Hoffman Sponsoring Legislation to Provide Protections for Injured Workers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In the wake of this week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting workers’ access to courtrooms across the country, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, is sponsoring legislation to offer greater protections and safeguards for workers that are hurt on the job.

“It is unacceptable that we continue to see workers who are injured out of their jobs due to adverse working conditions,” Hoffman said. “What’s worse is that earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision siding with large and powerful companies over injured workers. To ensure that workers who are placed in harm’s way have strong footing when odds are stacked against them, I’m sponsoring legislation to protect them from excessive workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and offering employers incentives to implement return to work programs.”

Senate Bill 2863 is a result of efforts that have been taken in the General Assembly to provide additional protections to workers who have experienced workplace injuries by establishing enhanced oversight of workers’ compensation rates to prevent excessive fees and costs. The legislation also offers an incentive for employers to allow injured workers to return to work on light duty so they may continue to work.

“This week’s Supreme Court decision to roll back injured workers’ access to the courtroom, by limiting their ability to file class-action lawsuits and forcing them into unfair arbitration agreements, is wrong and misguided,” Hoffman said. “Workers here in Illinois need to know we support them and will continue to defend them from laws that don’t serve their best interests.”