Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-14
Of
ACT EXPLAINED
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT BOARr
REPORTS TO GOVERNOR ON
COMPENSATION LAW.
| ACCIDENTS IN IA MONTHS, 1o,24l

/ 'SAAAoA A1tC dIt. WALI
your request, of this date, for brief
statement covering the present status
OF the wOrkmen's compensation act,
we beg leave to report that up to Nov.
30, which marked the end of II
months operation under the law; 1,675
employers elected to come under the
act, bringing with them 45,7S3 en-
ployes (as reported for the year, 1915,
now fully 100000. During this time
there has been paid out in compen-
sation, medical and hospital fees, s445,-
1850, which has gone to 2.24S injured
employees, III payment of compensa
tion for less Of earning power and to
beneffciaries and dependents who have
received compensation on account of
accidental death Of husbands or sons.
The pending claims will aggregate
about 100000, making total liability
for the IL months of $546, ,736.70.
Accidents Reported.
| The total number Of accidents re-
ported up to Nov. 3O amount to TO-
241, Of which 1917 we're fatal; 8 per
manently totally disabled; 1854 per
manently partially disabled; 9,s72 tenn
porarily totally disabled; OF which
number 2,051 received compensation
and S,190 returned to work before
I! the expiration Of the two weeks wait.
Ing period, and as a consequence were
only furnished the medical and hos,
pital attention provided by the act
Plan No. I.
! OF the 1875 employers operating un-
der the law, SO qualified under plan
No. to carry their own risk and pay
compensation direct to their injured
employees. They brought with them
under the act 22,7O3 employees fas re.
ported for year, 1915, now fully double
that number), and have paid out in
compensation of all kinds, including
pending claims, $42S,2S161, which,
computed on the reported annual pay.
roll (year 1915, now almost double).
of $31 ,25S,29S, indicates an accident
cost Of les sthan l per cent. OF the
annual payroll. If computed on the
actual payroll for the past II months,
it will show cost of less than one.
half Of | per cent. Of the actual pay.
roll. which indicates very cheap insur.
ance and also the gratifying fact Of
low accident ratio.
Plan No. 2.
Under plan No 2 of the act. which
provides for insurance companies car.
rylng the risk, nearly 1900 employers
elected to operate, but as several of
these employers were unable to quail.
fy for admission, under plan of the
act, and also as many have withdrawn,
the record shows today that 99S EN-,
ployers are operating under plan No.
of the act reporting 1883 EN-.
f ninvnc who
surance companies, paid out In COM
pensation, including pending claims
| $97,37342, which, computed on the an.
nual payroll (year 1914, of $10,963
indicates an actual accident cost OF
about one-half of 1 per cent. of the
annual payroll, which would indicate
that the insurance companies writing
| compensation. would be justified in
materially reducing their present pre-.
MUM rates, as the employers can tes-
tify.
Plan No.
Plan three of the act. called Estate
Insurance." was elected by 618 employ
ors. with S,487 employees. In behalf
of these employers the state has paid
out in compensation of all Kinds $16,-
08l.67. The pending claims will ag
gregate about $4,000, making total
to date of $20,O81.67, which, computed
on the reported annual payroll of &c..
11O,S4O, shows an accident cost Of a
little less than three-fourths per cent
This indicates that the premium rates
fixed by the legislature for plan three
are, like the insurance companies
rates, too high; but the equalizer ex
lists in the authority given the board
to pass the monthly assessments when
the money is not needed. So far, OF
for the past II months, only three as
sessments have been levied and the
treasury, ~ industrial accident fund
is in goos % oe and shows a balance
in excess of the amount that has
been paid out up to date. There has
heen collected a total of $4S,894.46 ir
premiums from the three assessments
which Indicates a total premium cost
for II mouths on the payroll for that
length of time, of less than | per cent
which is perhaps the cheapest insur
ance protection in existence. The
total liability to date of approximate
ly 100000, leaves a credit balance ir
the fund of about $2S,00O which, al
the ratio of expenditures for the pas
II months, would be ample to carr,
the fund through another year.
Law Giving Satisfaction.
In the many thousands of cases tina
have been passed on by the board
there has been no appeal taken from
the rulings made, which while yer,
gratifying to the members of tn,
board, clearly indicates that the Law
is giving general satisfaction. Thi
board has averaged about AGO piece!