The Senate Finance Committee took testimony on S. 23 which requires specific disclosures when reaching workers' compensation settlements where all, or some benefits are resolved on a full and final basis.
The legislation included specific language that the document should include "the approximate
amount of compensation the employer would be required to pay the employee if the
parties did not enter into the agreement”.
After testimony was given the bill was amended by striking all language in
Section 1.b after the word "injury". The section now reads
"describe the employee's injury, including any rating assigned to the
injury."
Here is the current version of the bill as
amended:
(1) The employer provides the employee with a
written disclosure explaining the consequences of the agreement with respect to
the employee’s rights to future benefits by stating-
(a) the amount the claim
has resolved for,
(b) a description of the
employee’s injury, including any rating assigned to that injury and the approximate
amount of compensation the employer would be required to pay the employee if
the parties did not enter into the agreement,
(c) all benefits that
will terminate as a result of the agreement and
(d) any rights to
benefits that will be relinquished by the agreement; and
(2) The employee signs the disclosure
statement acknowledging that the employee is informed of and understands the
terms of the agreement and its consequences.