Opinion ID: 22663
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Billiot’s Average Weekly Wage

Text: Section 910(b) of the LHWCA requires the ALJ to assess the average weekly wage of employees in the same class who worked substantially the whole year in the same or similar employment. See 33 U.S.C. § 910(b). Pride and Signal Mutual do not discount the ALJ’s application of § 910(b), rather they argue that the ALJ erred in determining that Billiot was employed as a floor hand instead of a roustabout. They claim that at the time of his injury, he was performing roustabout duties. While the work that caused Billiot’s injury may have been part of the general duties of a roustabout, he was hired as a floor hand. He was also paid 3 Pride and Signal Mutual claim that Billiot failed to diligently search for other employment at Pride’s facility after his injury. This argument lacks merit because the burden never shifted back to Billiot once he established his prima facie case. The petitioners must show that suitable alternative employment existed before Billiot was required to demonstrate diligence in pursuing other job opportunities. See Roger’s Terminal and Shipping Corp. v. Director, Office fo Worker’s Compensation Programs, Dep’t of Labor, 784 F.2d 687, 691 (5th Cir. 1986). “[F]ailure to present any evidence of job availability can support a determination of . . . total disability if the claimant is incapable of returning to his former job.” Id. 7 floor hand wages. Just because an employee performs a task outside his general job description does not mean that the employee no longer holds his previous position. Although Pride demoted Billiot to a roustabout position on November 14, 1996, he worked the majority of his time with Pride as a floor hand. The Board of Review correctly determined that substantial evidence supported the ALJ’s conclusion that Billiot’s average weekly wage should be calculated using the wages of floor hands instead of roustabouts. See LeBlanc v. Cooper/T. Smith Stevedoring, Inc., 130 F.3d 157, 161 (5th Cir. 1997); Bourgeois v. Avondale Shipyards, Inc., 121 F.3d 219, 221 (5th Cir. 1997); Harrison v. Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp., 21 BRBS 339 (1988).