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 Back | 144th General Assembly
House Bill # 492 |
| Primary Sponsor: | Thornburg | Additional Sponsor(s): Sen. Cook |
| CoSponsors: | { NONE...} |
| Introduced on : | 06/18/2008 | |
| Long Title: | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION. |
| Synopsis: | Some religious groups, such as Old Order Amish, do not take advantage of the program benefits offered under current workers’ compensation laws. Programs such as death survivor benefits, disability, retirement, including the cost of medical bills and health care, are not utilized because the tenets or teachings of their sect or religion do not allow for participation in such programs. This Bill would allow for the creation of a waiver form. Once signed by the employee, this waiver would allow for the employer to forgo payments on behalf of this employee into the workers’ compensation benefit system.
The Federal government recognizes the religious beliefs and practices of the Amish and exempts them from having to contribute to the Social Security Fund. The State of Pennsylvania also recognizes the freedom of religious practice of the Amish and enacted legislation in 1978 to allow them to be exempt from workers’ compensation payments.
By their beliefs and practice, Old Order Amish do not participate in government programs, but rather take care of their own. This legislation would recognize and respect the beliefs of the Amish community by allowing them to be exempt from a program in which they would never participate.
This legislation would be revenue neutral. Persons applying for this exemption would not collect benefits and therefore would not pay into the fund.
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Actions History:
| Jun 18, 2008 - Introduced in House and assigned to Labor Committee
Jun 18, 2008 - Assigned to Labor Committee in House
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