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Nebraska: First responders with mental injuries now eligible for comp
Emergency responders in Nebraska who suffer mental injuries as a result of their jobs will now qualify for workers' compensation benefits under legislation signed into law by Gov. Dave Heineman.
Legislative Bill 780 amended the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act to include mental injuries and mental illness arising out of and in the course of employment for first responders such as police officers and firefighters. Sponsored by Sen. Steve Lathrop, non-political party affiliated lawmaker from Omaha, the legislation stipulates that the mental injury must be a result of "extraordinary and unusual conditions as compared to the normal conditions of the employment and cannot result from events which are incidental to employee/employer relations." Another piece of legislation signed into law -- Legislative Bill 563 -- makes it illegal for employers to improperly classify workers as independent contractors to avoid paying for workers' comp and other taxes. Employers who misclassify workers can now be fined up to $5,000 per misclassified worker by the state. Lawmakers overwhelmingly voted down a proposal that would have exempted the package delivery industry.
June 3, 2010 Copyright 2010© LRP Publications |
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