KAUFMAN & KAUFMAN, LLC

1. Work Comp Act   http://www.coworkforce.com/dwc/WC_Act/Pages/Workers_Compensation_Act_By_Article.asp
2. Work Comp Rules   http://www.coworkforce.com/dwc/Rules/Rules%20of%20Procedure.asp
3. Work Comp Forms   http://www.coworkforce.com/dwc/FormsDeskAids/ByType.asp
4. Work Comp Claim    http://www.coworkforce.com/dwc/FormsDeskAids/PDF/workers_claim_for_compensation.pdf

5. Office of Administrative Courts  http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/oac/

6. OSHA http://www.osha.gov/

7. Unemployment http://www.coworkforce.com/UIB/

8. Social Security http://ssa.gov/

9. Medicare & Medicaid http://www.cms.hhs.gov/

10. All 50 States Comp Info  http://www.comp.state.nc.us/ncic/pages/all50.htm

11. Todo en Espanol  http://www.coworkforce.com/espanol.asp

Colorado History

Following the lead of the Republican Party Leader, President Roosevelt, Colorado Republican Senators, Eaton, Knauss, Candish, Leins, Messrs, Dirk, Schmidt, O'Rourke introduced Senate Bill 99 to Republican Governor, George A. Carlson for his signiture, on April 10, 1915.  President Roosevelt wanted the workers of the nation to be protected from industry gone bad.  Colorado was suffering from the effects of the Ludlow Massacre on April 20, 1914. On that day, 20 innocent men, women and children were killed, and Hundreds were injured, by Colorado National Guard Troops.   The workers only crime was a peaceful strike.  The murders changed public opinion in the state and nation in favor of protecting workers.    The concept of protecting the injured worker by way of a no-fault state system was a early form of "tort reform."  At the time the idea was not popular with Labor nor Industry.   The idea, and later practice has kept Colorado Working.  By balancing the needs of the injured worker with the need of business to have a uniform system that it buy insurance has allowed for millions of injured workers to recieve medical treatment and return to work without bankrupting the business that employ them.

Definition

The term Workers' Compensation refers to state statutes that outline provisions for employees and their dependents in cases of employment-related injuries and diseases. Each state's legislators determine these provisions for their state so differences in provisions exist from state to state. Workers' Compensation is a "no-fault" system intended to benefit both the injured employee and the employer.

The Colorado Department of Labor & Employment, Division of Workers' Compensation administers the provisions of the Colorado Workers' Compensation Statute. The Division of Workers' Compensation can be reached by calling 303-575-8700.

Before there was Workers' Compensation

Workers' Compensation was first established in Germany in 1856. Colorado enacted Workers' Compensation in 1915.

Prior to the formation of a Workers' Compensation system, employees injured on the job had to prove their employer was more negligent than they were in order to acquire any relief. This was difficult and costly to prove. Employees killed as a result of an injury on the job had no legal rights and there were no provisions for their dependents. Eventually lawmakers concluded that the cost of employee accidents and diseases was a legitimate cost of production. Workers' Compensation laws or statutes were then written to benefit both employees and employers:

Benefits to Employees

Prompt payment of adequate benefits according to a fixed and predetermined schedule.

Elimination of the delays and costs of litigation

Motivation for the promotion of industrial safety and hygiene. (Accident prevention means reduced work comp cost for the employer)

Reduction of friction between employee and employer.

Increased employee morale means a happier, more productive employee

Benefits to Employers

Payments made according to a fixed and predetermined schedule ensure some predictability in the amounts to be paid out.

Elimination of the costs of litigation and investigation.

Employer's efforts to prevent accidents result in greater productivity and lower work comp costs

Reduction of friction between employee and employer.

Increased employee morale means greater productivity/efficiency and less turnover.

Colorado Law

Workers' Compensation was first established in Colorado in 1915.