WORKERS’ COMPENSATION REFORM:

A RESOLUTION OF THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SUPPORT
OF MAKING WORKERS’ COMP RATES AFFORDABLE FOR JOB CREATORS
AND SUPPORTING THE FLORIDA CHAMBER’S WORKERS’ COMP TASK FORCE,

 

WHEREAS, IN 2003 FLORIDA’S WORKERS’ COMP RATES WERE THE SECOND HIGHEST IN THE UNITED STATES.

WHEREAS, ON BEHALF OF FLORIDA’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LED EFFORTS TO HELP LOWER WORKERS’ COMP RATES BY OVER 60 PERCENT BETWEEN 2003-2016.

WHEREAS, ON APRIL 28, 2016, IN THE CASE OF CASTELLANOS V. NEXT DOOR COMPANY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT THREW OUT THE CURRENT ATTORNEY FEE STRUCTURE THAT HAD LED TO LOWER RATES.

WHEREAS, ON JUNE 9, 2016, IN THE CASE OF WESTPHAL V. CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT THREW OUT THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD FOR TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFITS.

WHEREAS, AS A RESULT OF THESE ANTI-BUSINESS, OVER-REACHING FLORIDA SUPREME COURT DECISIONS, THE OFFICE OF INSURANCE REGULATION APPROVED A FIRST YEAR 14.5 PERCENT INCREASE, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2016 FOR NEW AND RENEWAL POLICIES.

WHEREAS, CAPS ON ATTORNEY FEES ARE ESSENTIAL IN KEEPING THE COST OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AFFORDABLE.

WHEREAS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY BELIEVES THAT ATTORNEY FEES SHOULD BE TIED TO THE AMOUNT OF THE BENEFIT THE INJURED WORKER RECEIVES.

WHEREAS, THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION SYSTEM REQUIRES A BALANCE BETWEEN BENEFITS TO THE INJURED WORKER AND KEEPING THE COST OF WORKERS COMP AFFORDABLE FOR JOB CREATORS.

WHEREAS, THE WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM SHOULD BE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE INJURED WORKER RECEIVING APPROPRIATE WAGE REPLACEMENT, HEALTH CARE, AND GETTING BACK TO WORK QUICKLY.

WHEREAS, THE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS HAVE RESULTED IN INCREASED CASES AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN ATTORNEYS FEES, NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF INJURED WORKERS.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT:

 

THE COUNTERSIGNED ORGANIZATION ENCOURAGES THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO IMPLEMENT REFORMS SUPPORTED BY THE FLORIDA CHAMBER TO ADDRESS ATTORNEY FEES IN ORDER TO KEEP WORKERS’ COMP RATES IN FLORIDA AFFORDABLE FOR JOB CREATORS, HELP KEEP THE WORKERS’ COMP SYSTEM WORKING, AND PROTECT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES FROM ADDITIONAL, UNREASONABLE RATE INCREASES THAT DO NOT BENEFIT THE EMPLOYEE’S ABILITY TO QUICKLY RECEIVE APPROPRIATE CARE AND RETURN TO WORK.

 

THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UPON DIGITAL SUBMISSION TO THE FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

 

 

 

*For more information regarding this resolution, please contact gblose@flchamber.com or call 850-521-1243.

 

Thank you to the following organizations for partnering with us to fix Florida’s broken workers’ comp system. Fill out the resolution above to get your organization’s name on this list:

Chambers of Commerce Partners:

• Citrus County Chamber
• Clay County Chamber
• Destin Chamber
• Estero Chamber
• Greater Naples Chamber
• Greater Pensacola Chamber
• Jacksonville Chamber
• Lake Wales Area Chamber
• North Port Area Chamber
• Orlando Regional Chamber
• Stuart-Martin County Chamber
• Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber
• Upper Tampa Bay Chamber
• Wesley Chapel Chamber
• Greater Pasco Chamber

Private Sector Company Partners:

• Action Automatic Door-Gate
• AKCA Inc
• AMJ Inc
• Auto Nation
• Beall’s
• Conditioned Air Company of Naples
• Gulliver Schools
• JB Coxwell Contracting
• Key Packaging
• Oceaneering International
• RJ Behar and Co
• Tibor, Inc

Partnering Organizations:

• New Horizons of SWFL
• Okaloosa County EDC
• FADA
• Federal Millwork Corporation
• Florida Medical Manufacturers Consortium (FMMC)
• Florida Poultry Federation
• Florida Trucking Association
• FloridaWest EDA
• Manufacturers Association of Florida
• National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
• National Utility Contractors Association of Florida
• Builders Association of North Central Florida

Local Government Partners:

• City of La Belle
• City of Longwood
• City of Okeechobee
• City of Orange City
• City of Umatilla
• City of Wauchula