New Law Puts Union Reps on Comp Commission

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a law that guarantees labor organizations a seat on the Workers' Compensation Commission appeals board, a move that employers and insurance defense attorneys said will make the commission a more partisan body. The commission is made up of three, three-member panels that hear claims disputes upon appeal, after an arbitrator has made a ruling. The panels comprise a neutral party, an employer representative and someone from the "employee class." House Bill 2301, sponsored by state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Matteson, and Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunke...