Texas Injured Workers’ Benefit Rule Mostly Lawful, Court Says

A Texas workers’ compensation supplemental income benefits rule is legal, except for a part that lets those seeking the benefit to report “work contacts” as job applications, a state appeals court ruled.

People injured on the job and covered by workers’ compensation insurance are eligible for benefits under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act. Two insurance carriers, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America and Texas Cotton Ginners’ Trust challenged the validity of the rule as promulgated by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation.

They argued employees only had three ways to qualify for SIB payments, but TDI had ...