Legislature Passes Bill to Modify Benefit Calculation

Oregon lawmakers voted to send the governor a bill that would modify how total disability benefits are calculated. The state House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 52-0 to pass SB 1519, which would create a tiered structure for temporary total and permanent total disability benefits. Currently, benefits are two-thirds of a worker's weekly wages and capped at 133% of the state's average weekly wage.  Benefits for workers injured on or after Jan. 1 would be 75% of the portion of a worker's wage that is equal to or less than 75% of the state's average weekly wage, and 6...