A pursuit nearing passage on the Colorado statehouse addresses protection necessities for occupational accident insurance coverage. The Proprietor-Operator Unbiased Drivers Affiliation helps the trouble.
The Home Enterprise Affairs and Labor Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday, April 27, to advance a Senate-approved invoice to present owner-operators the choice to buy an occupational accident coverage as an alternative choice to staff’ compensation.
Sponsored by Sen. Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, and Rep. Shannon Hen, D-Westminster, SB35 would permit a business operator who meets sure necessities to buy an occupational accident insurance coverage coverage slightly than a staff’ compensation coverage.
Invoice sponsors wrote within the laws that “the choice is available in different states, however as a result of restrictions in present Colorado regulation comparable reasonably priced insurance policies can’t be supplied in Colorado until a change is made to the regulation.”
They are saying that offering the occupational accident choice would permit small trucking corporations within the state to compete in neighboring states that already present the choice.
“We shouldn’t have legal guidelines that pressure these small enterprise house owners to buy expensive services and products that they don’t want,” Hen informed committee members. “Our legal guidelines ought to assist their entrepreneurial spirit and supply them with protections which are applicable for the work they do.”
OOIDA members need change
Mike Matousek, OOIDA director of state legislative affairs, stated the Affiliation represents greater than 2,000 impartial truck drivers and small motor carriers who stay in Colorado.
“Our members are usually these which are instantly impacted by Colorado’s present Occ/Acc necessities, which successfully prohibit them from buying Occ/Acc protection,” he stated.
Matousek informed invoice sponsors that OOIDA has surveyed Colorado members and so they stated resoundingly that they need occupational accident protection as an alternative choice to staff’ compensation.
“Occ/Acc tends to be a most well-liked different as a result of it’s extra reasonably priced, offers distinctive advantages, and contains protection for nonwork-related accidents,” Matousek stated in a letter to invoice sponsors. “It’s transportable, which implies if truck drivers transfer to a different state, they will maintain their protection.”
He provides that staff’ compensation is dearer, not transportable, and sometimes doesn’t mirror the wants of the particular person being lined.
Moreover, he identified to lawmakers that almost all owner-operators begin their profession in trucking as an worker drivers, and sooner or later they select to develop into an owner-operator.
“Which means that not solely are owner-operators among the many most skilled drivers on the street, in addition they have loads of alternatives to be an worker driver, however some folks merely choose to be in enterprise for themselves.”
Matousek stated that owner-operators who stay in Colorado are in a dilemma the place they’re unable to buy an occupational accident coverage, or paying for a staff’ compensation coverage that may not cowl them if one thing have been to occur.
SB35 would resolve the issue.
The invoice subsequent heads to the Home ground. If accepted there, it might head to the governor’s desk. Senate lawmakers accepted the invoice on April 20 by unanimous consent. LL
Extra Land Line protection of stories from Colorado.
