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Senate committee weighs S.173 to speed vocational rehab for injured workers, add state mediator
Summary
The Senate committee reviewed S.173, which would remove a statutory initial screening for vocational rehabilitation, let injured workers self‑initiate services after a 90‑day carrier delay, require worker notification of future rehab rights, and fund a state mediator position to replace curtailed FMCS services.
Sophie Sadatney, legislative counsel, told the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs committee that S.173 “primarily does two things”: revise workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation rules and create a mediator position in the Vermont Labor Relations Board to provide mediation services for public and private collective bargaining.
The bill would remove the statutory requirement that injured workers undergo an initial vocational rehabilitation screening, add language allowing injured workers to initiate vocational rehabilitation services themselves if an employer or carrier does not refer them within 90 days, and require paperwork informing workers of their right to seek vocational rehabilitation in the future. “If the employer fails to assign them a…
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