HB 4096 expands worker's compensation protections for public safety workers by presuming that heart and respiratory diseases develop from job duties. It directly affects full-time, part-time, and paid-on-call members of fire, police, and public safety departments; county sheriffs and deputies; state police; conservation officers; and forest/motor carrier enforcement officers. The bill amends Section 405 to include these conditions as "personal injury" under the Worker's Disability Compensation Act, meaning they are presumed work-related unless proven otherwise. Before claiming benefits, applicants must first seek pension eligibility under Section 405(4), and benefits from the new presumption cannot overlap with employer-provided coverage.
SB 161 expands Michigan's worker's compensation law to presume that heart and respiratory diseases are work-related for public safety workers. It applies to firefighters, police officers, sheriff's deputies, conservation officers, and other first responders who develop these conditions during active service. The bill creates a new "Christopher R. Slezak first responder presumed coverage fund" to handle claims, shifting responsibility from employers to the fund. Workers must still meet service requirements (60+ months) and demonstrate work-related exposure, but the presumption simplifies proving workplace connection for these specific conditions.
HB 5183 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.305) to clarify when an injured worker loses benefits due to their own misconduct. The bill states that an employee cannot receive benefits if their employer proves the injury resulted from the employee's "intentional, serious, and wilful misconduct." It defines "serious" misconduct as objectively egregious and harmful conduct that endangers the employee or others. This change directly affects injured workers whose employers claim they caused their own injury through severe workplace misconduct. The bill is currently in committee referral after its introduction on October 30, 2025.
HB 5180 expands worker's compensation benefits for certain first responders by creating a presumption that specific cancers arise from job duties during emergencies. It applies to firefighters, police, and emergency medical personnel with 60+ months of active service who developed covered cancers (like lung, bladder, or breast cancer) due to exposure while on duty. The bill establishes the "Christopher R. Slezak first responder presumed coverage fund" as the primary source for benefits, requiring claimants to first seek pension benefits or prove ineligibility. It also allows rebuttal of the presumption only through scientific evidence showing tobacco use was a significant factor in the cancer. The law affects current and former essential emergency service workers directly, not general employees.
HB 5189 modifies Michigan's worker's compensation process for small claims. It specifies that claims under $2,000 for medical benefits only, or for a definite work period with the employee returned to work, may be referred to a small claims division. The bill prohibits attorneys in these small claims cases (requiring removal to standard hearings if attorneys are involved) and makes magistrate decisions final without appeal, except for fraud. This directly affects workers filing small compensation claims and insurance carriers handling those cases.
HB 5190 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.319) to improve vocational rehabilitation services for injured workers. It requires face-to-face evaluations by approved providers, mandates detailed individualized rehabilitation plans based on a six-step return-to-work hierarchy (including same job, modified work, or new employment), and limits vocational training to 52 weeks (with possible 52-week extension). The bill ensures services are tailored to an employee's qualifications and includes provisions for transportation costs during rehabilitation. Refusal to accept approved vocational rehab may result in reduced compensation, while workers can appeal director decisions to the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Appellate Commission.
HB 5186 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act to increase weekly wage replacement benefits for totally disabled workers from 80% to 90% of their after-tax average weekly wage, subject to the maximum rate in Section 355. It clarifies that mental disabilities are compensable if work significantly contributes to or aggravates them, and defines "wage earning capacity" to include jobs within an injured worker's transferable skills. The bill shifts the burden to employers to refute an employee's initial disability claim after the employee demonstrates eligibility through evidence of job qualifications and work limitations. This directly affects injured workers seeking compensation and Michigan employers who pay these benefits.
HB 5179 amends Michigan's worker's compensation law to expand the conclusive presumption of dependency to include certain individuals, meaning these people will automatically qualify for death benefits without needing to prove dependency. The bill modifies specific sections (321, 331, 335, 345, and 356) of the 1969 Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.321 et seq.). This change directly affects families of workers who die from work-related injuries by broadening eligibility for death benefits to cover additional dependents. The bill does not alter benefit amounts but simplifies access to death benefits for the newly included groups.
HB 5182 amends Michigan's worker compensation law to clarify injured workers' access to medical care. It requires employers to provide payment for treatment from a worker's chosen doctor within 10 days of notice, or face a $100 daily penalty (capped at $25,000). The bill also establishes a preauthorization process for medical treatments, requiring employers to respond to requests within 10 business days or risk delays in care. These changes directly affect injured workers seeking medical treatment and employers/carriers responsible for covering costs under the law.
HB 5177 expands Michigan's workers' compensation coverage to include specific volunteer roles by amending the definition of "employee" in the Worker's Disability Compensation Act. It directly affects on-call members of volunteer underwater diving teams, safety patrol officers (including school volunteers), volunteer civil defense workers, and on-call members of life support agencies who are injured while performing duties - whether paid or unpaid. The bill ensures these volunteers receive full workers' compensation benefits, including wage replacement calculated using the state average weekly wage at the time of injury. This change extends existing protections to these volunteer groups without altering their status as non-employees under other laws.
