State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]

91_HB1587eng

 
HB1587 Engrossed                               LRB9103672WHdv

 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  certain Acts in relation to workplace
 2    injuries and diseases.

 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section  5.   The Workers' Compensation Act is amended by
 6    changing Section 4 as follows:

 7        (820 ILCS 305/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 138.4)
 8        Sec. 4. (a) Any employer, including but  not  limited  to
 9    general  contractors and their subcontractors, who shall come
10    within the provisions of Section 3 of this Act, and any other
11    employer who shall elect to provide and pay the  compensation
12    provided for in this Act shall:
13             (1)  File    with   the   Commission   annually   an
14        application for approval as a  self-insurer  which  shall
15        include  a  current  financial  statement,  and annually,
16        thereafter, an application for renewal of self-insurance,
17        which shall include a current financial statement.   Said
18        application  and  financial statement shall be signed and
19        sworn to by the president or vice president and secretary
20        or assistant  secretary  of  the  employer  if  it  be  a
21        corporation,  or  by  all  of  the  partners,  if it be a
22        copartnership, or  by  the  owner  if  it  be  neither  a
23        copartnership nor a corporation. All initial applications
24        and  all  applications for renewal of self-insurance must
25        be submitted at least 60  days  prior  to  the  requested
26        effective date of self-insurance.
27             If  the sworn application and financial statement of
28        any such employer does not satisfy the Commission of  the
29        financial  ability  of the employer who has filed it, the
30        Commission shall require such employer to,
31             (2)  Furnish   security,   indemnity   or   a   bond
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1        guaranteeing  the  payment  by  the   employer   of   the
 2        compensation  provided for in this Act, provided that any
 3        such employer whose application and  financial  statement
 4        shall  not  have  satisfied  the commission of his or her
 5        financial  ability  and  who  shall  have   secured   his
 6        liability  in part by excess liability insurance shall be
 7        required to furnish to the Commission security, indemnity
 8        or bond  guaranteeing  his  or  her  payment  up  to  the
 9        effective limits of the excess coverage, or
10             (3)  Insure   his   entire  liability  to  pay  such
11        compensation  in  some  insurance   carrier   authorized,
12        licensed,  or  permitted to do such insurance business in
13        this  State.   Every  policy  of  an  insurance  carrier,
14        insuring the payment of compensation under this Act shall
15        cover all  the  employees  and  the  entire  compensation
16        liability  of  the  insured:  Provided, however, that any
17        employer may insure his  or  her  compensation  liability
18        with  2  or  more insurance carriers or may insure a part
19        and qualify under subsection 1, 2, or 4 for the remainder
20        of his or her liability to pay such compensation, subject
21        to the following two provisions:
22                  Firstly, the entire compensation  liability  of
23             the  employer  to  employees  working at or from one
24             location shall be  insured  in  one  such  insurance
25             carrier or shall be self-insured, and
26                  Secondly,  the  employer  shall submit evidence
27             satisfactorily to the Commission  that  his  or  her
28             entire  liability  for the compensation provided for
29             in this Act will be secured.  Any provisions in  any
30             policy,  or  in  any  endorsement  attached thereto,
31             attempting to  limit  or  modify  in  any  way,  the
32             liability of the insurance carriers issuing the same
33             except  as otherwise provided herein shall be wholly
34             void.
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1             Nothing herein contained shall apply to policies  of
 2        excess  liability  carriage secured by employers who have
 3        been approved by the Commission as self-insurers, or
 4             (4)  Make some other provision, satisfactory to  the
 5        Commission,   for   the   securing   of  the  payment  of
 6        compensation provided for in this Act, and
 7             (5)  Upon  becoming  subject   to   this   Act   and
 8        thereafter  as  often  as  the  Commission may in writing
 9        demand, file with the Commission in form prescribed by it
10        evidence of his or her compliance with the  provision  of
11        this Section.
