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Louisiana proposes COVID-19 presumptive legislation

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COVID-19

Louisiana lawmakers will consider a bill to provide workers compensation coverage to essential workers who contract COVID-19 in the workplace.

S.B. 475, introduced Tuesday by Republican Sen. Glen Womack, would entitle all essential workers who are disabled by workplace-contracted COVID-19 to workers compensation. It would also provide death benefits for dependents of essential workers whose death is caused by COVID-19 contracted in the workplace.

The bill would require that essential workers file a claim within one year of the date that the disease manifested itself, or that dependents of essential workers who are deceased file within one year of the date of the worker’s death or one year from the date the claimant had reasonable grounds to believe that the death resulted from COVID-19. Essential workers are defined as people working in public safety, government, emergency response, health care or private businesses that are designated and deemed necessary or critical for response to COVID-19 by their employer or official commission.

The legislation also would require employers to post information in a conspicuous place about the time limitation for claims to be filed for COVID-19 and would extend the statute of limitations by an additional six months for employers that fail to post the notice.

If signed into law, the legislation would take effect immediately.

More insurance and risk management news on the coronavirus crisis here.