Accomplishments in Trenton

Among its political accomplishments, NJCOSH has influenced and/or strongly supported the following legislation in Trenton:

CHAPTER LAWS

P.L. 2008, C. 93: Increases power of WC Judges to enforce WC laws.

P.L. 2008, C.94: Strengthens enforcement against employers for failure to provide WC coverage.

P.L. 2008, C.95: Requires proof of WC coverage with certain legally required annual reports of employers.

P.L. 2008, C. 96: Concerns emergent medical care under WC.

P.L. 2008, C. 97: Revises membership of CRIB and clarifies its authority (Rich Marcolus, the COSH Chair, was appointed to CRIB as the labor representative. In 2018, under the new administration, COSH will again seek a CRIB seat).

P.L. 2008, C. 121: Requires Insurance Fraud Prosecutor to establish liaison with Department of Labor and WorkforceDevelopment and authorizes its investigations of failure to provide WC Coverage.

P.L. 2012, C. 67: Bans charging WC claimants for medical expenses, gives Division of WC sole jurisdiction over work-related medical claims.

P.L. 2015, C. 216: Increases physicians’ fees for WC medical reports.

P.L. 2017, C. 64: Electronic submission of WC bills.

P.L. 2018, C. 14: Increases annual salary of certain public employees, including Workers’ Compensation judges.

P.L. 2018, C.105: the VT bill.

P.L. 2019, C. 387: the Hand and Foot bill – increases workers’ compensation payments for the loss of function of a hand or foot.

P.L. 2019, C. 416: the Credit Reporting bill – prohibits medical providers from reporting unpaid workers’ compensation charges to collection and credit reporting agencies.

P.L. 2020, C. 26: Allows remote notarial acts during Public health Emergency and State of Emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order 103 of 2020

P.L. 2020, C. 57: Concerns benefits provided to workers

PENDING REFORMS

Assembly Bill No. 1014/Senate Bill No. 2721–Removes limitations on expenses of suit and attorneys’ fees from third party liability claims in workers compensation cases

Assembly Bill No. 4134/Senate Bill No. 2722–Concerns workers compensation, revises effective date of PL 2019, c. 387 to clarify that law applies to cases pending, but not yet settled, or filed on or after date of enactment, increases burial expense allowance

Assembly Bill No. 4203–Increases workers’ compensation burial expense allowance

Senate Bill No. 2380/Assembly Bill No. 3999—Concerns employment benefits and coronavirus disease 2019 infections contracted by essential employees

Senate Bill No. 2384/Assembly Bill No. 4129–Requires health care facilities to report certain COVID 19 data related to health care workers and certain first responders.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION JUDGES

COSH has worked closely with key legislators in advocating for the appointment of highly qualified WC Judges and the granting of tenure to qualified sitting WC Judges. Within the past three years, COSH has worked to get four experienced Workers’ Compensation advocates appointed as judges and continues to work towards the appointment of more.

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

COSH, in collaboration with Senate President Steve Sweeney, pushed for the virtual reopening of the Workers’ Compensation courts so that the workers of New Jersey could have their cases tried in a timely manner and with as few delays as possible, despite statewide pandemic closings.

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

COSH’s WorkPAC has become active in supporting worker friendly legislators in Trenton and has played, and continues to play, an active role in supporting the campaigns of friendly candidates. COSH is also active in the gubernatorial campaigns of both Democrat and Republican candidates.

THE FUTURE

With a new administration starting in Trenton in January 2018, COSH seeks to play a major role in the new Governor’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development Transition Team with a focus on Workers Compensation issues. This will allow for several COSH members to advance COSH’s legislative and judicial agenda in the new administration.

We remain actively involved in fighting anti-worker legislation and will strongly continue these efforts.