Michigan bill would change workers’ comp law provisions

Lansing, MI – Recently introduced legislation seeking to modernize several key areas of Michigan’s Workers’ Compensation Act has received support from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

Introduced Sept. 22, the bill (H.B. 5002) would clarify that a “personal injury” means it was sustained on the job, specifies non-work-related injuries are ineligible, creates a distinction between total and partial disability, and equalizes husbands and wives under the law.

Wendy Block, director of health policy and human resources for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, claimed the legislation would keep workers’ comp costs affordable and competitive with other states. “This legislation is in the best interest of workers and employers alike because it provides increased clarity and certainty to common disputes job providers are often forced to spend thousands of dollars litigating,” she said in a Sept. 27 press release.