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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill modifies the Workers' Compensation Act to address volunteers.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ provides that volunteers are not employees for purposes of workers' compensation
14 unless the nongovernment entity for which the volunteer provides services elects to
15 cover the volunteer with workers' compensation coverage;
16 ▸ clarifies the application of the exclusive remedy;
17 ▸ provides how disability compensation is to be determined;
18 ▸ addresses how premiums are calculated;
19 ▸ addresses affect of the failure or refusal of a nongovernment entity to elect workers'
20 compensation coverage for volunteers; and
21 ▸ addresses notice to volunteers.
22 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23 None
24 Other Special Clauses:
25 None
26 Utah Code Sections Affected:
27 ENACTS:
28 34A-2-104.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 34A-2-104.5 is enacted to read:
32 34A-2-104.5. Nongovernment entity volunteers.
33 (1) As used in this section:
34 (a) (i) "Intern" means a student or trainee who works without pay at a trade or
35 occupation in order to gain work experience.
36 (ii) Notwithstanding Subsection (1)(a)(i), "intern" does not include an intern described
37 in Section 53A-29-103 or 53B-16-403.
38 (b) "Nongovernment entity" means an entity or individual that:
39 (i) is an employer as provided in Section 34A-2-103; and
40 (ii) is not a government entity.
41 (c) "Utah minimum wage" means the highest wage designated as Utah's minimum
42 wage under Title 34, Chapter 40, Utah Minimum Wage Act.
43 (d) (i) "Volunteer" means an individual who donates service without pay or other
44 compensation except expenses actually and reasonably incurred as approved by the supervising
45 nongovernment entity.
46 (ii) "Volunteer" includes an intern of a nongovernment entity.
47 (iii) "Volunteer" does not include an individual participating in human subjects
48 research to the extent that the participation is governed by federal law or regulation inconsistent
49 with this chapter.
50 (2) A volunteer for a nongovernment entity is not an employee of the nongovernment
51 entity for purposes of this chapter and Chapter 3, Utah Occupational Disease Act, unless the
52 nongovernment entity elects in accordance with this section to provide coverage under this
53 chapter and Chapter 3, Utah Occupational Disease Act.
54 (3) (a) A nongovernment entity may elect to secure coverage for all of the
55 nongovernment entity's volunteers by obtaining coverage for the volunteers in accordance with
56 Section 34A-2-201 under the same policy it uses to cover the nongovernment entity's
57 employees.
58 (b) If a nongovernment entity obtains coverage under Section 34A-2-201 for the
59 nongovernment entity's volunteers, for purposes of receiving benefits under this chapter and
60 Chapter 3, Utah Occupational Disease Act:
61 (i) a volunteer is considered an employee of the nongovernment entity; and
62 (ii) these benefits are the exclusive remedy of the volunteer in accordance with Section
63 34A-2-105 for an industrial injury or disease covered by this chapter and Chapter 3, Utah
64 Occupational Disease Act.
65 (4) A nongovernment entity shall keep sufficient records of the nongovernment entity's
66 volunteers and the volunteers' duties to determine compliance with this section.
67 (5) To compute the disability compensation benefits under Subsection (3), the
68 disability compensation shall be calculated in accordance with Part 4, Compensation and
69 Benefits, with the average weekly wage of the nongovernment volunteer assumed to be the
70 Utah minimum wage at the time of the industrial accident or occupational disease that is the
71 basis for the volunteer's workers' compensation claim.
72 (6) A workers' compensation insurer shall calculate the premium for a nongovernment
73 entity's volunteer on the basis of the Utah minimum wage on the actual hours the volunteer
74 provides service to the nongovernment entity, except that a workers' compensation insurer may
75 assume 30 hours worked per week if the nongovernment entity does not provide a record of
76 actual hours worked. The imputed wages shall be assigned to the class code on the policy that
77 best describes the volunteer's duties.
78 (7) The failure or refusal of a nongovernment entity to make an election under this
79 section in regard to volunteers does not alter, have an effect on, or give rise to any implication
80 or presumption regarding:
81 (a) the nongovernment entity's duties or liabilities with respect to volunteers; or
82 (b) the rights of volunteers.
83 (8) A nongovernment entity shall notify a volunteer of an election under Subsection
84 (3)(a) by posting:
85 (a) printed notices where volunteers are likely to see the notices in conspicuous places
86 about the nongovernment entity's place of business; and
87 (b) notices on a website that the nongovernment entity uses to recruit or provide
88 information to volunteers.