As a former chairman of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission used to say, “Workers’ Compensation is always a pot that is being stirred.”
What he meant is that the interest groups involved in Work Comp the insurance companies, the doctors, unions, business groups, trial lawyers were constantly fighting and coming up with ideas to change they system.
Politics is the mechanism of change and it is constantly in flux.
With the election of a Republican Governor for the first time in 12 years there are lots of questions about how the Work Comp system will change.
A Governor can propose changes but only the legislature can pass laws.
Both the Illinois House and Illinois Senate are firmly in control of Democrats.
The Republican Governor and the minority party in both chambers of the Statehouse will propose a number of bills to change the Workers’ Compensation laws, however, nothing will pass without the help of Democrats.
No one can discount that some changes may pass and be signed into law but it will take much negotiating and horse trading to pass any Workers’ Compensation bill in Illinois.
The initial major action will take place in other arenas behind closed doors. Such as who the Governor appoints and the Senate confirms as Arbitrators and Commissioners.
These key Work Comp decision makers will have the more immediate impact on the Illinois Workers’ Compensation system.
Questions about your work injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.