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Legislative Audit Council Request: Workers' Compensation Commission

The General Assembly passed workers' compensation reform legislation that was signed into law on June 25, 2007.

The legislation addressed several anti-business court decisions, stream-lined the appellate process, and phased out the Second Injury Fund.

The 2007 law did not address objective standards for awards or regulate attorneys' fees.

This year, the Department of Insurance approved a small decrease of 0.3% in the rates for workers' compensation.

While the reforms appear to have stabilized workers' comp premium rates and prevented another double-digit increase, South Carolina's workers' comp premiums are still among the highest in the nation.

In March 2009, the Oregon Workers' Compensation Premium Rate Ranking for the Calendar Year of 2008 was released. South Carolina had the 12th highest premiums in the nation. In the Small Business Survival Index released in December 2008, workers' comp costs for SC small businesses were the 7th highest in the US. In both surveys, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia all had better rankings than South Carolina.

This request seeks an audit of the Workers' Compensation Commission regarding the consistency of awards and reasonableness of attorneys' fees that are approved by commissioners.

Click here for the full Legislative Audit Council Request<<

Click here to read the March 2009 Oregon Workers' Compensation Premium Rate Ranking<<

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