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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.—Missouri’s Senate has approved employer-supported legislation that would assure that occupational disease are covered by the state’s workers compensation system.
S.B. 8, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, also would prohibit employees from suing co-workers for workplace injuries.
The Missouri Senate approved the measure Thursday. On Feb. 10, the Missouri House adopted similar legislation contained in H.B. 162, sponsored by state Rep. Barney Fisher, R-Richards.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports the legislation to correct unintended consequences stemming from workers comp reforms adopted in 2005 and subsequent court decisions, it said in a statement.
Those actions eliminated workers comp exclusive remedy protections previously granted to employers.
Missouri's Supreme Court in 2009 ruled that employees excluded from the state's workers compensation system because of a definition of accidental injury that lawmakers narrowed in 2005 could sue their employers.