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Delaware Workers� Comp News

February 25th, 2007 Posted by Mark

The governor of Delaware, Ruth Ann Minner, signed a new law into effect that could drastically change the way that workers’ comp is done in the state. Here’s an update on the law that was passed back in January 17, 2007, called Senate Bill 1.

Part of the new workers’ comp law that makes sure that employers who are independent contractors in the state are covered under some form of workers’ comp insurance. They can buy this workers’ comp insurance through a regular insurance company, or they can buy their insurance or get it in some way or another through the general contractor that they work through. These coverage requirements kicked in as soon as the governor signed that bill into law, on January 17. So that means that if you are a independent contractor, subcontractor, or general contractor in the state of Delaware, you better already have this insurance coverage in place.

The penalties for not having this coverage in place could range from $10 to $250 per day for non coverage of the proper workers’ comp insurance policies. If transgressions continue to happen for a particular contractor, the state withholds the right under the law to use even more stringent methods to punish the contractor.

But the state also has a hot line—which is the important news that I have been meaning to get to—that contractors, independent contractors, and subcontractors can contact in order to find out more info on how they can get the proper coverage, what exactly that proper coverage. The hot line is at 302-761-8200, and I would assume that by contacting it, contractors are not going to be punished for asking questions about how to get coverage as long as they then go out and get the needed coverage.