Senate Bill No. introduced by A. Olsen 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. The bill amends Section 39-71-123 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to specify that the values for lodging, rent, or housing included in employee remuneration must be updated annually and should consider factors such as geographic proximity to available housing.

The bill retains the existing definitions of wages, which encompass various forms of remuneration, including cash value of non-cash payments, commissions, bonuses, and certain types of income. It also clarifies that wages do not include reimbursements for expenses or certain benefits like retirement or medical expenses. The proposed changes aim to ensure that the valuation of lodging as part of employee wages reflects current market conditions and is fair to both employees and employers.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 39-71-123
SB0291_1(1): 39-71-123
SB0291_1(2): 39-71-123
SB0291_1(3): 39-71-123
SB0291_1(4): 39-71-123
SB0291_1(5): 39-71-123
SB0291_1: 39-71-123