12        (a-1)  Regardless   of  its  state  of  domicile  or  its
13    principal place of business, an employer shall make  payments
14    to  its insurance carrier or group self-insurance fund, where
15    applicable, based upon the premium rates of the  situs  where
16    the work or project is located in Illinois if:
17             (A)  the   employer  is  engaged  primarily  in  the
18        building and construction industry; and
19             (B)  subdivision (a)(3) of this Section  applies  to
20        the  employer  or  the  employer  is  a member of a group
21        self-insurance plan  as  defined  in  subsection  (1)  of
22        Section 4a.
23        The  Industrial Commission shall impose a penalty upon an
24    employer for violation of this subsection (a-1) if:
25             (i)  the employer  is  given  an  opportunity  at  a
26        hearing  to present  evidence of its compliance with this
27        subsection (a-1); and
28             (ii)  after the hearing, the Commission  finds  that
29        the  employer  failed  to  make payments upon the premium
30        rates of the situs where the work or  project is  located
31        in Illinois.
32        The  penalty shall not exceed $1,000 for each day of work
33    for which  the employer failed  to  make  payments  upon  the
34    premium  rates  of  the  situs  where the  work or project is
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1    located in Illinois, but the total penalty shall  not  exceed
 2    $50,000  for  each  project  or each contract under which the
 3    work was  performed.
 4        Any penalty under this subsection (a-1) must  be  imposed
 5    not  later    than  one  year  after  the  expiration  of the
 6    applicable limitation period  specified in subsection (d)  of
 7    Section  6  of  this  Act.   Penalties  imposed  under   this
 8    subsection (a-1)  shall  be  deposited  into  the  Industrial
 9    Commission    Operations Fund, a special fund that is created
10    in the State treasury.  Subject to appropriation,  moneys  in
11    the  Fund  shall  be  used  solely for the operations  of the
12    Industrial Commission.
13        (b)  The sworn application and  financial  statement,  or
14    security, indemnity or bond, or amount of insurance, or other
15    provisions,   filed,  furnished,  carried,  or  made  by  the
16    employer, as the  case  may  be,  shall  be  subject  to  the
17    approval of the Commission.
18        Deposits   under   escrow   agreements   shall  be  cash,
19    negotiable  United  States  government  bonds  or  negotiable
20    general obligation bonds of the State of Illinois.  Such cash
21    or bonds shall be deposited  in  escrow  with  any  State  or
22    National  Bank or Trust Company having trust authority in the
23    State of Illinois.
24        Upon the approval of the sworn application and  financial
25    statement,   security,   indemnity   or  bond  or  amount  of
26    insurance, filed, furnished or carried, as the case  may  be,
27    the  Commission  shall send to the employer written notice of
28    its approval thereof.  The certificate of compliance  by  the
29    employer  with the provisions of subparagraphs (2) and (3) of
30    paragraph (a) of this  Section  shall  be  delivered  by  the
31    insurance  carrier  to  the Industrial Commission within five
32    days after the effective date of  the  policy  so  certified.
33    The  insurance  so  certified  shall  cover  all compensation
34    liability occurring during the time that the insurance is  in
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1    effect  and no further certificate need be filed in case such
 2    insurance is renewed, extended or otherwise continued by such
 3    carrier.  The insurance so certified shall not  be  cancelled
 4    or  in the event that such insurance is not renewed, extended
 5    or  otherwise  continued,  such  insurance   shall   not   be
 6    terminated  until  at  least  10  days  after  receipt by the
 7    Industrial  Commission  of  notice  of  the  cancellation  or
 8    termination of said insurance; provided, however, that if the
 9    employer  has  secured  insurance  from   another   insurance
10    carrier, or has otherwise secured the payment of compensation
11    in  accordance with this Section, and such insurance or other
12    security becomes effective prior to the expiration of the  10
13    days,  cancellation  or termination may, at the option of the
14    insurance carrier indicated in such notice, be  effective  as
15    of the effective date of such other insurance or security.
