Representative Proposes to Eliminate Workers Compensation

By aaroncynic in News on Apr 8, 2011 3:12PM

Last week Governor Quinn proposed a plan to reform the worker’s compensation system in Illinois, saying that his ideas would save employers money and cut down on abuses. The Chicago Tribune reported Quinn’s office estimated the changes would save $500 million a year.

Quinn’s plan, however, isn’t enough for some Illinois House legislators. This week, Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion) proposed to completely eliminate worker’s compensation in Illinois. Yesterday, the General Assembly debated Bradley’s measure, which he touted would save the state $3 billion. The Bloomington Pantagraph reports Bradley instead would send worker’s compensation cases to state circuit courts. Federal prosecutors have been investigating the system after several reports of fraud and bias.

While it seems most legislators and businesses believe the worker’s compensation system needs serious reform, most are not ready to scrap the system altogether. A spokesman for AFSCME told Business Week “We find it difficult to believe that anyone could seriously think that scrapping the basic protection of workers' comp is a good idea.” Todd Maisch, a lobbyist for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce agreed. He told Business Week “it's going to create more problems than it would solve. There are just too many unknowns.”