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HB 197

Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Anthony Nicastro

Montana law now revises workers' compensation return-to-work standards, potentially affecting when injured employees are cleared to resume job duties and their ongoing benefit eligibility.

Chapter Number Assigned
#workers'compensation
0
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Bill Summary · HB 197

Legislative bill overview

HB 197 modifies Montana's workers' compensation laws to establish new criteria and procedures for determining when an injured employee is medically cleared to return to work. The bill has successfully passed both chambers of the Montana legislature and been signed into law by the Governor as of April 7, 2025.

Why is this important

Return-to-work determinations directly affect injured workers' income, benefits, and medical care continuity, while also impacting employers' labor costs and insurance premiums. Changes to these standards can shift the balance between protecting workers from premature return to potentially unsafe conditions and reducing the duration and cost of workers' compensation claims.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical authority disputes: Questions about which healthcare providers (treating physicians, independent medical examiners, or occupational medicine specialists) have final authority in return-to-work decisions
  • Work capacity standards: Whether the bill's criteria require full duty return, modified/light duty options, or job-specific functional capacity assessments
  • Timeline implications: Whether new standards accelerate or delay workers' return to work, affecting both worker recovery outcomes and claim duration/costs

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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