SB323: Bill Text

SB323,20,3 102.17 (1) (e) The department may, with or without notice to either party, cause testimony to be taken, or an inspection of the premises where the injury occurred to be made, or the time books and payrolls of the employer to be examined by any examiner, and may direct any employe claiming compensation to be examined by a physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist or podiatrist. The testimony so taken, and the results of any such inspection or examination, shall be reported to the department for its consideration upon final hearing. All ex parte testimony taken by the department shall be reduced to writing and either party shall have opportunity to rebut such testimony on final hearing.

SB323, s. 32 Section 32. 102.17 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,20,16 102.17 (1) (g) Whenever the testimony presented at any hearing indicates a dispute, or is such as to create doubt as to the extent or cause of disability or death, the department may direct that the injured employe be examined or autopsy be performed, or an opinion of a physician, chiropractor, dentist, psychologist or podiatrist be obtained without examination or autopsy, by an impartial, competent physician, chiropractor, dentist, psychologist or podiatrist designated by the department who is not under contract with or regularly employed by a compensation insurance carrier or self-insured employer. The expense of such examination shall be paid by the employer or, if the employe claims compensation under s. 102.81, from the uninsured employers fund. The report of such examination shall be transmitted in writing to the department and a copy thereof shall be furnished by the department to each party, who shall have an opportunity to rebut such report on further hearing.

SB323, s. 33 Section 33. 102.18 (1) (bg) of the statutes is created to read:

SB323,20,25 102.18 (1) (bg) 1. If the department finds under par. (b) that an insurer or self-insured employer is liable under this chapter for any health services provided to an injured employe by a health service provider, but that the reasonableness of the fee charged by the health service provider is in dispute, the department may include in its order under par. (b) a determination as to the reasonableness of the fee or the department may notify, or direct the insurer or self-insured employer to notify, the health service provider under s. 102.16 (2) (b) that the reasonableness of the fee is in dispute.

SB323,21,7 2. If the department finds under par. (b) that an employer or insurance carrier is liable under this chapter for any treatment provided to an injured employe by a health service provider, but that the necessity of the treatment is in dispute, the department may include in its order under par. (b) a determination as to the necessity of the treatment or the department may notify, or direct the employer or insurance carrier to notify, the health service provider under s. 102.16 (2m) (b) that the necessity of the treatment is in dispute.

SB323, s. 34 Section 34. 102.28 (3) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,21,15 102.28 (3) (a) (intro.) An employer may file with the department an application for exemption from the duty to pay compensation under this chapter with respect to any employe who signs the waiver described in subd. 1. and the affidavit described in subd. 2. if an authorized representative of the religious sect to which the employe belongs signs the affidavit specified in subd. 3. and signs the agreement and provides the proof of financial ability described in subd. 4. An application for exemption under this paragraph shall include all of the following:

SB323, s. 35 Section 35. 102.28 (3) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,22,2 102.28 (3) (a) 4. An agreement signed by an authorized representative of the religious sect to which the employe belongs to provide the financial and medical assistance described in subd. 3. to the employe and to the employe's dependents if the employe sustains an injury which, but for the waiver under subd. 1., the employer would be liable for under s. 102.03, and proof of the financial ability of the religious sect to provide that financial and medical assistance which the religious sect may establish by maintaining, in an amount determined by the department, a surety bond issued by a company authorized to do business in this state, an irrevocable letter of credit from a financial institution, as defined in s. 705.01 (3), or some other financial commitment approved by the department.

SB323, s. 36 Section 36. 102.28 (3) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,22,9 102.28 (3) (b) 4. The religious sect to which the employe belongs has agreed to provide the financial and medical assistance described in subd. 3. to the employe and to the dependents of the employe if the employe sustains an injury that, but for the waiver under par. (a) 1., the employer would be liable for under s. 102.03 and that the religious sect has the financial ability to provide that financial and medical assistance.

