Missouri Updates Labor Law Poster

Extensive Revisions Made to Workers' Compensation Law

Missouri has completely revised its mandatory Workers' Compensation Law poster to include a number of changes to the workplace rules and responsibilities for both employers and employees.

The revised poster now states that, with some exceptions, all Missouri employers with five or more employees are required to insure their workers' compensation liability, either by purchasing a policy or obtaining self-insurance coverage. This law also applies to construction industry employers with one or more employees.

A section of the poster that describes an employer's responsibilities when a workplace injury occurs has been expanded to include specific steps that must be taken. These steps include reporting a workplace injury to an insurance company or Third Party Administrator and paying any medical bills related to that injury.

The poster now includes a "Fraud/Noncompliance" section that defines what constitutes fraud for employers, employees and insurance companies and what penalties they face for providing false or misleading information.

Employers also face possible fines and imprisonment for knowingly failing to comply with their workers' compensation liability under Missouri law.

In the "Workplace Safety" section of the poster, employees are urged to report all safety hazards or concerns to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The previous workers' compensation poster stated that such reports should be made to the employer's designated safety person.

The "Benefits for Injured Employees" section of the poster has been rewritten to include additional information about the medical care that must be provided after a workplace injury occurs and the eligibility requirements for lost wage payments if an employee cannot work.

A new "Survivor Benefits" section states that if an employee dies on the job, the surviving dependents may receive weekly death benefits paid at 66 2/3 percent of the deceased employee's average weekly wage for the year immediately preceding the fatal accident.

New Posters Available

The revised Workers' Compensation Law poster is included in a Missouri labor law poster offered by Poster Compliance Center. The poster meets all of the state's workplace posting requirements for general employers.