Opinion ID: 885048
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Similarly situated classes.

Text: ¶ 27 When addressing the equal protection challenge, this Court must first identify the classes involved and determine whether they are similarly situated. Matter of S.L.M. (1997), 287 Mont. 23, 32, 951 P.2d 1365, 1371. The two classes involved in this present appeal are (1) workers who suffered a work-related injury on one work shift; and (2) workers who suffered a work-related injury on more than one work shift. As it applies to Henry's case in particular, the two classes are (1) workers who incur a herniated disc during one work shift; and (2) workers who incur a herniated disc on two or more work shifts. ¶ 28 The State Fund argues that the two classes are not similarly situated because each class is required to seek benefits under a separate legislative enactment, either the WCA or the ODA. The State Fund misses the point. Regardless of the number of days or the mechanism by which a worker incurs an affliction, the fact remains that both classes of individuals have suffered work-related injuries, are unable to perform their former jobs, and need rehabilitation benefits to return to work. Both workers have as their sole source of redress the WCA or the ODA. As it applies to Henry in particular, both classes involve workers who have suffered the exact same work-related injury, herniated discs, and both need rehabilitation benefits to return to work as soon as possible. We conclude that the classes are similarly situated for equal protection purposes.