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,P.C.smcmanus@mvplaw.com314-621-1133