safety policy, drugs, alcohol and other penalties in ... · • lab test said it was not for legal...
TRANSCRIPT
SafetyPolicy,Drugs,AlcoholandOtherPenaltiesinMissouriWorkers’Compensation
By: SteveMcManusMcAnany,VanCleave&Phillips,P.C.
Penalties
1. HardshipHearing/Unreasonable
2. EmployerPenalties
3. Drug/Alcohol(Employeepenalty)
4. SafetyViolations(Employeepenalty)
PenaltiesforBothEmployerandEmployee
HardshipTrials(RSMo287.203)and(RSMo287.560)ALJhasdiscretiontoawardcostsandfeesUnreasonableprosecution/defenseofcase(RSMo287.560)Rarelyusedinpracticeunlessprosecution/defenseegregiousUseforrepetitivetraumacasesagainstemployer/carrierthatdeniescoverageUseforcontractorvs.subcontractorcaseswhendefendingthecaseandpursuinganothercontractor.
EmployerPenalties• FailureofEmployertofollowlawfulorderoftheDivision/Commission(287.120.4)
• FailureofEmployertocomplywithANYstatestatute
• 15%increaseincompensation/deathbene]its
EmployeePenaltiesDrugs/Alcohol
• 1.PartialDefense(287.120.6(1))
• 2.CompleteDefense:(287.120.6(2))
SafetyViolations• 1.SafetyPolicy(287.120.5)
• 2.SafetyDevices(287.120.5)
ControlledSubstancesandAlcohol• 50%reductionofallcompensation(medical,TTD,PPD)• Accidentinconjunctionwithpositivedrugtest(Kelso/Nolan)
DrugsandAlcohol
DrugandAlcoholDefensesForfeitureofallbene]itsoccurswhen:1. Usealcohol/drugsinviolationofemployer’sruleorpolicy.
(Nopostingrequired.)2. Proximatecauseoftheinjury.• Rebuttablepresumptionthatbeingunderthein]luencewasthe
proximatecauseoftheinjurywhenunderMissourilawthedrugtestconstituteslegalintoxication.(0.08%).
• Employee’srefusaltotakedrugtestatemployer’srequestresultsinforfeitureofbene]itsif(1)employerhadsuf]icientcausetosuspectuseofdrugsbyclaimantor(2)ifemployer’spolicyauthorizedpostinjurytesting.
ProposedStatutoryChangesSenateBillNo.66
• §287.120.6(4):Anyposi5vetestresultforanonprescribedcontrolleddrugormetabolites of such drug from an employee shall give rise to a rebuDablepresump5on,whichmayberebuDedbyapreponderanceofevidence,thatthetestednonprescribedcontrollerdrugwasintheemployee’ssystematthe5meoftheaccidentorinjuryandthattheinjurywassustainedinconjunc5onwiththeuseofthetestednonprescribedcontrolleddrugif:• (a)Theini5altes5ngwasadministeredwithintwenty-fourhoursoftheaccidentorinjury;
• (b)No5cewasgiventotheemployeeofthetestresultswithinfourteencalendardaysoftheinsurerorgroupself-insurerreceivingactualno5ceoftheconfirmatorytestresults;
• (c)Theemployeewasgivenanopportunitytoperformasecondtestupontheoriginalsample;and
• (d)Theini5aloranysubsequenttes5ngthatformsthebasisofthepresump5onwasconfirmedbymassspectrometryusinggenerallyacceptedmedicalorforensictes5ngprocedures.
Hertzingv.BeckMotors1.CourtofAppealscase(Pro-employeecasefordrugs/alcoholpenalties.)(PerCuriamdecisionsonoprecedentialaffect)
2.Addsadditionalrequirementsnotinstatutetoapplypenaltyfordrug/alcoholviolations.3.Casedecidedonpartialdefensebutmanyofthenewrequirementswouldapplytoforfeiturecasesalso.
FactsofCase• Admittedaccident.Claimantslippedandfelloff
bucket.
• WenttoERimmediatelyfortreatment.
• Followingdaygaveurinesample.
• Testedpositiveforcocainemetabolites.
• Afterwaitingabouttwoyearstheemployerelectedtotakea50%reductionofbene]its.
CommissionDecision
• Af]irmALJ(Ruth)thattheClaimantwasPTDandEmployerNOTentitledtoa50%reductionincompensation.
• Theemployerdidnotfollowtheirownpolicyfordrugtesting.
• Cocainemetabolitesfoundinurinewhicharenotanactiveingredient.Statutedoesnotprohibitmetabolites.
• Labtestsaiditwasnotforlegalpurposes.• Nochainofcustodyestablished.• CTofAPPaf]irmLIRC.