SB323, s. 37 Section 37. 102.28 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,23,4 102.28 (3) (c) An employe who has signed a waiver under par. (a) 1. and an affidavit under par. (a) 2., who sustains an injury that, but for that waiver, the employer would be liable for under s. 102.03, who at the time of the injury was a member of a religious sect whose authorized representative has filed an affidavit under par. (a) 3. and an agreement and proof of financial responsibility under par. (a) 4. and who as a result of the injury becomes dependent on the religious sect for financial and medical assistance, or the employe's dependent, may request a hearing under s. 102.17 (1) to determine if the religious sect has provided the employe and his or her dependents with a standard of living and medical treatment that are reasonable when compared to the general standard of living and medical treatment for members of the religious sect. If, after hearing, the department determines that the religious sect has not provided that standard of living or medical treatment, or both, the department may order the religious sect to provide alternative benefits to that employe or his or her dependent, or both, in an amount that is reasonable under the circumstances, but not in excess of the benefits that the employe or dependent could have received under this chapter but for the waiver under par. (a) 1. If the religious sect does not provide the alternative benefits as ordered by the department, the department may use the financial commitment under par. (a) 4. to pay the alternative benefits ordered, including any penalties that may be appropriate.

SB323, s. 38 Section 38. 102.28 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,23,11 102.28 (3) (d) The department shall provide a form for the application for exemption of an employer under par. (a) (intro.), the waiver and affidavit of an employe under par. (a) 1. and 2., the affidavit of a religious sect under par. (a) 3. and the agreement and proof of financial responsibility of a religious sect under par. (a) 4. A properly completed form is prima facie evidence of satisfaction of the conditions under par. (b) as to the matter contained in the form.

SB323, s. 39 Section 39. 102.29 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,23,16 102.29 (3) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent an employe from taking the compensation he or she may be entitled to under it and also maintaining a civil action against any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist or podiatrist for malpractice.

SB323, s. 40 Section 40. 102.29 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,23,24 102.29 (8) No student of a public school, as described in s. 115.01 (1), or a private school, as defined in s. 115.001 (3r), who is named under s. 102.077 as an employe of the school district or private school for purposes of this chapter and who makes a claim for compensation under this chapter may make a claim or maintain an action in tort against the employer that provided the work training or work experience from which the claim arose. This subsection does not apply to injuries occurring after December 31, 1997 1999.

SB323, s. 41 Section 41. 102.29 (8r) of the statutes is created to read:

SB323,24,6 102.29 (8r) No participant in a food stamp employment and training program under s. 49.124 (1m) who, under s. 49.124 (1m) (d), is provided worker's compensation coverage by the department or by a Wisconsin works agency, as defined in s. 49.001 (9), and who makes a claim for compensation under this chapter may make a claim or maintain an action in tort against the employer who provided the employment and training from which the claim arose.

SB323, s. 42 Section 42. 102.29 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,24,15 102.29 (9) No participant in a work experience component of a job opportunities and basic skills program who, under s. 49.193 (6) (a), is considered to be an employe of the agency administering that program, or who, under s. 49.193 (6) (a), is provided worker's compensation coverage by the person administering the work experience component, and who makes a claim for compensation under this chapter may make a claim or maintain an action in tort against the employer who provided the work experience from which the claim arose. This subsection does not apply to injuries occurring after December 31, 1997 February 28, 1998.

SB323, s. 43 Section 43. 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,25,7 102.42 (2) (a) Where the employer has notice of an injury and its relationship to the employment the employer shall offer to the injured employe his or her choice of any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist or podiatrist licensed to practice and practicing in this state for treatment of the injury. By mutual agreement, the employe may have the choice of any qualified practitioner not licensed in this state. In case of emergency, the employer may arrange for treatment without tendering a choice. After the emergency has passed the employe shall be given his or her choice of attending practitioner at the earliest opportunity. The employe has the right to a 2nd choice of attending practitioner on notice to the employer or its insurance carrier. Any further choice shall be by mutual agreement. Partners and clinics are deemed to be one practitioner. Treatment by a practitioner licensed to practice and practicing in this state on referral from another practitioner is deemed to be treatment by one practitioner. Except by mutual agreement, an employer or worker's compensation insurer is not liable for treatment provided by a practitioner not licensed to practice and practicing in this state on referral from another practitioner.

SB323, s. 44 Section 44. 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:

SB323,25,21 102.42 (2) (a) Where the employer has notice of an injury and its relationship to the employment the employer shall offer to the injured employe his or her choice of any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist or podiatrist licensed to practice and practicing in this state for treatment of the injury. By mutual agreement, the employe may have the choice of any qualified practitioner not licensed in this state. In case of emergency, the employer may arrange for treatment without tendering a choice. After the emergency has passed the employe shall be given his or her choice of attending practitioner at the earliest opportunity. The employe has the right to a 2nd choice of attending practitioner on notice to the employer or its insurance carrier. Any further choice shall be by mutual agreement. Partners and clinics are deemed to be one practitioner. Treatment by a practitioner on referral from another practitioner is deemed to be treatment by one practitioner.

SB323, s. 45 Section 45. 102.42 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,26,9 102.42 (6) Treatment rejected by employe. Unless the employe shall have elected Christian Science treatment in lieu of medical, surgical, dental, hospital or sanatorium treatment, no compensation shall be payable for the death or disability of an employe, if the death be caused, or insofar as the disability may be aggravated, caused or continued (a) by an unreasonable refusal or neglect to submit to or follow any competent and reasonable medical or, surgical or dental treatment, (b) or, in the case of tuberculosis, by refusal or neglect to submit to or follow hospital or sanatorium treatment when found by the department to be necessary. The right to compensation accruing during a period of refusal or neglect under (b) to submit to or follow hospital or sanatorium treatment when found by the department to be necessary in the case of tuberculosis shall be barred, irrespective of whether disability was aggravated, caused or continued thereby.

SB323, s. 46 Section 46. 102.82 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,26,17 102.82 (1) An uninsured employer shall reimburse the department for any payment made under s. 102.81 (1) to an employe of the uninsured employer or to an employe's dependents, less amounts repaid by the employe or dependents under s. 102.81 (4) (b). The reimbursement owed under this subsection is due within 30 days after the date on which the department notifies the uninsured employer that the reimbursement is owed. Interest shall accrue on amounts not paid when due at the rate of 1% per month.

SB323, s. 47 Section 47. 102.83 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB323,27,6 102.83 (8) Any officer or director of an uninsured employer that is a corporation and any member or manager of an uninsured employer that is a limited liability company may be found individually and jointly and severally liable for the payments, interest, costs and other fees specified in a warrant under this section if after proper proceedings for the collection of those amounts from the corporation or limited liability company, as provided in this section, the corporation or limited liability company is unable to pay those amounts to the department. The personal liability of the officers and directors of a corporation or of the members and managers of a limited liability company as provided in this subsection survives dissolution, reorganization, bankruptcy, receivership, assignment for the benefit of creditors, judicially confirmed extension or composition, or any analogous situation of the corporation or limited liability company and shall be set forth in a determination or decision issued under s. 102.82.

SB323, s. 48 Section 48 . Initial applicability.

SB323,27,12 (1) Temporary help agencies. The treatment of section 102.04 (2m) of the statutes first applies to reimbursement sought or received by a temporary help agency, as defined in section 102.01 (2) (f) of the statutes, on the effective date of this subsection, notwithstanding that the reimbursement is of a payment made before the effective date of this subsection.

SB323,27,15 (2) Elections by corporate officers. The treatment of section 102.076 (1) of the statutes first applies to elections under that subsection that are in effect on the effective date of this subsection.

SB323,27,18 (3) Computations of earnings. The treatment of section 102.11 (1) (d) of the statutes first applies to injuries or deaths occurring on the effective date of this subsection.

SB323,27,19 (4) Fee and necessity of treatment disputes.

SB323,27,22 (a) The treatment of sections 102.16 (1m) and 102.18 (1) (bg) of the statutes first applies to orders under section 102.16 (1) and 102.18 (1) (b) of the statutes issued on the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323,27,25 (b) The treatment of section 102.16 (2) (f) and (2m) (e) of the statutes first applies to determinations under section 102.16 (2) and (2m) of the statutes made 30 days before the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323,28,1 (5) Out-of-state treatment.

SB323,28,4 (a) The amendment of section 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes first applies to referrals made to a practitioner not licensed and practicing in this state on referral by another practitioner on the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323,28,7 (b) The repeal and recreation of section 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes first applies to referrals made to a practitioner by another practitioner on the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323,28,8 (6) Uninsured employers.

SB323,28,11 (a) The treatment of section 102.82 (1) of the statutes first applies to reimbursements of which the department of workforce development provides notice on the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323,28,15 (b) The treatment of section 102.83 (8) of the statutes first applies to the members and managers of a limited liability company that is unable to pay an amount owed to the uninsured employers fund on the effective date of this paragraph.

SB323, s. 49 Section 49. Effective dates. This act takes effect on January 1, 1998, or on the day after publication whichever is later, except as follows:

SB323,28,19 (1) Out-of-state treatment. The repeal and recreation of section 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes and Section 48 (5) (b ) this act take effect on January 1, 2000.

SB323,28,20 (End)