Bulletin Item: Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill Signed

With Gov. Schwarzenegger poised to deliver enough voter signatures to place workers’ compensation reform on the November ballot, the Legislature reached a compromise with the governor and passed its own workers’ comp reform legislation—which the governor has now signed into law. The measure (SB 899) is expected to save employers several billion dollars a year on workers’ comp costs. Among its many features, the bill sets new limits on benefits and gives employers new incentives to return injured employees back to work quickly. The bill, however, doesn’t regulate workers’ comp insurance rates. Next month, we’ll have a complete analysis of the landmark reform package.