2004 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 545 – Worker’s comp, employer liability

HOUSE BILL NO. 545

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Bill Status



H0545...........................................................by LANGFORD
WORKER'S COMPENSATION - Amends existing law to govern application of
worker's compensation when an employer is guilty of gross negligence.
                                                                        
01/27    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/28    Rpt prt - to Com/HuRes

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 2004
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 545
                                                                        
                                        BY LANGFORD
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO WORKER'S COMPENSATION; AMENDING SECTION  72-209,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO
  3        PROVIDE  AN  ADDITIONAL  CONDITION  GOVERNING LIABILITY OF AN EMPLOYER AND
  4        PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 1.  That Section 72-209, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        72-209.  EXCLUSIVENESS OF LIABILITY OF EMPLOYER. (1) Subject to the provi-
  9    sions  of section 72-223, Idaho Code, the liability of the employer under this
 10    law shall be exclusive and in place of all other liability of the employer  to
 11    the employee, his spouse, dependents, heirs, legal representatives or assigns.
 12        (2)  The  liability of an employer to another person who may be liable for
 13    or who has paid damages on account of an injury  or  occupational  disease  or
 14    death  arising  out  of  and in the course of employment of an employee of the
 15    employer and caused by the breach of  any  duty  or  obligation  owed  by  the
 16    employer  to such other person, shall be limited to the amount of compensation
 17    for which the employer is liable under this law on  account  of  such  injury,
 18    disease,  or  death,  unless such other person and the employer agree to share
 19    liability in a different manner.
 20        (3)  The exemption from liability given an employer by this section  shall
 21    also extend to the employer's surety and to all officers, agents, servants and
 22    employees  of  the employer or surety, provided that such exemptions from lia-
 23    bility shall not apply in any case where the injury or  death  is  proximately
 24    caused  by  the  wilful  willful  or  unprovoked  physical  aggression  of the
 25    employer, its officers, agents, servants or employees, the loss of such exemp-
 26    tion applying only to the aggressor and shall not be imputable to the employer
 27    unless provoked or authorized by the employer, or the  employer  was  a  party
 28    thereto.
 29        (4)  Provided  in  addition,  that such exemption from liability shall not
 30    apply in any case in which the gross negligence of the employer, its officers,
 31    agents, servants, or employees was the proximate cause of the injury.
 32        (5)  Any action brought successfully pursuant to subsection (3) or (4)  of
 33    this section shall subject the employer to the provisions for third party lia-
 34    bility in section 72-223, Idaho Code.
 35        (6)  Nothing in this section shall affect a worker's compensation surety's
 36    right  to  recover  as  outlined in this chapter, including a right to recover
 37    from the employer for liability based upon subsection (3) or (4) of this  sec-
 38    tion.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


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                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                             RS 13793
     The purpose of this legislation is to amend Section 72-209,
Idaho Code to allow a worker or his/her heirs who has an injury
or suffers death covered by the workers'compensation law to also
file a civil action in tort to recover damages from an employer
whose gross negligence or willful physical aggression has
resulted in the death or injury of the worker.
     This legislation further provides that a workers'
compensation surety may recover from an employer found liable due
to gross negligence or willful physical aggression in the same
manner as a third party under Section 72-223, Idaho Code.
                          FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the general fund of the State of
Idaho.


Contact
Name: Representative Eulalie Langford 
      Senator Cecil Ingram
Phone: 332-1000




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                          H 545