Oregon Bill Boosts Aid for Kin of Killed Workers

The Oregon Senate has voted to increase the amount of compensation paid to the families of workers killed on the job.

Senate Bill 110 increases aid to the college-age children of single parents who lose that parent in a workplace accident. The bill also doubles the allowance paid to cover the funeral costs of workers killed on the job. It goes from 10 times the state average weekly wage to 20 times.

A third part of the legislation clarifies that if a worker without a spouse or child is permanently disabled from a workplace injury, the insurer must pay the full remainder of the disability benefit to the worker’s estate.

The bill now moves to the Oregon House.