Relates to awards to employees who prevail in actions on kick-back claims; provides that such employees shall be entitled to the full amount of what was received, liquidated damages, attorney's fees and prejudgment interest.
Enacts the "Joseph Fletcher act"; permits certain claims by essential employees for compensation based on death due to COVID-19 which were previously denied or not timely filed.
Requires the workers' compensation board to submit a supplemental report every year, including recommendations to modernize such board and certain data regarding claims made and decisions rendered on such claims.
Creates a joint committee to provide oversight on unemployment insurance; authorizes the department of labor to conduct a study on potentially changing how unemployment insurance benefits are paid out.
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Relates to contracted compensation payments; provides for the payment of freelance workers as independent contractors, including requiring written contracts; timely payment of compensation and handling controversies relating to payment, complaint procedures, and penalties; excludes construction contracts.
Relates to participation in World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operations by members of the organized militia; provides that members of the organized militia shall qualify as employees for the purposes of making a claim under the workers' compensation law for participation in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operations.
Defines temporary total disability as the injured employee's inability to perform his or her pre-injury employment duties or any modified employment offered by the employer that is consistent with the employee's disability.
Requires the commissioner of labor to prepare an annual report on the cost of living, poverty rates and adequacy of the current minimum wage in the state.