| Author | Subject: Oregon Needs an Ombudsman for Injured workers. |
| webmaster | Posted At 17:56:17 05/12/2001
Legislature seeks to take away authority of Injured Worker Ombudsman to help injure workers resolve complaints House Bill 3963 would create an office of Legislative Ombudsman. Sound like a good idea for the legislature to watch over state agencies? More than 40 state representatives have signed on to this bill, which would take the Ombudsman for Injured Workers (Maria Carraher and staff) out of DCBS and put it under the new position of Legislative Ombudsman. Perhaps the worst aspect of this bill is that the OIW would no longer have the explicit authority to act as an advocate for injured workers by accepting and resolving complaints from injured workers; instead, duties would be limited to "providing information." This would be put an abrupt end to the 3rd victory won by Labor in SB 1197 of 1990. HB 3963 is a bipartisan bill. Apparently, there is a companion bill recently introduced in the Senate. The level of support by the Governor is unknown. Matters have been moving fast. Contact your legislators NOW to point out the weaknesses in the bills, which could be very detrimental to injured workers. |
| Kay |
Re: Oregon Needs an Ombudsman for Injured workers. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 00:30:14 05/14/2001 Here is the senate bill aimed at eliminating the Omsbudsman's office for injured workers. The proposed "legislative omsbudman" would be in place to only take complaints and would have no authority to contact insurance companies and $AIF Corp. on behalf of injured workers. Please contact the committee members and your representatives and tell them why injured workers need their own omsbudsman. Sponsors of SB 971 Sen. Verne A Duncan 503 986-1712 Sen. Jason A. Atkinson 503 986-1725 Sen. Lee Beyer 503 986-1721 Sen. Kate Brown 503 986-1700 Sen. Bill Fisher 503 986-1723 Sen. Steven V. Harper 503 986-1730 Sen. Rick Metsger 503 986-1714 Sen. Frank Shields 503 986-1709 Sen. Charles Starr 503 986-1705 This bill is now scheduled to be heard by Senate Committee "Rules and Redistricting" - date and time not available yet. Members: Sen. Steve Harper, Chair 503 986-1730 Sen. Peter Courtney, Vice Chair 503 986-1717 Sen. Jason A. Atkinson 503 986-1725 Sen. Lee Beyer 503 986-1721 Sen. Kate Brown 503 986-1700 Sen. Randy Miller 503 986-1713 Sen. John Minnis 503 986-1711 |
| mac |
Re: Oregon Needs an Ombudsman for Injured workers. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 10:39:04 05/14/2001 THIS BILL IS UP FOR HEARING TOMORROW 5/14/01 AT 3:00 pm !! |
| mac |
Re: Oregon Needs an Ombudsman for Injured workers. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 12:30:40 05/14/2001 CORRECTION: The bill will be heard on Tuesday, 5/15/01 at 3:00 PM. |
| mac |
Re: Oregon Needs an Ombudsman for Injured workers. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 13:22:59 05/14/2001 Pls. note - correction !! Hearing for SB971 is Tuesday, May 15, 2001!! |
| Del |
Oregon Senate Bill 971 (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 12:13:47 05/15/2001 The hearing for SB 971 is at 3 PM in Hearing Room C There's a lot of disturbing aspects of SB 971. Here are a few. (1) It transfers hiring & termination power to four legislative members, the House and Senate minority and majority leaders. (2) That ombudsman may employ and fix the compensation of the deputies the ombudsman considers necessary for the effective conduct of the work under the charge of the ombudsman. An employee of the ombudsman serves at the pleasure of the ombudsman. The most disturbing is this: SECTION 19. ORS 656.709 is amended to read: FROM: (DELETED) { - (1) The office of ombudsman for injured workers is created in the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The ombudsman shall report directly to the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The ombudsman shall act as an advocate for injured workers by accepting complaints concerning matters related to workers' compensation, investigating them and attempting to resolve them. The ombudsman shall also provide information to injured workers to enable them to protect their rights in the workers' compensation system. - } { - (2) The office of ombudsman for small business is created in the department. The ombudsman shall report directly to the director. The ombudsman shall provide information and assistance to small businesses with regard to workers' compensation insurance and claims processing matters. - } TO: (ADDED) { + The Legislative Ombudsman shall provide: (1) Information to injured workers to enable them to protect their rights in the workers' compensation system. (2) Information and assistance to small businesses that inquire about workers' compensation insurance and the processing of claims. + } You'll notice that for business, the Legislative Ombudsman can "assist" them yet for injured workers they can only provide information. Read the bill at http://www.leg.state.or.us/01reg/measures/sb0900.dir/sb0971.intro.html Just one more example of the comp system not providing "equal" protection. |
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