There is a proposal in the Oregon legislature which would add the exposure to COVID-19 as a occupational hazard which may require the worker to be financially compensated by the employer.

SB 488 is sponsored by Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland) and currently sits in the Oregon legislature's Senate Committee On Labor and Business.

The bill includes the following details:

• Adds exposure to or infection by SARS-CoV-2 to definition of occupational disease for purposes of workers' compensation.
• Specifies presumptions as to compensability for occupational disease or occupational injury that apply to subject worker's death, disability, impairment of health, loss of work time and expenses of medical treatment or services, including diagnostic or preventive medical treatment or services, as result of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.
• Sunsets provisions on 180th day following expiration or termination of Governor's declaration of emergency concerning COVID-19 pandemic, including any extension of declaration. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

As they often do, the Supermajority Democrats in the Oregon legislature attached the emergency clause to the bill, rendering it not able to be referred to the voter's of Oregon via citizen referendum.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-06-05 17:46:34

Last Update: 2021-06-05 21:36:29