LANSING -- Legislation that could help employers reduce costs related to compensating workers injured on the job was approved Wednesday by the Republican-led Michigan House.
The chamber approved the bill by a 59-49 vote, mostly along party lines. The bill advances to the Republican-led Senate now.
Republicans say the measure could help crack down on fraud and encourage injured workers to seek employment when they're able.
The proposal clarifies that a personal injury would be one sustained while working or as a result of the job. It also distinguishes between total and partial disability.
"Michigan's workers compensation law has been causing confusion for business owners and employees for too long and these changes will eliminate that confusion and help reduce the need for court cases to settle workers comp claims," Bradford Jacobsen, R-Oxford, the bill's sponsor, said in a statement.
But Democrats opposing the measure say it could become harder for injured employees to receive benefits they deserve. Opponents also are concerned that injured workers seeking to get a second medical opinion or visit their own doctors would have to do so at their own expense.
Rep. Jon Switalski, D-Warren, questioned whether an injured police officer not physically able to return to law enforcement could be expected to take a job as a telemarketer rather than risk losing benefits during rehabilitation.
"This is not reform," Switalski said in a statement. "This is regression."
The changes to the law wouldn't affect people currently receiving benefits or with pending claims.
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