Our law firm has been committed to aggressively representing and defending the rights of injured workers during Oregon’s legislative process. Oregon’s legislature meets in regular session every other year in odd numbered years. Since the workers’ compensation statute was created by our legislature, they have the ability to alter it (and do frequently alter it) every time they get together. In addition to the legislature, however, we have the Workers’ Compensation Division and the Workers’ Compensation Board who promulgate rules that significantly affect the rights of injured workers as well. Our law firm has maintained an aggressive presence before those forums when they consider changing or implementing any new rules.
While we, as lawyers, are dedicated to affecting the outcomes in these processes, the reality is that most legislators are more influenced by their constituents than they are by lobbyists or lawyers.
If you want to get involved, you can contact your legislator. If you are not sure who your legislator is, simply follow this link http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ and then type in your address and this Oregon Legislative website will tell you who your state senator and state representative are.
If you have particular concerns or complaints about the way the workers’ compensation system has treated you, then you should absolutely share those concerns with your state representative and state senator. Your elected officials do care when they hear from their constituents. One letter or e-mail is generally seen by the legislator as representing ten people in the district who have not bothered to share their concerns with the legislator.
Your input can be crucial simply because insurance companies and large employers have significant amounts of money to spend on legislators in the form of campaign contributions. You, as a voter, have the ability to influence your legislator even more when you make your concerns known to him or her.
Oregon’s legislative process on workers’ compensation matters begins at the Management Labor Advisory Committee. Management Labor Advisory Committee is made up of five members of organized labor and five members of management. If you follow the link below, you can go to their website and contact them if you feel that you need to tell them about your questions and concerns as well. http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/MLAC/
Frequently, in the process of lobbying issues on behalf of injured workers, we need injured workers who can tell a particular story. If you would be willing to testify before the Management Labor Advisory Committee or before the legislature, then please let us know by sending us your e-mail address so that we may contact you.
This page will be updated with issues that are the primary issues being focused on for the legislative session as we become aware of them.
