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House Study Bill 181 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the definition of personal injuries arising
2out of and in the course of the employment for the purposes
3of compensable acts for workers’ compensation.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 85.61, subsection 7, Code 2019, is
2amended by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. Personal injuries due to idiopathic or
4unexplained falls onto a surface level do not arise out of and
5in the course of employment and are not compensable under this
6chapter.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This bill relates to the definition of personal injuries
11arising out of and in the course of the employment for the
12purposes of compensable acts for workers’ compensation.
13Current law provides that the words “personal injury arising
14out of and in the course of the employment” shall include
15injuries to employees whose services are being performed
16on, in, or about the premises which are occupied, used, or
17controlled by the employer, and also injuries to those who are
18engaged elsewhere in places where their employer’s business
19requires their presence and subjects them to dangers incident
20to the business. Current law also provides that personal
21injuries sustained by a volunteer fire fighter arise in the
22course of employment if the injuries are sustained at any time
23from the time the volunteer fire fighter is summoned to duty
24as a volunteer fire fighter until the time the volunteer fire
25fighter is discharged from duty by the chief of the volunteer
26fire department or the chief’s designee. Finally, current law
27provides that personal injuries sustained by emergency medical
28care providers as defined in Code section 147A.1 arise in the
29course of employment if the injuries are sustained at any time
30from the time the emergency medical care providers are summoned
31to duty until the time those duties have been fully discharged.
32The bill provides that personal injuries due to idiopathic
33or unexplained falls onto a surface level do not arise out of
34and in the course of employment and are not compensable under
35chapter 85.
-1-asf/rn
2out of and in the course of the employment for the purposes
3of compensable acts for workers’ compensation.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 85.61, subsection 7, Code 2019, is
2amended by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. Personal injuries due to idiopathic or
4unexplained falls onto a surface level do not arise out of and
5in the course of employment and are not compensable under this
6chapter.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This bill relates to the definition of personal injuries
11arising out of and in the course of the employment for the
12purposes of compensable acts for workers’ compensation.
13Current law provides that the words “personal injury arising
14out of and in the course of the employment” shall include
15injuries to employees whose services are being performed
16on, in, or about the premises which are occupied, used, or
17controlled by the employer, and also injuries to those who are
18engaged elsewhere in places where their employer’s business
19requires their presence and subjects them to dangers incident
20to the business. Current law also provides that personal
21injuries sustained by a volunteer fire fighter arise in the
22course of employment if the injuries are sustained at any time
23from the time the volunteer fire fighter is summoned to duty
24as a volunteer fire fighter until the time the volunteer fire
25fighter is discharged from duty by the chief of the volunteer
26fire department or the chief’s designee. Finally, current law
27provides that personal injuries sustained by emergency medical
28care providers as defined in Code section 147A.1 arise in the
29course of employment if the injuries are sustained at any time
30from the time the emergency medical care providers are summoned
31to duty until the time those duties have been fully discharged.
32The bill provides that personal injuries due to idiopathic
33or unexplained falls onto a surface level do not arise out of
34and in the course of employment and are not compensable under
35chapter 85.
-1-asf/rn