Bill Text: NJ S2332 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns location of workers' compensation hearings.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-10 - Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading [S2332 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S2332-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PETER J. BARNES, III
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Gill
SYNOPSIS
Concerns location of workers' compensation hearings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the location of workers' compensation hearings and amending R.S.34:15-53.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.34:15-53 is amended to read as follows:
34:15-53. Within 20 days after the filing of an answer, or the expiration of the time for filing an answer if no answer is filed, the secretary of the division shall fix a time and place for hearing the petition, or shall send the petition and answer or a transcript of the petition and answer to the director, a deputy director or 1 of the referees, in which case such director, deputy director or referee, within 20 days after the filing of the answer, shall fix a time and place for the hearing of the petition. Such time shall be not less than 4 weeks nor more than 6 weeks after the filing of the petition, provided however, that in cases where the extent of permanent disability, total or partial, is an issue, the determination of such issue shall be deferred as provided [in section] pursuant to R.S. 34:15-16 [of this Title]. The petition shall be heard either in the county in which [the injury occurred or in which] the petitioner or respondent resides, [or] the county in which the respondent's place of business is located, or the county in which the respondent may be served with process, or in a county which is contiguous to any of those counties. When a time and place has been fixed for such hearing, the director, deputy director or the referee to whom the cause has been referred shall give at least 10 days' notice to each party of the time and place of hearing. The director, deputy director or any referee to whom a cause has been referred, shall have power to adjourn the hearing thereof from time to time in his discretion.
(cf: P.L.1956, c.141, s.7)
2. This act shall take effect immediately
STATEMENT
This bill amends the workers' compensation law, R.S. 34:15-1 et seq., to modify the law's requirements regarding the location of hearings on workers' compensation claims.
Currently, the law requires that the hearings be held in the county where the injury occurred, the county where the petitioner or respondent resides, the county where the respondent's place of business is located, or the county in which the respondent may be served with process. The bill deletes the county where the injury occurred and adds any county contiguous to any of the other indicated counties.
