Opinion ID: 2344429
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Offset of Unemployment Benefit

Text: [¶ 21] The hearing officer awarded Trottier 100% partial incapacity benefits for the two-month period after he was laid off from Brady and before he began working for Lavalley, with an offset for all unemployment benefits received. Messer contends that the offset should be applied to each date of injury, and because the amount of unemployment benefits exceeds the compensation rate calculated pursuant to 1991 law, [3] Messer is not liable for any portion of the 100% partial benefit. [¶ 22] Title 39-A M.R.S. § 220(1) (2006) provides that Compensation paid under this Act . . . to any employee for any period for which the employee is receiving or has received [unemployment] benefits . . . must be reduced by the amount of the unemployment benefits. The statute in effect at the time of the 1991 injury contains nearly identical language. 39 M.R.S.A. § 62-A (1989) repealed by P.L. 1991, ch. 885, § A-7 (effective Jan. 1, 1993). [4] [¶ 23] The record does not contain evidence of the amount of unemployment compensation Trottier received. The hearing officer ordered Brady to pay $369.01 per week, and Messer to reimburse Brady for 80% of the 1991 total compensation rate, or $138.42 per week. The hearing officer calculated Messer's portion without applying the offset, thus, the decree is unclear as to how the offset should be applied. [¶ 24] Pursuant to the offset provisions, Trottier is entitled, for the designated period, to the 100% partial benefit based on the 2002 average weekly wage reduced by the amount of the unemployment benefit. Because this is a multi-injury case in which section 354 applies, the most recent employer/insurer, Brady/Peerless, is initially obligated to pay that amount to Trottier. Brady/Peerless is then subrogated to Trottier's right to recover any amounts for which Messer/One Beacon is liable to Trottier. Once again, the employee's rights as against the earlier employer must be determined pursuant to the law in effect and the average weekly wage at the time of the prior injury. Therefore, Messer would be obligated to reimburse Brady for 80% of the 100% partial benefit calculated pursuant to 1991 law with reference to the 1991 average weekly wage, less the offset amount. [¶ 25] When determining the amount Messer is liable to Brady, the hearing officer attempted to calculate what Messer would owe Trottier based on the 1991 compensation rate, but did not give Messer the benefit of the offset. We remand for recalculation of the portion of the 100% partial benefit that Messer owes Brady, coordinated with the unemployment benefit. [5]