Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday signed legislation to permit workers compensation claimants to refuse offers of modified employment in certain situations.
The legislation, House Bill 1220, allows employees who receive temporary total disability benefits for a work injury to refuse an employer’s offer of modified employment if the offer requires the person to commute more than 50 miles or if it requires the claimant to drive to visit a treating physician when there is a medical restriction placed on driving.
The new law also makes other minor changes to workers compensation, including a provision instructing insurers and self-insured employers to pay all temporary and permanent disability benefits through direct deposit if that is a claimant’s preferred method of receiving benefits.