16        (c)  Whenever   the   Commission   shall  find  that  any
17    corporation,    company,    association,    aggregation    of
18    individuals, reciprocal or interinsurers exchange,  or  other
19    insurer  effecting  workers'  compensation  insurance in this
20    State shall be insolvent, financially unsound, or  unable  to
21    fully  meet  all  payments  and  liabilities assumed or to be
22    assumed for compensation insurance in this  State,  or  shall
23    practice  a policy of delay or unfairness toward employees in
24    the adjustment, settlement, or payment of benefits  due  such
25    employees,  the  Commission  may  after reasonable notice and
26    hearing order and  direct  that  such  corporation,  company,
27    association,   aggregation   of  individuals,  reciprocal  or
28    interinsurers exchange, or insurer, shall from  and  after  a
29    date  fixed in such order discontinue the writing of any such
30    workers' compensation insurance in this  State.   Subject  to
31    such  modification  of  the order as the Commission may later
32    make on review of the order, as  herein  provided,  it  shall
33    thereupon  be  unlawful  for  any  such corporation, company,
34    association,  aggregation  of  individuals,   reciprocal   or
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1    interinsurers  exchange,  or  insurer  to effect any workers'
 2    compensation insurance in this State.  A copy  of  the  order
 3    shall  be served upon the Director of Insurance by registered
 4    mail.  Whenever the Commission  finds  that  any  service  or
 5    adjustment   company  used  or  employed  by  a  self-insured
 6    employer or by  an  insurance  carrier  to  process,  adjust,
 7    investigate, compromise or otherwise handle claims under this
 8    Act,  has  practiced  or  is  practicing a policy of delay or
 9    unfairness toward employees in the adjustment, settlement  or
10    payment  of  benefits  due such employees, the Commission may
11    after reasonable notice and hearing  order  and  direct  that
12    such  service  or  adjustment  company shall from and after a
13    date fixed in  such  order  be  prohibited  from  processing,
14    adjusting,  investigating, compromising or otherwise handling
15    claims under this Act.
16        Whenever  the  Commission  finds  that  any  self-insured
17    employer has practiced or is practicing delay  or  unfairness
18    toward  employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of
19    benefits  due  such  employees,  the  Commission  may,  after
20    reasonable notice and hearing, order and direct that after  a
21    date  fixed  in the order such self-insured employer shall be
22    disqualified to  operate  as  a  self-insurer  and  shall  be
23    required  to  insure his entire liability to pay compensation
24    in some insurance carrier authorized, licensed and  permitted
25    to  do  such insurance business in this State, as provided in
26    subparagraph 3 of paragraph (a) of this Section.
27        All orders made by  the  Commission  under  this  Section
28    shall  be  subject to review by the courts, said review to be
29    taken in the same manner and within the same time as provided
30    by Section 19 of this Act for review of awards and  decisions
31    of  the  Commission, upon the party seeking the review filing
32    with the clerk of the court to which said review is  taken  a
33    bond  in  an  amount to be fixed and approved by the court to
34    which the review is taken, conditioned upon  the  payment  of
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -7-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1    all  compensation  awarded  against  the  person  taking said
 2    review pending a decision  thereof  and  further  conditioned
 3    upon  such  other  obligations as the court may impose.  Upon
 4    the review the Circuit Court shall have power to  review  all
 5    questions of fact as well as of law.  The penalty hereinafter
 6    provided for in this paragraph shall not attach and shall not
 7    begin  to  run  until the final determination of the order of
 8    the Commission.
 9        (d)  Upon a finding by the Commission,  after  reasonable
10    notice  and  hearing, of the knowing and wilful failure of an
11    employer to comply with any of the  provisions  of  paragraph
12    (a) of this Section or the failure or refusal of an employer,
13    service  or  adjustment  company,  or an insurance carrier to
14    comply with any order of the Industrial  Commission  pursuant
15    to  paragraph (c) of this Section disqualifying him or her to
16    operate as a self insurer and requiring him or her to  insure
17    his  or  her  liability,  the  Commission  may assess a civil
18    penalty of up to $500 per day for each day of such failure or
19    refusal after the effective date of this  amendatory  Act  of
20    1989.  Each day of such failure or refusal shall constitute a
21    separate offense.
22        Upon the failure or refusal of any employer,  service  or
23    adjustment  company  or  insurance carrier to comply with the
24    provisions of  this  Section  and  with  the  orders  of  the
25    Commission  under  this Section, or the order of the court on
26    review after final adjudication, the Commission may  bring  a
27    civil  action  to  recover  the amount of the penalty in Cook
28    County  or  in  Sangamon  County  in  which  litigation   the
29    Commission shall be represented by the Attorney General.  The
30    Commission shall send notice of its finding of non-compliance
31    and  assessment of the civil penalty to the Attorney General.
32    It shall be the duty of the Attorney General within  30  days
33    after  receipt  of  the notice, to institute prosecutions and
34    promptly prosecute all reported violations of this Section.
