H.B. 709 Extends Benefits for Partial Disability

A new bill is waiting on the signature of Governor Beverly Perdue before it can be enacted into law.

The bill, entitled H.B. 709, will extend the benefits given for partial disability while reducing the cap of temporary total disability. It is being viewed as a compromise between the state's trial lawyers, the Employer's Coalition of North Carolina, the AFL-CIO and the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

So far the bill has flown through each round of voting. In the state Senate, it passed with a final vote of 46-0; this was after it passed in the House with 100-3 in favor of it. This bill has been long in the works, as reform to the state's workers' compensation system has not been done since 1994. When H.B. 709 is signed into law, it will place a limit of 500 weeks for temporary total disability, while allowing those on temporary disability to petition for additional time after 425 weeks.

If you have questions about workers' compensation and your rights, contact us to get answers from a Raleigh workers' compensation attorney today.