An act relating to miscellaneous workers’ compensation amendments

This bill amends Vermont's workers' compensation system to improve how injured workers receive benefits and manage their return to work. It allows injured workers to request preauthorization for medical treatments, requiring insurers to respond within 14 days or face automatic approval. The legislation also clarifies when employers can require injured employees to search for new jobs while receiving temporary disability benefits, limiting the search to three employers per week. Additionally, the bill adjusts how temporary partial disability payments are calculated, ensures cost-of-living adjustments for certain workers, and establishes a default funding rate for the Workers' Compensation Administration Fund if the legislature does not set one.