Senate Bill 1079 Summary

• Replaces "wage earning capacity" standard with "actual weekly wage" for calculating partial disability benefits, requiring payment of 80% of the difference between pre-injury wages and actual wages earned after injury.

• Eliminates burden on partially disabled employees to demonstrate good-faith job search efforts; establishes conclusive presumption of disability connected to wage loss if employee loses job within 100 weeks of employment (unless employer proves willful and serious misconduct).

• Increases maximum weekly compensation rate from 90% to 100% of state average weekly wage effective January 1 following the bill's enactment.

• Adds "serious and permanent scarring or disfigurement to the face or head" as a specific loss injury eligible for 52 weeks of compensation at 80% of after-tax average weekly wage.

• Modifies definition of "total and permanent disability" to replace "incurable insanity or imbecility" with "severe and permanent impairment of function" caused by neurocognitive disorders or traumatic/stress-related disorders.

• Repeals sections 302 and 431 of the 1969 Workers' Disability Compensation Act.