Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-30
STATE W0RkME Ms
COMPENSATION ACT
WORKS OUT WELL
1927 of 1.S16 Accidents in 1915
Finally Disposed Of-NO
Appeals from Boards
Decisions.

Montpc Dec - -Nermonts In |
dust rial Accident board. which came into
being on the passage OF the worknen' s |
act at the last session of
the Legislature. has received in five and ,
one-half months reports Of 1876 accidents. |
OF these. l,321 have been finally disposed !
of by the board either on an agreement |
made by the parties and approved by /
the board after an investigation. or on
an order of the board after hearing, |
OF the remaining iNa, 25t are practically |
closed but are not SO classcd because the |
final papers showing that the medical |
expenses and compensation due has been
paid. have not been flied.
The board. appointees of Governor
Gates, is made mp as follows: Robert W.
Simonds. ST. Johnsburv. chairman six
years: $. a. Daniels Brattleboro, four
years F. $. Pease Burlington. two years;
with Miss Laura NJ. Burbank. secretary.
The purpose Of the law is to do away
with expensive litigation, to place the
burden of industrial accidents upon the
or the employe and 10 compensate, to
trial accidents for injuries, The board
law as II was enacted by the legislators
The act provides that medical attend
ance shall be furnished by the employer
during the first "A days and that compen-
sation shall not begin until tho 2lst dav
From this explanation IL may easily be
seen by referring to the figures first men
toned that the board has been able to
keep the work up to date but the matter
sounds much more simple than is really
the case.
SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE
The administration of the law has been
made as simple possible and all
necessary forms are provided by tile
board and sent upon application to any
one desiring TO make use Of the same.
When an accident occurs the employer
is required to send q report Of the same
TO the board within period OF To hours
In case the injured man is not able to
return 10 work at the expiration of GO
days from the time he met with the
mishap the employer files a supplement
tary report stating the fact and the
probably period of disability. At the
termination Of the disability. when the
employe is again able to resume his dr-
| ties, n final report is filed.
Owing to the wording Of the law, the
board has not favored settlements by
the payment Of lump sums. preferring
| to f<vc the injured man receive his com
pensation weekly during the period he
| Is unable to labor.
| EIGHT FATAL ACCIDENTS.
Eight fatal accidents have been report
ed since the law became effective, July
| /, 1919, and in two of these cases the
| victims We're Austrians and II has beer
| found impossible to communicate with
relatives. The matter has been taken
up with the Austrian consul in Bos-
ton for the purpose of determining
whether there are dependents Of the
men within the meaning of the law
While the act does not apply to con,
Germs who employ less than II men
unless they choose to come under tn,
provisions, many have taken advantag,
OF the optional clause and are operatin,
under the law
In but single instance has eithe
4 the employer or the employe been rep
= resented at a hearing held before tn
t board by an attorney and an appeal ha
@ vet to be taken from "A decision handel
h down by the board, a fact which In il
!. self speaks volumes for the efficiency o
- the members.
Z The board has yet to receive any com
s plants against the law. as it reads q
S as il has been interpreted by the boar
S and ii appears TO he in the main salts
factory to employer and to employe.