Bill Proposes 54% Increase in Benefit Cap to $273,000

Alaska lawmakers on Monday will hear testimony on a measure carried over from 2021 that would increase the cap on permanent impairment more than 54% to $273,000 from the current $177,000. House Bill 30, by Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, would also increase the aggregate death benefit payable to immediate family when a deceased worker has no widow, widower or children, to $150,000 from $20,000. The benefit available to a surviving widow or widower or that would be divided equally among surviving children when there is no widow or widower would increase to $8,000 from $5,000, under the b...