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -8-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1        (e)  This Act shall not affect or disturb the continuance
 2    of any existing insurance, mutual  aid,  benefit,  or  relief
 3    association  or department, whether maintained in whole or in
 4    part by the employer or whether maintained by the  employees,
 5    the  payment  of  benefits  of such association or department
 6    being guaranteed by the employer or by some person,  firm  or
 7    corporation   for   him   or   her:  Provided,  the  employer
 8    contributes to such association or department an  amount  not
 9    less than the full compensation herein provided, exclusive of
10    the cost of the maintenance of such association or department
11    and  without any expense to the employee.  This Act shall not
12    prevent the organization and maintaining under the  insurance
13    laws  of  this  State of any benefit or insurance company for
14    the purpose of insuring against the compensation provided for
15    in this Act, the  expense  of  which  is  maintained  by  the
16    employer.  This  Act  shall  not  prevent the organization or
17    maintaining under the insurance laws of  this  State  of  any
18    voluntary  mutual  aid,  benefit  or relief association among
19    employees for the payment  of  additional  accident  or  sick
20    benefits.
21        (f)  No existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit or relief
22    association or department shall, by reason of anything herein
23    contained, be authorized to discontinue its operation without
24    first  discharging  its  obligations  to  any and all persons
25    carrying insurance in the  same  or  entitled  to  relief  or
26    benefits therein.
27        (g)  Any   contract,   oral,   written   or  implied,  of
28    employment providing for relief benefit, or insurance or  any
29    other  device  whereby  the  employee  is required to pay any
30    premium or premiums for insurance  against  the  compensation
31    provided  for  in  this  Act  shall  be  null  and void.  Any
32    employer withholding from  the  wages  of  any  employee  any
33    amount  for  the  purpose of paying any such premium shall be
34    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -9-                LRB9103672WHdv
 1        In the event the employer does not pay  the  compensation
 2    for  which  he  or  she is liable, then an insurance company,
 3    association or insurer which may have insured  such  employer
 4    against  such  liability shall become primarily liable to pay
 5    to the  employee,  his  or  her  personal  representative  or
 6    beneficiary  the  compensation  required by the provisions of
 7    this Act to be paid by such employer.  The insurance  carrier
 8    may  be made a party to the proceedings in which the employer
 9    is a party and an award may be entered  jointly  against  the
10    employer and the insurance carrier.
11        (h)  It  shall  be  unlawful  for any employer, insurance
12    company or service or adjustment company to  interfere  with,
13    restrain  or  coerce  an employee in any manner whatsoever in
14    the exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him or  her
15    by  this  Act or to discriminate, attempt to discriminate, or
16    threaten to discriminate  against  an  employee  in  any  way
17    because  of  his  or  her  exercise of the rights or remedies
18    granted to him or her by this Act.
19        It shall be unlawful for any  employer,  individually  or
20    through  any  insurance  company  or  service  or  adjustment
21    company,  to  discharge  or  to  threaten to discharge, or to
22    refuse to rehire or recall to active service  in  a  suitable
23    capacity  an  employee  because of the exercise of his or her
24    rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act.
25        (i)  If an employer elects to  obtain  a  life  insurance
26    policy  on  his  employees,  he  may also elect to apply such
27    benefits in satisfaction of all or a  portion  of  the  death
28    benefits   payable   under  this  Act,  in  which  case,  the
29    employer's compensation premium shall be reduced accordingly.
30        (j)  Within 45 days of receipt of an initial  application
31    or   application   to  renew  self-insurance  privileges  the
32    Self-Insurers Advisory Board  shall  review  and  submit  for
33    approval by the Chairman of the Commission recommendations of
34    disposition  of  all  initial applications to self-insure and
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -10-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1    all applications to renew self-insurance privileges filed  by
 2    private  self-insurers  pursuant  to  the  provisions of this
 3    Section  and  Section  4a-9  of  this  Act.    Each   private
 4    self-insurer  shall  submit  with  its  initial  and  renewal
 5    applications  the application fee required by Section 4a-4 of
 6    this Act.
 7        The Chairman of the Commission shall  promptly  act  upon
 8    all initial applications and applications for renewal in full
 9    accordance  with  the recommendations of the Board or, should
10    the Chairman disagree with any recommendation of  disposition
11    of the Self-Insurer's Advisory Board, he shall within 30 days
12    of  receipt  of  such  recommendation provide to the Board in
13    writing the reasons supporting his  decision.   The  Chairman
14    shall  also  promptly  notify  the  employer  of his decision
15    within 15 days of receipt of the recommendation of the Board.
