Evening star., 1928-05-28
COMPENSAT|ONLAW
DISCUSSION IS HELD
Insurance Men Meet With
Federal Officials to Plan
D. c. Procedure.

| Insurance men met today in the IN
terror Department Auditorium with the
United States Employees Compensation
| Commission to present their viewpoint
! concerning procedure under the COM
! pensation act for the District of Co
| lumbia, which becomes effective July /.
H. A. A. Smith, one of the three COM
misSioners. explained to the 100 inSur-
ance men present that the meeting was
called to guide the commission in draft
ing its regulations SO that it would not
unduly interfere with the companies
business and that discussion and not
decision was what was desired today.
In general, he said, the District COM
penSation act procedure will follow the
Federal longshoremen's compensation
act which took effect last July /.
$4,000 Employees Affected.
Mr.. Smith said the commission de-
9ires list Of authorized firms that will
write compensation insurance in the
District
An estimate of between $4,000 and
10000 employees probably will be af-
fected by the compensation act here.
Walter w. Warwick. chief counsel of
the commission, told the meeting, add
ing that there are about 10000 en-
ployers to be affected in Washington
The District compensation law, Mr.
Warwick pointed out, is a State COM
pensation act similar to that In effect
in many Of the States, 43 Of which now
have compensation laws The adminis-
tration Of the Districts law, Mr.. War
wick asserted must be different from
the other laws the commission is ad-
ministering because the Federal COM
pensation act, which has TO do with
&r{H
Government employees in Washington
and elsewhere, and the longshoremen's
act, both are Federal measures.
The field of operation Of the District
compensation act, the chief counsel
said, extends to private employment
The estimates Of 10000 employers in
Washington to be affected is more than
all the employers over the country who
come within the scope of the long
shoremen's act. and the District meas
ure applies to an employer having but
one employe.
Certificates for Companies.
Washington has never had q COM
peT1sation law. Mr.. Warwick pointed out
adding that many employers here may
feel that 1t is In the nature of tax
for which they get no return. The
law will put out OF business employers
who fail to carry insurance for their
workers. Mr.. Warwick said, for such
employers will be prosecuted II they
fail to comply with It's provisions.
Certificates for authority for insur.
ance companies TO do business under
this act viii be ready for issuance in a
week or so. Mr. Warwick said. The
commission will make prompt investi-
cation in the case Of all companies to
see II they have the right to write
workmen's compensation insurance.
There Is no plan, the chief counsel said,
to draw I'D a form Of policy adapted to
the District Of Columbia. as the stand
ard forms used all over the country
will do.
Regulations to carry the law into
effect win be published within the next
few days, Mr.. Warwick said. unless
suggestions put forth by the insurance
men do not alter them. The law re-
quireS that a poster be exhibited In the
Offices, he continued. and the procedure
viii be almost identical with the long,
shoremen's act.
Nothing is said In the law regarding
rates TO be charged and Congress has
not provided for any rate -rnaking
authority in the District. Mr. Warwick
informed his audience, saying that the
commission he's not decided what TO do
on rates, although IL feels that It
ought TO know something about the
rates 10 be charged
Few employers have carried any
liability insurance in the District. Mr.
Warwick said. estimating that 80 per
cent of the liability business will be
new and that Of the 10000 EMPLOYERS
in the District. 5000 are not now carry
ing insurance and that as many as
5000 Of them have but one employe.
AS previously published, the new law
will enable an injured employe 10 re-
ceive medical and surgical treatment
as long as needed, and in addition viii
allow him cash benefit Of S25 per
week or two-thtrds Of his pay. In the
case Of death the insurance company
viii pay funeral expenses not exceed
Ing 5000 and weekly benefits TO the
widow, children, and certain other
relatives II dependent, until maximum
OF $500 is paid