The bill aims to revise Montana's workers' compensation laws by mandating that the Department of Labor and Industry annually update its rules regarding the definition of wages related to lodging. Specifically, it amends Section 39-71-123 of the Montana Code Annotated to ensure that the values assigned to lodging as part of employee remuneration are updated each year. The new legal language specifies that these values must reflect the general geographic proximity to available housing and may take into account other reasonable factors affecting value.

In addition to the annual updates, the bill clarifies the definition of "wages" to include various forms of remuneration, such as monetary commissions, bonuses, and the cash value of non-cash benefits. It also outlines what does not constitute wages, such as employee expense reimbursements and certain types of benefits. The bill emphasizes the importance of accurately calculating wages for compensation benefit purposes, particularly for employees with concurrent employments or those who have experienced injuries. Overall, the legislation seeks to enhance the clarity and fairness of wage definitions in the context of workers' compensation.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 39-71-123
SB0291_1(1): 39-71-123
SB0291_1(2): 39-71-123
SB0291_1: 39-71-123