16        If an employer is  denied  a  renewal  of  self-insurance
17    privileges  pursuant  to  application  it  shall  retain said
18    privilege  for  120  days  after  receipt  of  a  notice   of
19    cancellation  of  the  privilege  from  the  Chairman  of the
20    Commission.
21        All orders made by the Chairman under this Section  shall
22    be  subject  to review by the courts, such review to be taken
23    in the same manner and within the same time  as  provided  by
24    subsection (f) of Section 19 of this Act for review of awards
25    and  decisions  of the Commission, upon the party seeking the
26    review filing with the clerk  of  the  court  to  which  such
27    review  is taken a bond in an amount to be fixed and approved
28    by the court to which the review is taken,  conditioned  upon
29    the  payment  of  all compensation awarded against the person
30    taking such review pending a  decision  thereof  and  further
31    conditioned  upon  such  other  obligations  as the court may
32    impose.  Upon the review the Circuit Court shall  have  power
33    to review all questions of fact as well as of law.
34    (Source: P.A. 90-109, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -11-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1        Section  10.   The  Workers' Occupational Diseases Act is
 2    amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

 3        (820 ILCS 310/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 172.39)
 4        Sec. 4.  (a) Any employer, including but not  limited  to
 5    general contractors and their subcontractors, required by the
 6    terms  of  this  Act  or  by election to pay the compensation
 7    provided for in this Act shall:
 8             (1)  File with the  Commission  an  application  for
 9        approval  as a self-insurer which shall include a current
10        financial  statement.   The  application  and   financial
11        statement  shall  be signed and sworn to by the president
12        or vice-president and secretary or assistant secretary of
13        the employer if it be a corporation, or  by  all  of  the
14        partners  if it be a copartnership, or by the owner if it
15        be neither a copartnership nor a corporation.
16             If the sworn application and financial statement  of
17        any  such employer does not satisfy the Commission of the
18        financial ability of the employer who has filed  it,  the
19        Commission shall require such employer to:
20             (2)  Furnish   security,   indemnity   or   a   bond
21        guaranteeing   the   payment   by  the  employer  of  the
22        compensation provided for in this Act,  provided that any
23        such employer who shall have secured his or her liability
24        in part by excess liability coverage shall be required to
25        furnish to the Commission  security,  indemnity  or  bond
26        guaranteeing  his  or her payment up to the amount of the
27        effective limits of the  excess  coverage  in  accordance
28        with the provisions of this paragraph, or
29             (3)  Insure  his or her entire liability to pay such
30        compensation  in  some  insurance   carrier   authorized,
31        licensed  or  permitted  to do such insurance business in
32        this State.  All  policies  of  such  insurance  carriers
33        insuring the payment of compensation under this Act shall
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -12-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1        cover   all   the   employees  and  all  such  employer's
 2        compensation liability in all cases in which the last day
 3        of the last exposure to the occupational disease involved
 4        is within the effective period of the policy, anything to
 5        the contrary in the  policy  notwithstanding.   Provided,
 6        however,   that  any  employer  may  insure  his  or  her
 7        compensation liability under this  Act  with  2  or  more
 8        insurance carriers or may insure a part and qualify under
 9        Subsection  1, 2, or 4 for the remainder of his liability
10        to pay such compensation, subject to  the  following  two
11        provisions:
12                  Firstly,  the  entire liability of the employer
13             to employees working at or from one  location  shall
14             be insured in one such insurance carrier or shall be
15             self-insured.
16                  Secondly,  the  employer  shall submit evidence
17             satisfactory to  the  Commission  that  his  or  her
18             entire  liability  for the compensation provided for
19             in this Act will be secured.
20             Any provision in a  policy  or  in  any  endorsement
21        attached thereto attempting to limit or modify in any way
22        the  liability of the insurance carrier issuing the same,
23        except as otherwise  provided  herein,  shall  be  wholly
24        void.
25             The   insurance   or  security  in  force  to  cover
26        compensation liability under this Act shall  be  separate
27        and  distinct  from  the  insurance or security under the
28        "Workers' Compensation Act" and  any  insurance  contract
29        covering  liability  under  either Act need not cover any
30        liability under  the  other.   Nothing  herein  contained
31        shall  apply  to  policies  of  excess liability carriage
32        secured by  employers  who  have  been  approved  by  the
33        Commission as self-insurers, or
34             (4)  Make  some other provision, satisfactory to the
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -13-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1        Commission,  for  the  securing   of   the   payment   of
 2        compensation provided for in this Act, and
 3             (5)  Upon   becoming   subject   to   this  Act  and
 4        thereafter as often as  the  Commission  may  in  writing
 5        demand, file with the Commission in form prescribed by it
 6        evidence  of  his or her compliance with the provision of
 7        this Section.
 8        (a-1)  Regardless  of  its  state  of  domicile  or   its
 9    principal  place of business, an employer shall make payments
10    to its insurance carrier or group self-insurance fund,  where
11    applicable,  based  upon the premium rates of the situs where
12    the work or project is located in Illinois if:
13             (A)  the  employer  is  engaged  primarily  in   the
14        building and construction industry; and
15             (B)  subdivision  (a)(3)  of this Section applies to
16        the employer or the employer  is  a  member  of  a  group
17        self-insurance  plan  as  defined  in  subsection  (1) of
18        Section 4a.
19        The Industrial Commission shall impose a penalty upon  an
20    employer for violation of this subsection (a-1) if:
21             (i)  the  employer  is  given  an  opportunity  at a
22        hearing to present  evidence of its compliance with  this
23        subsection (a-1); and
24             (ii)  after  the  hearing, the Commission finds that
25        the employer  failed to make payments  upon  the  premium
26        rates  of the situs where the work or  project is located
27        in Illinois.
28        The penalty shall not exceed $1,000 for each day of  work
29    for  which    the  employer  failed to make payments upon the
30    premium rates of the situs where the    work  or  project  is
31    located  in  Illinois, but the total penalty shall not exceed
32    $50,000 for each project or each  contract  under  which  the
33    work was  performed.
34        Any  penalty  under this subsection (a-1) must be imposed
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -14-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1    not  later  than  one  year  after  the  expiration  of   the
 2    applicable  limitation  period specified in subsection (c) of
 3    Section  6  of  this  Act.   Penalties  imposed  under   this
 4    subsection  (a-1)  shall  be  deposited  into  the Industrial
 5    Commission Operations Fund created under  Section  4  of  the
 6    Workers' Compensation Act.
 7        (b)  The  sworn  application  and financial statement, or
 8    security, indemnity or bond, or amount of insurance, or other
 9    provisions,  filed,  furnished,  carried,  or  made  by   the
10    employer,  as  the  case  may  be,  shall  be  subject to the
11    approval of the Commission.
12        Deposits  under  escrow   agreements   shall   be   cash,
13    negotiable  United  States  government  bonds  or  negotiable
14    general obligation bonds of the State of Illinois.  Such cash
15    or  bonds  shall  be  deposited  in  escrow with any State or
16    National Bank or Trust Company having trust authority in  the
17    State of Illinois.
18        Upon  the approval of the sworn application and financial
19    statement,  security,  indemnity  or  bond   or   amount   of
20    insurance,  filed, furnished, or carried, as the case may be,
21    the Commission shall send to the employer written  notice  of
22    its  approval thereof.  Said certificate of compliance by the
23    employer with the provisions of subparagraphs (2) and (3)  of
24    paragraph  (a)  of  this  Section  shall  be delivered by the
25    insurance carrier to the Industrial Commission within 5  days
26    after  the  effective  date  of the policy so certified.  The
27    insurance so certified shall cover all compensation liability
28    occurring during the time that the insurance is in effect and
29    no further certificate need be filed in case  such  insurance
30    is  renewed, extended or otherwise continued by such carrier.
31    The insurance so certified shall not be cancelled or  in  the
32    event  that  such  insurance  is  not  renewed,  extended  or
33    otherwise  continued,  such insurance shall not be terminated
34    until at least  10  days  after  receipt  by  the  Industrial
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -15-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1    Commission  of  notice  of the cancellation or termination of
 2    said insurance; provided, however, that if the  employer  has
 3    secured  insurance  from  another  insurance  carrier, or has
 4    otherwise secured the payment of compensation  in  accordance
 5    with  this  Section,  and  such  insurance  or other security
 6    becomes effective prior to the expiration of  said  10  days,
 7    cancellation  or  termination  may,  at  the  option  of  the
 8    insurance  carrier  indicated in such notice, be effective as
 9    of the effective date of such other insurance or security.
