The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-09-29
COMpEN ton Law
EFFECTIVE OCT. |
New Relation Between Employer and
Employee Exists Under Special
Act Of 1918.
SMALL EMPLOYERS AFFECTED
Only Exemptions Under New Law
are Accidents Persons So Called
Casual WORKER

While the nature of the new work
mems comp law, which take.
effect next Wednesday, October 1
is generally understood by manu-.
facturers, contractors and other large
employers of labor, it will probably
be news to many small employer OF
Bemidji and the entire state, that
they, too, are directly affected by the
legislation which was enacted last
winter.
The only exemptions under the
law are accidents occurring to farm
,laborers, household servants, so call
ed casual workers" and the en-
ployes of interstate common carriers.
The grocer who has a single deliv-
cry boy in his service, the physician
whose office boasts a trained nurse,
the lawyer who employees stenogra-
pher, are all, contemplated by the law
along with the mill owner, the mine
operator and the building contrac-
tor.
Hotels, stores, theatres, hospitals,
printing off1ces-even lunch counters,
barbershops and news stands--any-
one and everyone employing help
whether in a large or small degree
are directly affected by this revolu-
tionary measure.
The sweeping character of these
compensation laws is not usually ap-
preciated by the public until they ac-
tually become operative and injured
employees begin making claims there
under said a prominet' employer this
morning. =
Similar legislation is now enfore-
ed IN nearly 20 other states, yet II
is safe to say that in not one Of
them did the employers generally
have any conception Of the real ma
ture of their new liabilities on the
day when the law took effect. I will
venture that there are hundreds of
small employers in Minnesota who
don't even know that the legislature
passed law of this kind last winter.
Assuredly, they don't realize that it
has any remote bearings on their
=, ~ In h,,ei,, oe1e
Asked as to the probable effect of
the measure on the business inter-
ests of Minnesota an employer said /:
1T will undoubtedly increase our
overhead cost appreciably though,
probably not to greater extent than
in other states operating under sim
liar laws. However, there can be
no question but that the change will
in the long run prove beneficial to
the employer as well as the employed
It will save the former much need.
less and expensive litigation of his
accident claims and 1t will enable
LILO 4dCCOA W OOIc1AA p4OupC d1u JuSt
compensation in such cases without
having to share the award with q
lawyer
Asked as to whether he thought
many employers or employees would
avail themselves of the elective op.
ton to reject the compensation sec.
tion of the law, the opinion was ex.
pressed that they would not.
THE employer. who elects for hti.
cation, outside of the law, in prefer.
ence to. compensation under it i:
shorn of his old-time common Law
defenses of contributory negligence
fellow servant negligence and as
sumption of risk, and in that. situa
ton will be practically unable to es
cape payment Of heavy damage OF
almost any personal injury sui
! which may be brought against hin
by an employee. On the other hand
the, employe who stays out will flint
these same defenses restored to tn.
employer and under such. circum
stances viii lbe equally unable &
! CONTINUED on last page).
II