Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-31
MANY INQUIRIES MADE
BY LOCAL CONTRACTORS
Anxious to Know Provisions of New
Workmen's Compensa-
ton Law.
Measure Passed by Maryland Legis-
lature Becomes Effective
Tomorrow.

Many inquiries concerning provisions of
the workmens compensation law of the
state of Maryland, which becomes effect
i've tomorrow. have been made during the
last few days by Washington contractors
and employers of labor who engage in
work in Chevy Chase, Takoma Park,
Bethesda kensington and the many 9TH
er suburban communities adjacent to The
District of Columbia that lie within the
confines of Maryland. All contractors or
employers of labor engaged in work with
in the state are affected by the law. no
matter If their place of business is else
where.
The law holds the contractor or en-
ployer financially responsible for every
employee hurt in his service, if the hurt be
serious enough to lay him up for more
than a brief period, and in every case,
for medical expenses, if his work be
ClasSed by the law by Il state indus
trial accident commission. which is Gre
ated by the law, as extra hazardous. 1t
; is no longer 4 question whether the negli-
gcnce of the employer caused the injury
"a question to be settled, probably in
court as it has been hitherto. The law
now makes the employer insure all of his
men as a means of guaranteeing the pay
ment of indemnities in case they are IL
jured.
Four Methods Provided.
-Four methods for guaranteeing the pay
ment of such indemnities are provided.
Employers may insure in state fund
which is created by the law: in mutual
companies: in stock companies authorized
to transact casualty insurance business
in the state; or he need not take out any
| insurance at all. providing he can furnish
! -4-;,,
accident commission of his personal abil-
ity to pay compensation to insured work
men or their beneficiaries himself. In the
latter case the employer must deposit
with the commission satisfactory securi-
ties in an amount to be determined by
the commission to secure his ability to
pay such compensation.
Few employers are personally able to
guarantee the payment of indemnities,
| 1T is stated. Objection has been voiced
: by employers to the state fund plan of
. insurance on the ground that it does
, not protect them from accidents sus-
! tanned by their workmen who may he
/ injured in employments that do not
! come within the provisions of the law.
/ The method of insuring in mutual com
! panies is not favored by man. on the
! ground that in such companies the
| charges are not fixed. but depend on
! the amount of business handled and the
number of claims adjusted.
Want to Know Rates.
| Naturally there has been considerable
| inquiry concerning the premium rates
| of stock companies authorized to en-
! gage in the casualty insurance bust
| ness within the state. Yesterday an
! officer of the Master House Painters
! and Decorators Association of WASH
! ington ascertained from one of the
! larger MARYLAND casualty companies
| its charges. Recently these compa-
MES advanced. their premium rates, it
| is stated. and one of the purposes of
the official inquiry was a comparison
! of the new rates with the old ones.
| The charges OF casualty insurance
! companies are based on the amount OF
| the yearly pay ron of the eInploye r
seeking the insurance. Rates are quoted
at SO much for every 500 OF pay roll.
] Following are the new rates charged