Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-20

The Cole bin provides that employers
| may do their own insurance business BY
| depositinS q sufic.ent bond and convinc-
ing the insurance commissioner that they
| are financially competent. Both meas
| ures provide that no compensation shall
be paid where the employe is injured
| through wilful intention and the Cole bill
adds Hntoxication. Under neither bill is
compensation paid for less than two
weeks, but for this period OF time the
| injured employe shall receive doctor 9
and hospital bills.
death is placed at two-thirds the average
| weekly wage with the total weekly pay
ment to be not more than 80 nor less
than IS for period of 800 Weeks. This
makes the maximum payment 5000 and
the minimum $3.50.
| Under the Cole bill the compensation
for death Is one-half the weekly average
| wage with weekly payments of not more
| thaO $40 or not less than "a for a period of
| 300 weeks. This gives the maximum
/ 5000 and the minimum 1920. Both bills
provide that partial dependents can col
! lect only proportional compensation and
| where a deceased employe leaves no de-
| pendents the total compensation shall
not excsed $500 which is for burial and
funeral expenses.
| For total disability. the Swift bill al
! lows two-thirds Of the average weekly
wage, with the weekly payments not TO
exceed SO or be less than 81 for period
of 500 weeks and thereafter one-third of
! the average weekly wage but not more
than Sc a week and not less than So a
week for life The Cole bill provides for
| total disability one-half the weekly aver
age wage or not more than $40 OF less
than 81 a week for a period Of 500 weeks.
, The total payment under the Cole bill
shall not be over 5000
| The Swift bill provides that where en-
ployes are injured through any neglect
Of an employer to provide safety devices
| according TO law a sum equal to the
compensation due shall be paid, one-hall
Of which goes to the State for the in
surance fund and one-half to the en-
ploye in addition to his regular compen-
Saton.
/ In case of partial disability, the Swift
bill provides that two-thrds OF the diff
ference between the average weekly
wage before and after the accident shall
be paid but not more than $40 a week and
not for more than 500 weeks. The Cole
! bill provides for one-half the difference
| between the average weekly wage be-
fore and after the accident and not over
SO per week for not over 800 weeks
Compensation for specific injuries is
| fixed in detail in each bill and the COM
| pensation is practically the same in each.
9TH \, 1l1rip1l
in notice of injury where no deceit is in
| tended shall not vitiate its legality. In
the swift bill. the time limit on notice
! is Il days and 80 days in the Cole bill.
/ The latter provides that no claim for
compensation is assignabie, subject to
attachment or liable in any way for debt.
! Under this bill where employees are hired
to work outside the state, they can. by
agreement, suspend the provisions Of the
&C tin case Of injury outside the State.
! Under the Swift bill, where an employe
! is injured, through the fault Of some one
other than an asserting employer. lie
| may take the regular compensation
from his employer or sue the man who
is liable but cannot have both. If the
! employer has paid compensation, he can
sue the persons liable under the direc-
| ton of the commission and the sum SO
| recovered shall go to the accident fund.
The same provision as to option as to
| suit and compensation is made In the
| Cole bill but any sum recovered by the
! employer in excess of the compensation
paid shall be turned over to the employe
minus the costs of suit
| Under the Cole bull, also, compensa-
| ton claims are given preference over
| the unsecured claims of the employer.
| This bill also provides that, If payments
have continued for less than six months
upon petition. the court may fix lump
sum for the remaining compensation. In
| case of no agreement as to compensation,
! the courts may settle the matter and the
| Law court is the final authority in case
OF appeal. under the Cole measure.