Well-placed sources have indicated that the General Assembly is planning to call a worker’s compensation “reform” bill either today or tomorrow. The actual bill has not been published yet, but it looks like it will strongly favor employers over injured workers. Business interests have persuaded your legislators to:
Allow the company to choose your treating doctor
Impose AMA standards limiting permanent disability
Limit benefits for carpal tunnel injuries
Allow a doctor who has never seen the injured to determine what care is needed
Illinois has pledged $230 million of your tax dollars in financial incentives to 27 companies this year alone. (Chicago Tribune, 5/17/2011). Companies complaining the loudest about workers’ compensation, such as Caterpillar, Inc., “reported that revenues of $12.9 billion for January through March were up 57 percent from $8.238 billion in the same period of 2010.” (S J-R.com, 04/29/2011).
What’s next? Pensions, health care, over-time protections, collective bargaining rights?
Please immediately contact your Illinois Senator, Representative and Governor Quinn. You can find the contact information by clicking here. Voice your opposition to restricting the rights and benefits of injured workers.
Forward this e-mail to your co-workers, friends and families. Encourage them to call too. We need a unified voice to stop Big Business’ campaign of misstatements and half-truths.
We will continue to keep you informed as soon as we have updated information.