Council Set to Hear Two Bills on Reform of District's Dual Comp System

Friday, October 9, 2020 | 0

The District of Columbia's unique, bifurcated workers' compensation system, long criticized as unfair to public-sector workers, may receive new scrutiny next week when the District Council considers two reform bills.

Councilmember Brandon Todd

The Washington City Paper reported that the measures aim to address some of the inequities of the public-sector comp system, which saw benefits and duration reduced significantly a decade ago.

Workers have complained that the District's Office of Risk Management has reopened claims and denied continuation of benefits, based on reports from city-hired doctors.

“I see a top allergist in D.C. and they just ignored her letter, and they send me to their doctors who are quacks,” Esther Layne, a customer service representative with the city who qualified for benefits after chemical exposure in the 1990s, told the newspaper.

The disparity began in the 1970s, when Congress returned governing authority to the District and set up two systems, one for public-sector employees and one for private-company workers. The city later created a separate comp administrative department for public workers.

In 2010, some benefits were cut, mental stress compensability was curtailed, workers could no longer choose their doctors, and temporary total and permanent partial disability benefits were limited to 500 weeks.

The city bills designed to reform the system have been introduced by Councilmember Brandon Todd, who recently lost his primary election. One of the bills can be seen here.

The council will hold a hearing Oct. 16.