Senate Considers Adding Reserve Officers to Workers Compensation

This week the Senate Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 387, legislation that would amend the Worker’s Disability Compensation Act to include a reserve or auxiliary police officer as an employee of the State for purposes of the Act when he or she was performing duties in that capacity.

In general we find this legislation to be positive. While it does expand worker’s compensation it makes these officers employees of the state thus putting the responsibility on the state to pay for any claims.

The committee did not vote, but we expect they will vote in the next few weeks.

Samantha Harkins is the Director of State Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League.  She can be reached at 517-908-0306 or email at sharkins@mml.org