Denver labor bulletin., 1915-07-17
Workmen's Compensation Law Is
Explained Very Concise1y
By WAYNE c. WILLIAMS
Member Colorado State Industrial Board

hazards OF industry in the United States
and that the total number of accidents
which should be compensated Tor is
more than a million a year
All Laws EmSody Fundamentals.
The various systems Of workmen'-
compensation in the countries OF the
world and in the states OF this union
differ in minor details, but they all en-
body two or three fundamental princi-
piles. One OF these j. the abolition OF the
lawsuit method of paying damages.
second j. general compensation for all
injuries of industry, whenever such in
jury arises out of the work of industry;
third, the establishment of the principle
OF safety first" and the conservation Of
human life by the most advanced meth
ods and highest standards OF security.
The Colorado law provides for an in
dustrial commission, and gives it general
industrial power, such a. supervision
and management OF all labor laws: the
power to enforce the adoption OF all
kinds of safety devices and the inye-ti-
CATION oil all industrial disputes The
other branch OF the commissions work
is that of administering the system OF
workmen's compensation.
OF four OF more persons in the state Of
Colorado will be Obliged to pay compcn-
sation unless he elects before that time
not to do so II he elects not to do
so. and Is sued, the common law dcfcnses
are not available to him. II he elects
to pay compensation, then every work
man who i injured in his place OF bus
mess and whose injury was not inten-
tionally inflicted. will secure rompcnsa-
tion.
Each injured workman may receive
one-hnlf of his weekly wages. but never
more than s. week, for so long pc
riod as he is disabled, the compensation
extending in some cases to POS weeks.
and in cases OF total disability. to life
In ease of death the compensation will
range as high S2,5o0. Compensation
begins on the fourth week after the in.
jury. and before that time the injured
workman receives hospital, nurse. med
zeal and doctor bills.
Burden of Insurance Not Heavy.
| Any employer of less than four en-.
/ ployes or any employer of domestic or
ranch hands may elect to come under
the law by filing statement to this cf-
| feet with the commission. II is obvious
| that with few rare exceptions. in cases
. OF rich employers, the average employer
viii want to insure his risk. The finan.
cial burden upon him would he too great
| If he had to pay all the compensation
out of his own purse or out of the pro
ceeds OF the business. Therefore. Ms We
have said unless an employer has very
large business and il very rich. he will
not want to carry his own insurance
but will insure his risk He can insure
/ this risk either with the state compen.
sation insurance fund or with n private
mutual company. BY msurng his risk
the employer will pay relatively small
premium and out of the whole fund
tproduced by many employers paying
small prcmiumsl the compensation will
be paid. In this way no employer will
be too heavily burdened. and the en- E
ployes OF all will be protected. II is
significant. and it, il well for the en-
ployers of Colorado TO remember, that
in no state has compensation proved too
great n burden for the business man. On
the contrary, ii has proved help and n
benefit, and we predict that it will prove
to be the same in Colorado.
Comes Automatically Under Law.
The employer of four or more per
sons is automatically under the law on
August J. unless he elects not to come
under it before that date. Whether the
employer comes under the act or not. he
must post notice in his place of bust
ness stating such fact. After this notice
has been posted seven days, if he ia
under the act, his employees are under
the act unless they specifically elect to
stay out. 1t is believed that every
working man and woman will want to
come under the act and receive its benc.
fits. However. an employc may elect
to stay out il he so chooses and IL he
does stay out and sues his employer,
the employer may avail himself of all
the common law defenses in such suit