10        (c)  Whenever  the  Commission  shall   find   that   any
11    corporation,    company,    association,    aggregation    of
12    individuals,  reciprocal  or interinsurers exchange, or other
13    insurer effecting workers' occupational disease  compensation
14    insurance  in  this  State  shall  be  insolvent, financially
15    unsound, or unable to fully meet all payments and liabilities
16    assumed or to be assumed for compensation insurance  in  this
17    State,  or  shall  practice  a  policy of delay or unfairness
18    toward employees in the adjustment, settlement, or payment of
19    benefits  due  such  employees,  the  Commission  may   after
20    reasonable  notice  and  hearing  order  and direct that such
21    corporation,    company,    association,    aggregation    of
22    individuals,  reciprocal  or   interinsurers   exchange,   or
23    insurer,  shall  from  and  after  a date fixed in such order
24    discontinue the writing of  any  such  workers'  occupational
25    disease  compensation  insurance  in  this  State.  It  shall
26    thereupon  be  unlawful  for  any  such corporation, company,
27    association,  aggregation  of  individuals,   reciprocal   or
28    interinsurers  exchange,  or  insurer  to effect any workers'
29    occupational disease compensation insurance in this State.  A
30    copy of the order  shall  be  served  upon  the  Director  of
31    Insurance  by registered mail.  Whenever the Commission finds
32    that any service or adjustment company used or employed by  a
33    self-insured  employer or by an insurance carrier to process,
34    adjust, investigate, compromise or  otherwise  handle  claims
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -16-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1    under  this  Act,  has practiced or is practicing a policy of
 2    delay or  unfairness  toward  employees  in  the  adjustment,
 3    settlement  or  payment  of  benefits due such employees, the
 4    Commission may after reasonable notice and hearing order  and
 5    direct that such service or adjustment company shall from and
 6    after   a  date  fixed  in  such  order  be  prohibited  from
 7    processing,   adjusting,   investigating,   compromising   or
 8    otherwise handling claims under this Act.
 9        Whenever  the  Commission  finds  that  any  self-insured
10    employer has practiced or is practicing delay  or  unfairness
11    toward  employees in the adjustment, settlement or payment of
12    benefits  due  such  employees,  the  Commission  may   after
13    reasonable  notice  and hearing order and direct that after a
14    date fixed in the order such self-insured employer  shall  be
15    disqualified  to  operate  as  a  self-insurer  and  shall be
16    required to insure his entire liability to  pay  compensation
17    in  some insurance carrier authorized, licensed and permitted
18    to do such insurance business in this State  as  provided  in
19    subparagraph (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section.
20        All  orders  made  by  the  Commission under this Section
21    shall be subject to review by the courts, the  review  to  be
22    taken in the same manner and within the same time as provided
23    by  Section 19 of this Act for review of awards and decisions
24    of the Commission, upon the party seeking the  review  filing
25    with  the  clerk of the court to which said review is taken a
26    bond in an amount to be fixed and approved by  the  court  to
27    which  said  review is taken, conditioned upon the payment of
28    all compensation awarded against the person taking the review
29    pending a decision thereof and further conditioned upon  such
30    other  obligations  as the court may impose.  Upon the review
31    the Circuit Court shall have power to review all questions of
32    fact as well as of law.  The penalty hereinafter provided for
33    in this paragraph shall not attach and shall not begin to run
34    until the final determination of the order of the Commission.
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -17-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1        (d)  Upon a finding by the Commission,  after  reasonable
 2    notice  and  hearing, of the knowing and wilful failure of an
 3    employer to comply with any of the  provisions  of  paragraph
 4    (a) of this Section or the failure or refusal of an employer,
 5    service or adjustment company, or insurance carrier to comply
 6    with  any  order  of  the  Industrial  Commission pursuant to
 7    paragraph (c) of this Section the  Commission  may  assess  a
 8    civil  penalty  of  up  to  $500 per day for each day of such
 9    failure  or  refusal  after  the  effective  date   of   this
10    amendatory Act of 1989.   Each day of such failure or refusal
11    shall constitute a separate offense.
