Labor & Employment (Workers' Compensation)

died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 1077: Change provisions relating to workers' compensation insurance policies and deductibles

This bill modifies Nebraska's workers' compensation insurance rules to allow employers to choose deductibles for medical claims or overall policy costs. Employers could select a medical deductible between $500 and $2,500 per claim, or a broader deductible covering up to 40% of their annual premium but no less than $50,000. The law ensures insurers remain responsible for paying medical providers directly and that employees cannot be required to pay deductibles or lose their right to choose doctors. Insurers must assess an employer's financial ability to pay deductibles before offering this option, and employer-paid deductible amounts will count toward experience modification ratings starting in 2027.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill grants employers deductible flexibility without worker protections, potentially reducing compensation access. Shifts financial burden to employers after insurer payment, weakening accountability in workers' compensation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 1056: Change provisions of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act

LB 1056 updates Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to improve support for non-English speaking workers and streamline benefit calculations. It requires employers to cover interpreter services for medical and compensation-related needs, with interpreters selected from an official state register. The bill also changes physician selection rules to prioritize providers familiar with the employee's medical history, adds annual cost-of-living adjustments to income benefits, and clarifies payment rules for benefits to a personal representative if an employee dies. These changes directly affect injured workers, employers, and healthcare providers under Nebraska's workers' compensation system.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires interpreter services for medical needs and prioritizes physicians familiar with medical history, improving healthcare access for non-English speakers and continuity of care.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill requires interpreter services for non-English workers, adds cost-of-living adjustments to benefits, and prioritizes physicians familiar with employee history - directly strengthening worker protections and benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 1011: Change provisions relating to compensation for temporary disability under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act

LB 1011 amends Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to update compensation schedules for permanent injuries resulting from workplace accidents. It directly affects workers who suffer permanent loss or impairment of body parts, such as fingers, toes, eyes, or limbs. The bill specifies fixed compensation periods: for example, loss of a thumb now entitles workers to two-thirds of daily wages for 60 weeks, loss of an index finger for 35 weeks, and loss of an eye for 125 weeks. These changes replace prior provisions for permanent disability compensation under Section 48-121.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentSpecifies fixed compensation periods for permanent workplace injuries, directly advancing worker benefits under Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 1009: Change provisions relating to the date when compensation begins under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act

This bill amends Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to change when wage replacement payments begin for work-related injuries. It maintains a three-day waiting period for short-term disabilities but shifts the start date for longer disabilities: if injury lasts two weeks or more, payments begin from the injury date (not the fourth day). The change directly affects Nebraska workers injured on the job whose disability extends beyond two weeks. The bill corrects a confusing phrasing in the current law about "third seven calendar days" and "fourth eighth calendar day" to clarify the waiting period. (Note: Bill text contains apparent typographical errors in the original section being amended.)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentShifts start date for long-term disability payments to injury date, reducing wait time and strengthening worker compensation benefits for extended injuries.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 617: Change provisions of the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

This bill amends Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act by removing three specific defenses employers could previously use to avoid paying claims. It abolishes defenses based on (1) employee negligence (unless willful or due to intoxication), (2) negligence by a fellow employee, or (3) an employee assumed risks related to unsafe workplace conditions. The change directly affects workers filing compensation claims and employers defending against those claims. As written, the bill ensures these defenses are no longer legally valid in workers' compensation cases under Nebraska law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves employer defenses in workers' comp claims, strengthening worker access to compensation and protections under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 522: Change provisions relating to the date when compensation begins and provide for cost-of-living adjustments under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

LB 522 amends Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to change when injury compensation begins and add automatic cost-of-living adjustments. It removes the three-day waiting period for most injuries (compensation now starts immediately after the first day of disability, not day four) and requires annual adjustments to weekly benefits based on inflation. This directly affects injured workers receiving compensation and employers covered under the state's workers' compensation system. The bill does not change existing benefit rates or injury classifications but ensures weekly payments keep pace with rising costs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves 3-day waiting period for workers' comp and adds automatic COLA, directly advancing worker financial protection under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 313: Change provisions under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act relating to subrogation of third-party claims and the distribution of proceeds in the settlement of third-party claims

This bill amends Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to clarify how settlement money from third-party injury claims is distributed. It directly affects injured workers, their families, employers, and workers' compensation insurers. Key provisions require that after deducting recovery costs: one-third of remaining funds go to the employee, then insurers are reimbursed for past/future compensation payments, and any leftover funds go to the employee. The changes replace older rules to create a clearer, standardized process for splitting settlement proceeds.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies settlement distribution to ensure injured workers receive one-third of funds before insurer reimbursement, strengthening financial recovery under workers' comp.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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signed · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 455: Change provisions of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act relating to injury reports and workers' compensation insurance policies and deductibles

LB 455 would require injury reports filed under Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to be kept confidential by default, meaning they cannot be publicly accessed. Employees can choose to waive this confidentiality to allow public access to their specific reports, and this waiver remains in effect even if they change jobs. The bill specifies who may access these reports without waiver, including the affected employee, their attorney, the employer or insurer involved, certain attorneys handling related claims, or government agencies compiling statistics (with employee identities redacted). It does not change the types of injuries requiring reporting but clarifies who can view the reports under specific circumstances. The bill is currently postponed indefinitely in the Nebraska legislature.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentConfidentiality protects worker privacy in injury reports, aligning with labor rights protection under workplace safety policies.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 361: Change provisions of the Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act to provide for jury trials and prohibit discrimination for exercise of rights under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act

This bill amends Nebraska's Fair Employment Practice Act to prohibit employers from discriminating against workers who report work injuries, file claims, or seek remedies under the state's Workers' Compensation Act. It adds a right to a jury trial in all civil cases brought under the Fair Employment Practice Act, including cases against state and local government employers. The bill also updates legal references to clarify that the Fair Employment Practice Act's protections are supplemental to, not replacing, workers' compensation rights. These changes harmonize the two laws and remove outdated sections from the statute.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer discrimination against workers reporting injuries or using workers' comp, strengthening protections under Fair Employment Practice Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Workers' Compensation

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died · Nebraska · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

LB 456: Provide for a patient’s waiver for the release of employee hospital and medical records under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

This bill requires employees filing workers' compensation claims to provide a written waiver allowing employers or insurers to access their prior medical records. It directly affects workers seeking compensation by establishing a process for sharing health information related to their injury claim. The key provision mandates that such waivers must be obtained before insurers can request medical records, with specific exceptions protecting sensitive information like records related to sexual abuse, HIV, reproductive health, or mental health treatment. The bill does not change compensation amounts or eligibility but clarifies access to medical history for claims processing.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employee waiver for medical record access in workers' comp claims, protecting privacy and consent in benefit process90% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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