BestPracticesonDrugandAlcoholDefenses
• Employershouldalwayshavearandom/postaccidentdrugtest.
• ERandOccupationaldocshouldknowaboutdrugtestingaftereveryaccident.
• Employermustaskforthedrugtesttobecompleted.
• Requesthighestleveloftesting
(DNA,blood,urine).• Testinglabshouldkeepsamplesof
specimenthroughdiscoveryofcase.
• Employer/labshouldalways
followchainofcustodyforspecimen.
• Makesurelabtestisdonebothforqualityandquantity.
• Adviseclaimantinwritingassoonaspossibleofthepositivedrugtestandtheplantotakeareductioninbene]its.
• Getclaimant’sstoryASAPonifhetookthedrugs,whenhetookthem,howmuchhetook,witnesses.
• Consulttoxicologistifneededinthecase.
OSHARegulations • 29C.F.R.1904.36Prohibi3onagainstDiscrimina3on:Anemployercannotdiscriminateagainstanemployeeforrepor5ngaworkrelatedinjury.
• CommentsfromtheFederalRegister:• Theruleprohibitsemployersfromusingdrugtes5ngasaformofadverseac5onagainstemployeeswhoreportinjuries• Donotdrugtestif:
• Injuryveryunlikelytohavebeencausedbydruguse;or• Themethodofdrugtestdoesnotiden5fyimpairmentbutonlyuseatsome5meintherecentpast.
OSHARules• Drugtes5ngpoliciesshouldlimitpost-incidenttes5ngtositua5onsinwhich:• Employeedruguselikelytohavecontributedtoaccident;• Drugtestcanaccuratelyiden5fyimpairment• Notreasonabletodrugtestanemployeewhoreports:
• Bees5ng• Repe55vetrauma• Injurycausedbylackofmachineguarding/machinemalfunc5on
• Howdoweu3lizedrugtes3ngforpar3aldefensecaseswhereitisobviousthattheuseofdrugsdidnotcauseanimpairmentandwasnottheproximatecauseoftheaccident?
• Wouldn’tdrugtes3nginthissitua3onviolatethenon-discrimina3onpolicyunderOSHAregula3ons?
OSHAv.MOWorkComp• Ifanemployerconductsdrugtes5ngtocomplywiththerequirementsofastateorfederallaworregula5on,theemployer’smo5vewouldnotberetaliatoryandtherulewouldnotprohibitsuchtes5ng.
• Sec5on4(b)(4)oftheActprohibitsOSHAfromsupersedingoraffec/ngworkers’compensa/onlaws.29U.S.C.653(b)(4)
SafetyViolationPenalties• PartialDefenses– SafetyViolation• Failtofollowsafetypolicy(ex.threepointcontact,lockout-tagout,etc.)
• Failtousesafetydevice(harness,glasses,guards)• 25%-50%reductionofcompensation(medical,TTD,PPD)(Thompson)
• Safetyviolationmustbecauseoftheinjury(Carver)
OSHAv.SafetyPolicies• OSHApolicyagainstdiscrimina5onofemployeesrepor5ngworkinjuriesisnotlimitedtodrugtes5ng,butalso,safetypolicies.
• Isitdiscriminatoryto:• Reduce/threatentoreduceWCbenefitsforviola5onofasafetypolicy/failuretousesafetydevicesprovidedbytheemployer?
• Employertohaveincen5veprogramsrewardingsafetyresults?(bonusforspecificnumberofaccidentfreedays,excludingemployeeswithOSHArecordableaccidentfromdrawingsforprizes)
• Programsmustbestructuredtoencouragesafetywithoutdiscouragingrepor3ngofinjuries.
SafetyViolations • ALJwilllookatseverityofviolationandfrequencyofviolationtodeterminepercentageofcompensationreduction
• ALJwillalsolookattitleincompany.Safetymanagermayhavehigherpenaltyifhe/sheviolatessafetyrule
• Isitpossibletohavetwosafetyviolationsandthustwosafetypenaltiesinoneaccident?
• Isitpossibletohaveadrugandalcoholviolationandasafetyviolationinthesameaccident?
Con]lictsCanyoutakereductionsofmedicalbene]itsifyouhaveavalidsafety/drugdefense?
287.140requirestheemployertopayallmedicaltocureandrelievetheCfromtheaffectsofhisinjury.Con]lict?Cantheemployertakethereductionsonmedical,TTDandPPDbeforetheALJwritesanaward?
287.160allowsforinterestat10%perannumifthebene]itsarepaidmorethan30dayslate.Whatifyoutakeareductionand3yearsaftertheaccidenttheALJrulesagainstyou.Doyouowebene]itsandinterest?
Questions??
McAnany,VanCleave&Phillips,[email protected]