Bill Text: HI SB2050 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Vocational Rehabilitation; Workers' Compensation

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-04-13 - (S) Act 018, 4/13/2010 (Gov. Msg. No. 474). [SB2050 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2050-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  816-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2050

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2050 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION IN WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to assist injured workers in obtaining gainful employment by clarifying the steps that must be taken to develop a vocational rehabilitation plan under the workers' compensation law.  Specifically, this measure requires a provider of rehabilitation services to determine if modified or other work with the injured worker's current employer represents suitable gainful employment under a rehabilitation plan.

 

     The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, ILWU Local 142, Hawaii Insurers Council, and Hawaii Injured Workers Alliance testified in support of this bill.

 

     Employees experience injuries in the workplace each year in Hawaii.  While many may be minor injuries, some require that an injured worker seek vocational rehabilitation to continue to be gainfully employed.  The most logical and common sense approach to returning these injured workers into the workforce is to maintain the injured worker's employment with the same employer but in a new or modified job that is consistent with the worker's physical or mental limitations.  This measure seeks to achieve this goal.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2050 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

		____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair