Senate Bill No. 324, introduced by Senator Reese, aims to amend and reenact specific provisions of Louisiana's workers' compensation laws, particularly focusing on accident reporting and access to medical records related to claims. The bill establishes a requirement for employees to sign and return an authorization form for the release of medical records to their employer within ten business days. Failure to comply will result in the suspension of all benefits until the employee either complies or a workers' compensation judge determines there is good cause for the refusal. Additionally, the bill introduces a rebuttable presumption that an injury or death did not occur in the course of employment if notice is not provided to the employer within 30 days.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the reporting requirements for employers following an injury or death. While it retains the obligation for employers to report certain information to their workers' compensation insurer within ten days of receiving notice of an injury, it removes the requirement for employers to report injuries resulting in death or lost time in excess of one week after the injury. Employers who fail to submit the required report without good cause will incur a penalty of $500, payable to the office of workers' compensation administration. The bill clarifies that submitting the required information does not constitute an admission of the occurrence or compensability of the alleged injury or death, and it is set to take effect on August 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
SB324 Original: