The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-03-13
AID FOR WORKERS
Provisions of New York'S Com,
pensation Law.
EMPLOYERS HELD LIABLE.

Two thirds of Average Weekly Wages
Shall Be Paid Injured Employees
During Continuance of Total Disabl-
ity-Commiss to Execute Law.
The workmens compensation law
passed recently by the New York legis-
lature does not go into effect as to the
payment of the compensation required
until the LIST of next July
The principle of the law is that all
employers in the groups of Hazardous
employments' specified In the law shall
be liable to pay compensation for in
jury to their employees or in case of
death compensation to those depend
ent on such employees. says the New
York Times.
The law fixes the rates Of compensa-
ton for various injuries resulting in
various degrees of disability or in
death The general basis of such com
pensation is two-thirds of the average
rate of wages paid at the time of In.
jury and each specified disability Is to
be compensated by the payment of this
average weekly sum for defined num-
Der of weeks. The weekly amount
cannot go below IS or above $15 except
In case of the loss Of an arm, foot, leg
or eye. when the maximum is 500, In
case of permanent partial disability
the aggregate Of weekly payments is
limited to $500.
In case of death the employer is to
pay funeral expenses not exceeding
500 and is to pay to dependents of
the deceased workmen as specified an
amount not more than two-thirds of
the weekly wages. This ceases, in
case of widow, with remarriage,
when, however two years compensa-
ton may be paid in lump. In case of
children the payment ceases when they
reach the age of eighteen. The week
ly wage, the unit of calculation of the
compensation required, as we interpret
the law, is the average amount agreed
upon at the time the injury is incurred
without reference to the continuity of
employment The only exception to
the employers liability is when THE
injury is occasioned by the willful in
tention of the injured employee to
bring about the injury or death of him
self or of another or where the injury
results solely from the intoXication of
the injured employee while on duty"
Elaborate provision is made to insure
the payment of the compensation fixed
by the law. Four methods are defined
The employer may satisfy the authori
ho he. ic Gil 1I he,
insure himself, or he may join in a
mutual insurance association with
other employers to be approved by the
authorities, or he may insure In a cas-
ualty company authorized to do bust
ness in this state, or he may insure In
the state fund. In the last named case
he is released from all liability. In
the others he remains liable If the in
surers, or carriers of insurance" de
fault
To execute the law and carry out its
extensive and varied provisions the
state workmen's compensation com
mission is created 1t consists of five
members appointed by the governor
for five years each, one member going
collects and pays out all compensation
1t decides primarily on the facts of all
claims. On questions of law limited
appeal lies to the appellate division of
the supreme court. 1t has power to in
spect and investigate 1t is required
to study the actual operations of EN-
ployers. and it may change the amount
of insurance according to its Judgment
as to the liability incurred in such OPP
erations 1t has charge Of the receipts
and payments in the state fund
though the moneys and securities are
placed in the hands of the state treas
urer, 1t may, upon hearings. change
the groups defined in the law and
transfer employments from one to an
other, In its hearings and investiga-
lions the technical rules Of legal evil
dence are not required. 1t has the
power to issue subpoenas, and it can
punish for contempt. 1t can remove
any subordinate at discretion. Its own
members can be removed only by the
governor after public hearing in per
son or by counsel.