Greitens Signs WC Notice, PEO Registration Bills Into Law Hours Before Resigning

Wednesday, June 6, 2018 | 0

Just hours before he resigned amid a sexual misconduct scandal, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signed into law two bills affecting workers and employer organizations.

Eric Greitens

Senate Bill 981 allows employers and carriers to electronically post notices regarding workers' compensation. The state Division of Workers' Compensation must now develop a standard notification and publish it on the Department of Labor's website. 

Carriers that elect to provide the notice in electronic format shall direct the insured to the notice available on the Department of Labor's website.

The law also allows self-insured municipalities and counties to choose either the average rate classification method or the filed-rate method. The method may be changed only once without the consent of the director of Division of Workers' Compensation.

House Bill 1719 now requires professional employer organizations to register with the Missouri secretary of state, and to file an audit of its books done by a certified public accountant. PEOs, as they are known, also must maintain capital or a bond of at least $100,000.

The bill also stipulates that organizations may be sanctioned and fined for providing false information. The registration fee shall not exceed $500, the bill reads.