ASSEMBLY, No. 1365

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblyman STUHLTRAGER

An Act requiring employers to provide certain employees with workers' compensation accident reports and amending R.S.34:15-96.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. R.S.34:15-96 is amended to read as follows:

    34:15-96. Every employer carrying insurance as required by [article 5 of this chapter (£34:15-70 et seq.)]R.S.34:15-70 et seq. shall make report in accordance with the terms of his insurance policy upon the happening of any accident or the occurrence of any compensable occupational disease in his establishment. Such report shall be prepared in triplicate upon a form, designated as "first notice of accident", to be furnished by the insurance carrier. One copy shall be sent to the [department of labor] Department of Labor, one copy to the insurance carrier, and one copy shall be kept on file by the employer. A supplemental report shall be prepared on a form designated as "supplemental report", and sent in like manner, at the expiration of the waiting period prescribed by [section] R.S.34:15-14 [of this title]. If, however, the employee is able to resume work before the expiration of the waiting period, the supplemental report shall be sent immediately upon his return. Thereafter the employer shall promptly furnish the carrier the information demanded and necessary to enable it to carry out the intent of this chapter. These reports on the first notice and supplemental forms, filed with the [state] State, must be signed by the employer and mailed by him directly to the [workmen's compensation bureau] Division of Workers' Compensation, as a check on the operations of the insurance company. An employer shall provide a copy of the reports required by

 this section to an employee whose accident or occupational disease is the subject of the report.

(cf: R.S.34:15-96)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires employers to provide a copy of the workers' compensation "first notice of accident" report and "supplemental report" to an employee whose accident or occupational disease is the subject of those reports. The workers' compensation law requires an employer to make a "first notice of accident" report upon the happening of any accident or the occurrence of any compensable occupational disease in its establishment and to make a supplemental report. Currently, the law requires employers to provide a copy of these reports to the Department of Labor, to its workers' compensation insurer, and to retain one copy on file.

Requires employers to provide workers' compensation accident reports to certain employees.