to kill a measure that would have ensured fair treatment during medical evaluations for workers who have been injured on the job through no fault of their own.

Sen. John Patrick of Rumford

“This is about fairness for hard-working men and women who have been injured and may need support as they move through what can be a confusing and overwhelming process,” said Democratic State Senator John Patrick of Rumford, the sponsor of the measure. “Injured workers deserve the opportunity to bring a family member, coworker, or union representative with them when they are being examined by a company doctor.”

This bill is an amended version of a bill that passed the Senate and House last year, only to be vetoed by Gov. LePage.

For decades, the United Steel Workers Local 900 at the Rumford NewPage pulp and paper mill represented injured members who requested assistance at medical appointments and related Human Resources interviews. In 2013, without giving a cause for changing the policy, the mill decided to stop this practice.

Senator Patrick’s bill would make statements or agreements inadmissible if they were made during a meeting after an injured worker’s request for a third party to be present is denied.

LD 81, “An Act To Amend the Workers’ Compensation Laws as They Pertain to Employee Representation,” will now go to the House for consideration.

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