Opt-Out Bill Runs Into Opposition; Subrogation Bill Gives Carrier Half of Damages

With just days left in this year's legislative session, two bills have emerged that would significantly reshape the Arkansas workers' compensation landscape. Both have sparked outrage from claimants' attorneys in and out of the state. One measure, Senate Bill 673, would allow employers to opt out of the workers' compensation system altogether, similar to an Oklahoma plan that was struck down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2016. “This is opt-out on steroids,” said Malcolm Crosland, treasurer of the Workers' Injury Law and Advocacy Group who examined ...