Oklahoma and Beyond: Significant State Workers’ Compensation Reforms in 2013

To date in 2013, nine states have seen significant workers’ compensation reform bills signed into law. We cover highlights from the legislation in each of the nine states.

Tennessee also moved its workers’ compensation dispute resolution process from a court-based system to an administrative system, leaving Alabama as the only state that still uses the trial courts for all such litigation.

To date in 2013, nine states have seen significant workers’ compensation reform bills signed into law. Among the findings discussed in Oklahoma and Beyond: Significant State Workers’ Compensation Reforms in 2013:

• Oklahoma legislators passed an “opt-out” provision that, among other things, gives employers full control of medical treatment through their benefits plans.
• States, including Delaware and Georgia, addressed return-to-work issues in their legislation.
• Although some state officials have promoted New York’s reforms as likely to lead to significant savings, many observers are skeptical that the legislation will do so.