N.D. Workers’ Comp Directors Ask Legislature for Additional Staff

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The directors of North Dakota’s workers compensation agency have agreed to ask the Legislature for 15 new employees, a request Gov. John Hoeven left out of his budget recommendations to the 2007 Legislature.

Workforce Safety and Insurance now has 223 workers, and the agency requested authorization for 238 employees when it submitted its spending request to the state Office of Management and Budget.

Hoeven’s recommendations seek to raise the agency’s two-year budget by 49 percent, from $33.5 million to $50 million. The agency had requested $53.3 million, and authorization to hire 15 new workers, primarily to handle an increase in claims.

Workforce Safety and Insurance is run by an independent board. Its directors met briefly by telephone conference call Wednesday to approve asking the Legislature for permission to hire the 15 employees.

WSI provides medical, wage and rehabilitation benefits for workers who are injured on the job. North Dakota employers are required to buy coverage.