Nebraska Legislature to Analyze Future of Vocational Rehabilitation in Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Cases

The Business and Labor Committee of the Nebraska Legislature has scheduled an Interim Study hearing on Legislative Resolution 246, the purpose of which is to analyze the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation in Nebraska Workers’ Compensation cases.  The Workers’ Compensation Act states that one of its primary purposes is to restore injured employees to gainful employment.  As such, we anticipate the committee will focus on available data relating to outcomes of injured workers’ who have received vocational rehabilitation, and the overall cost of vocational rehabilitation to the system.  Where employers and insurers bear all the costs of vocational rehabilitation, as they pay temporary benefits to employees while in vocational rehabilitation, and pay assessments which are used to pay for all costs associated with vocational rehabilitation, this is an issue that all employers and carriers should closely monitor.

The hearing will be held on October 1, 2015 at 10:00 AM in room 1525 at the State Capitol. Baylor Evnen encourages employers and insurers in Nebraska to participate in this process either by appearing in person at the Hearing or writing the Chair of the Committee, Sen. Burke Harr, R00m #2010, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE  68509.  Business and Labor Committee.  If you have any questions about the Interim Study, or how you might convey your view to the committee, please contact Nebraska Workers’ Compensation attorneys Dallas Jones or Paul Barta at 402-475-1075, or djones@baylorevnen.com and pbarta@baylorevnen.com.