Governor Approves Benefit Prohibition for Terminated Workers

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday signed into law a bill prohibiting workers fired for misconduct or who refuse offers of re-employment from receiving temporary disability benefits or using modifiers to increase permanent disability awards. The bill also authorizes a $10,000 fine for employers that fire workers for a pretextual reason to try to avoid paying benefits. Martinez signed into law Senate Bill 155, by Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque. The bill abrogates the 2014 state Court of Appeal decision in Hawkins v. McDonalds. In the case, the court said a worker in a modifi...