A bill that would eliminate workers compensation for employees who knowingly fail to disclose medical conditions pertinent to their job requirements on pre-employment questionnaires was presented before the Montana Senate Business and Labor Committee on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 116, introduced by Sen. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, would bar all wage-loss or medical benefits if all these conditions are met: “the employee knowingly or willingly, by omission or commission, makes a false representation regarding the employee's physical condition that is relevant to the essential functions of the job; the employer relies on the false representation and that reliance is a contributing factor in the hiring of the employee; and there is a causal connection between the falsely represented condition and the injury or occupational disease for which wage-loss or medical benefits are claimed,” according to a draft.
The bill, which would go into effect July 1, is expected to be reviewed by the state’s House of Representative on April 7 for possible amendments, according to a legislative calendar.
A bill that would cover cancer and other illnesses under presumption for workers at the decommissioned Hanford nuclear site in Hanford, Washington, is now in the hands of the state Senate after passing the House on Friday on a 69-29 vote.