12        Upon  the  failure or refusal of any employer, service or
13    adjustment company  or insurance carrier to comply  with  the
14    provisions of this Section and orders of the Commission under
15    this Section, or the order of the court on review after final
16    adjudication,  the  Commission  may  bring  a civil action to
17    recover the amount of  the  penalty  in  Cook  County  or  in
18    Sangamon  County  in which litigation the Commission shall be
19    represented by the Attorney  General.  The  Commission  shall
20    send  notice  of its finding of non-compliance and assessment
21    of the civil penalty to the Attorney General.   It  shall  be
22    the duty of the Attorney General within 30 days after receipt
23    of   the  notice,  to  institute  prosecutions  and  promptly
24    prosecute all reported violations of this Section.
25        (e)  This Act shall not affect or disturb the continuance
26    of any existing insurance, mutual  aid,  benefit,  or  relief
27    association  or department, whether maintained in whole or in
28    part by the employer or whether maintained by the  employees,
29    the  payment  of  benefits  of such association or department
30    being guaranteed by the employer or by some person,  firm  or
31    corporation   for   him   or   her:  Provided,  the  employer
32    contributes to such association or department an  amount  not
33    less than the full compensation herein provided, exclusive of
34    the cost of the maintenance of such association or department
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -18-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1    and  without any expense to the employee.  This Act shall not
 2    prevent the organization and maintaining under the  insurance
 3    laws  of  this  State of any benefit or insurance company for
 4    the purpose of insuring against the compensation provided for
 5    in this Act, the  expense  of  which  is  maintained  by  the
 6    employer.  This  Act  shall  not  prevent the organization or
 7    maintaining under the insurance laws of  this  State  of  any
 8    voluntary  mutual  aid,  benefit  or relief association among
 9    employees for the payment  of  additional  accident  or  sick
10    benefits.
11        (f)  No existing insurance, mutual aid, benefit or relief
12    association or department shall, by reason of anything herein
13    contained, be authorized to discontinue its operation without
14    first  discharging  its  obligations  to  any and all persons
15    carrying insurance in the  same  or  entitled  to  relief  or
16    benefits therein.
17        (g)  Any   contract,   oral,   written   or  implied,  of
18    employment providing for relief benefit, or insurance or  any
19    other  device  whereby  the  employee  is required to pay any
20    premium or premiums for insurance  against  the  compensation
21    provided  for  in  this  Act  shall  be  null  and void.  Any
22    employer withholding from  the  wages  of  any  employee  any
23    amount  for  the  purpose of paying any such premium shall be
24    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
25        In the event the employer does not pay  the  compensation
26    for  which  he  or  she is liable, then an insurance company,
27    association or insurer which may have insured  such  employer
28    against  such  liability shall become primarily liable to pay
29    to the employee, his personal representative  or  beneficiary
30    the compensation required by the provisions of this Act to be
31    paid  by  such employer.  The insurance carrier may be made a
32    party to the proceedings in which the employer is a party and
33    an award may be entered jointly against the employer and  the
34    insurance carrier.
 
HB1587 Engrossed            -19-               LRB9103672WHdv
 1        (h)  It  shall  be  unlawful  for any employer, insurance
 2    company or service or adjustment company to  interfere  with,
 3    restrain  or  coerce  an employee in any manner whatsoever in
 4    the exercise of the rights or remedies granted to him or  her
 5    by  this  Act or to discriminate, attempt to discriminate, or
 6    threaten to discriminate  against  an  employee  in  any  way
 7    because  of his exercise of the rights or remedies granted to
 8    him by this Act.
 9        It shall be unlawful for any  employer,  individually  or
10    through  any  insurance  company  or  service  or  adjustment
11    company,  to  discharge  or  to  threaten to discharge, or to
12    refuse to rehire or recall to active service  in  a  suitable
13    capacity  an  employee  because of the exercise of his or her
14    rights or remedies granted to him or her by this Act.
15        (i)  If an employer elects to  obtain  a  life  insurance
16    policy  on  his  employees,  he  may also elect to apply such
17    benefits in satisfaction of all or a  portion  of  the  death
18    benefits   payable   under  this  Act,  in  which  case,  the
19    employer's premium for coverage for benefits under  this  Act
20    shall be reduced accordingly.
21    (Source: P.A. 90-109, eff. 1-1-98.)

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