Workers¢â‚¬â„¢ Compensation and Safe Employment settled contested cases under both workers¢â‚¬â„¢ compensation

Laws Relating to

Workers’ Compensation and Safe Employment

in Oregon

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2007-2009

Laws Relating to

Workers’ Compensation and Safe Employment

in Oregon

2007-2009 Workers’ Compensation

Chapter 656 Oregon Revised Statutes

Occupational Safety and Health Chapter 654 Oregon Revised Statutes

Administrative Procedures Act; Legislative Review of Rules; Civil Penalties Chapter 183 Oregon Revised Statutes

Miscellaneous Prohibitions Relating to Employment and Discrimination Chapter 659 Oregon Revised Statutes

Unlawful Discrimination in Employment, Public Accommodations and Real Property Transactions;

Administrative and Civil Enforcement Chapter 659A Oregon Revised Statutes

Farmworker Camps Chapter 658 Oregon Revised Statutes

Issued by: Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services

350 Winter St. NE P.O. Box 14480

Salem, Oregon 97309-0405 Ted Kulongoski, Governor

State of Oregon John L. Shilts, Administrator

Workers’ Compensation Division Michael Wood, Administrator

Oregon OSHA

i

Table of contents

Prefaces

Department of Consumer & Business Services telephone directory ........................................ iii

History of workers’ compensation and safe employment laws .................................................. v

Significant laws passed in 2007 affecting workers’ compensation ............................................ ix

Significant laws passed in 2007 affecting Oregon OSHA ........................................................... xi

Oregon laws

The following pages contain direct reproductions of officially published Oregon laws relating to and administered by the Workers’ Compensation and Oregon-OSHA divisions of the Department of Consumer & Business Services.

ORS Chapter 656: Workers’ Compensation ................................................................................ 1

ORS Chapter 654: Occupational Safety and Health ...............................................................133

ORS Chapter 183: Administrative Procedures Act; Legislative Review of Rules; Civil Penalties ............................................157

ORS Chapter 659: Miscellaneous Prohibitions Relating to Employment and Discrimination ..............................................................193

ORS Chapter 659A: Unlawful Discrimination in Employment, Public Accommodations and Real Property Transactions; Administrative and Civil Enforcement ....................................................203

ORS Chapter 658 (Partial): Farmworker Camps .........................................................................247

General Index to Workers’ Compensation ........................................................................ INDEX-1

Applicable rules and regulations are promulgated by the department and filed with the Office of the Secretary of State.

iii

DIRECTOR’S OFFICE Director ..........................................................................503-378-4100 Ombudsman for Injured Workers .............................503-378-3351 Small Business Ombudsman ......................................503-378-4209

BUILDING CODES DIVISION Administrator ............................................503-378-4133 Information ................................................503-378-4133

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SECURITIES Administrator ............................................503-378-4140 Finance Section .........................................503-378-4140 Securities Section .......................................503-378-4387

FISCAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES Administrator ............................................503-947-7977 Accounting .................................................503-947-7977 Budget .........................................................503-947-7977 Self-insureds & Premium Assessment ...503-947-7941 Workers’ Compensation Assessment .....503-378-2372 Mail .............................................................503-947-7928 Purchasing ..................................................503-947-7923

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISION Administrator ............................................503-378-8254 Research & Analysis .................................503-378-8254

INSURANCE DIVISION Administrator ............................................503-947-7980 Producer Licensing ...................................503-947-7981 Financial Regulations ...............................503-947-7982 Market Regulations ...................................503-947-7984 Rates & Forms ............................................503-947-7983 Consumer Services ....................................503-947-7984

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH (Oregon OSHA) Administrator ............................................503-378-3272 Administration Section ............................800-922-2689 Consultative Services ................................503-378-3272 Education ...................................................503-378-3272 Enforcement ...............................................503-378-3272 Standards & Technical Services ..............503-378-3272

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH continued Field offices Bend: Enforcement ........................541-388-6066 Consultation........................541-388-6066 Eugene: Enforcement ........................541-686-7562 Consultation........................541-686-7913 Medford: Enforcement ........................541-776-6030 Consultation........................541-776-6016 Pendleton: Enforcement ........................541-276-9175 Consultation........................541-276-2353 Portland: Enforcement ........................503-229-5910 Consultation........................503-229-6193 Salem: Enforcement ........................503-378-3274 Consultation........................503-373-7819 Occupational Health Lab, Portland .......503-731-8398

OFFICE OF MINORIT, WOMEN, AND EMERGING SMALL BUSINESS Office ...........................................................503-947-7976

OREGON MEDICAL INSURANCE POOL Administrator ............................................503-373-1692

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD Administrator ............................................503-378-3308 Board Members .........................................503-378-3308 Eugene Administrative Law Judges ......541-686-7841 Hearings Support .....................................503-378-3308 Managing Attorney ...................................503-378-3308 Medford Administrative Law Judges .....541-776-6217 Portland Administrative Law Judges .....503-731-4534 Presiding Administrative Law Judges ....503-378-3308 Salem Administrative Law Judges ..........503-378-3308

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION DIVISION Administrator ............................................503-947-7500 Central Support ........................................503-947-7810 Info line .......................................................503-947-7585 Employer Compliance ..............................503-947-7815 Medical and Benefit Services ...................503-947-7816 Operations ..................................................503-947-7810

Workers’ Compensation Division 350 Winter St. NE

P.O. Box 14480 Salem, Oregon 97309-0405

v

Continued...

The 1913 Oregon Legislative Assembly gave Oregon its first workers’ compensation law, which became effective July 1, 1914. This law set up a State Industrial Accident Commission (SIAC), consisting of three trustees, to oversee the Indus- trial Accident Fund. Employers in hazardous occupations had to decide whether to be part of the fund. Contributors to the fund could not be sued; suits were brought against the commission. Noncontributors, on the other hand, had no common-law defenses, and the Employer Liability Act made them vulnerable to unlimited damages for worker injuries or illnesses. Employers in nonhazardous occupations could opt to contrib- ute to the fund and get the benefits.

In 1965, the legislature overhauled the law. Most employers came under the Workmen’s Compensa- tion law with this overhaul, effective Jan. 1, 1966. Two years later, all employers came under this law if they employed subject workers. Employers could buy the commission’s insurance, self-in- sure, or insure with private companies. The SIAC was renamed Workmens’ Compensation Board and its insurance function was given to the State Compensation Department, the forerunner of the State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) and SAIF Corporation.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 gave rise to the Oregon Safe Employment Act in 1973. Its purpose was to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for every working man and woman in Oregon, to preserve the state’s human resources and to reduce the sub- stantial burden, in terms of lost production, wage loss, medical expenses, disability compensation payment, and human suffering created by occu- pational injury and disease.

The 1977 Legislature reshuffled workers’ compen- sation administration and created the Workers’ Compensation Department headed by a director appointed by the governor. The Workers’ Com- pensation Board, continuing under gubernatorial appointment, supervised a Hearings Division that settled contested cases under both workers’ compensation law and the Oregon Safe Employ- ment Act.

The 1987 Legislature made substantial changes to workers’ compensation law. Cha