Chapter 4127 | Public Works Relief Compensation

Section 4127.01 | Public works relief compensation definitions.

• Effective: January 1, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1282 - 112th General Assembly

As used in sections 4127.01 to 4127.14 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Work-relief employee" means any person engaged in any public relief employment, and receiving "work-relief," who is under the supervision and control of any employer mentioned in this section or any agency of such employer.

(B) "Work-relief" means public relief given in the form of public funds or goods, on the basis of the budgetary needs of the work-relief employee and his dependents, in exchange for any service or labor rendered on or in connection with any public relief employment.

(C) "Employer" means each county, municipal corporation, township, school district, the state, and the state relief commission or any other state agency having supervision or control of work-relief employees, either directly or through agencies.

Section 4127.02 | Power of administrator to hear and determine claims - appeals.

• Effective: October 20, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 107 - 120th General Assembly

The administrator of workers' compensation may hear and determine all claims for compensation, death benefits, medical, nurse, and hospital services, medicine, and funeral expenses under this chapter.

The decisions of the administrator in all claims for compensation, death benefits, medical, nurse, and hospital services, medicine, and funeral expenses are appealable pursuant to sections 4123.511 and 4123.512 of the Revised Code.

Section 4127.03 | Compensation of work-relief employee or dependents of decedent.

• Effective: October 20, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 107 - 120th General Assembly

Every work-relief employee who sustains an injury and the dependents of such as are killed, in the course of and arising out of employment, wheresoever such injury or death occurs, except when such injury or death is caused by willful misconduct or intent to bring about such injury or death, or when the use of intoxicating liquors or drugs is the proximate cause of such injury or death, is entitled to receive out of the public work-relief employees' compensation fund, compensation, death benefits, medical, nurse, and hospital services, medicine, and funeral expenses, for loss sustained on account of such injury or death, as is provided for by Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.

Except as provided in section 4127.06 of the Revised Code, no compensation shall be paid from the work-relief employees' compensation fund for or on account of any temporary disability or partial disability; except that in the cases included in the schedule of loss of specific members or sight, set forth in section 4123.57 of the Revised Code, the disability is deemed to continue for the periods mentioned for each of such cases in that section. In cases where the injury results in the total or partial loss of use of any such member, the disability is deemed to continue for such proportion of the period fixed for the total loss of a member as the administrator of workers' compensation finds that the actual physical disability bears to the total loss of such members.

All compensation payable under this chapter shall be paid on the basis of computation provided for in this chapter.

Section 4127.04 | Basis for computation of compensation.

• Effective: January 1, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1282 - 112th General Assembly

The basis upon which compensation or benefits shall be computed, is the amount of work-relief which would have been afforded to the injured person for the calendar week in which the injury or death occurred. In no event shall such compensation exceed the maximum reimbursable relief award established by the state which the claimant would have been entitled to had he not been injured.

Section 4127.05 | Public work-relief employees' compensation fund.

• Effective: October 20, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 107 - 120th General Assembly

The premiums, collected under this chapter shall be paid into a separate fund to be known as the "public work-relief employees' compensation fund," and all compensation, death benefits, and expenses for medical, nurse, and hospital services, medicine, and funerals, shall be paid out of the fund.

Such premiums shall be collected, the moneys of the fund disbursed and the fund maintained, without regard to or reliance upon any other fund mentioned in Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.

This section shall not prevent the deposit or investment of the moneys of the public work-relief employees' compensation fund with the moneys of the state insurance fund provided for in Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, but such funds shall be separate for all other purposes.

Section 4127.06 | Funds from which compensation shall be paid.

• Effective: November 3, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 222 - 118th General Assembly

During periods of temporary disability and partial disability other than that resulting from loss of a member or sight or total or partial loss of use of a member, an injured work-relief employee shall be paid directly out of the fund from which the employee was receiving relief, the amounts required to meet the budgetary needs of the employee and his dependents, and in the manner determined by the person or agency having control over or supervision of the fund.

When all of the funds for relief purposes which are available to any employer are exhausted, or when, disability as a result of the injury is continuous beyond a period of six months, the injured work-relief employee shall be compensated for temporary and partial disability out of the public work-relief employees' compensation fund by the bureau of workers' compensation in the same manner and amount as is provided in sections 4127.01 to 4127.14 of the Revised Code for other disabilities.

Section 4127.07 | Contributions to fund.

• Effective: September 10, 2007
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 100 - 127th General Assembly

Every employer shall contribute to the public work-relief employees' compensation fund the amount of money determined by the administrator of workers' compensation, with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors. The contributions may be made in whole or in part out of any relief funds or any other available public funds, regardless of the manner in which the funds were raised. The officer of any employer having charge of the expenditures of funds for relief purposes, shall set aside and maintain as a special fund out of which contributions to the work-relief employees' compensation fund may be made, an amount equal to the percentage of the work-relief funds as the administrator determines on an actuarial basis as is reasonably necessary to cover the premium obligations of the employer. The manner of determining the contributions and classifications of employers, shall be the same as is provided in sections 4123.39 to 4123.41 and 4123.48 of the Revised Code, and such sections shall apply in so far as they are applicable to the employers, but rates of premium shall be applied to insure solvency of the public work-relief employees' compensation fund at all times.

The state relief commission or any other state agency having supervision or control of work-relief employees, either directly or through agencies, shall file reports and make payments of premiums out of any fund under its control or supervision, in the amount and manner, and at the time, as is determined by the administrator; and the furnishing of the reports and the payment of the premiums by the state agency, for work-relief employees, shall relieve the state of the obligations set forth in sections 4123.40, 4123.41, and 4123.48 of the Revised Code, with respect to contributing to the public work-relief employees' compensation fund for work-relief employees.

Section 4127.08 | Adjustment of rate of disbursements.

• Effective: September 10, 2007
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 100 - 127th General Assembly

The administrator of workers' compensation, under special circumstances and with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors, may adjust the rate of disbursements of compensation of benefits, which shall not in any instance exceed the maximum reimbursable relief award established by the state which the claimant would have been entitled to had the claimant not been injured.

Section 4127.10 | Liability of employers.

• Effective: January 1, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1282 - 112th General Assembly

Employers who comply with sections 4127.01 to 4127.14 of the Revised Code, are not liable to respond in damages at common law or by statute for injury or death of any work-relief employee, wherever occurring.

Employees of a noncomplying employer shall receive their compensation and benefits as if the premiums had been paid and the employer shall be liable on the same basis as a noncomplying employer under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.

Section 4127.13 | Application of workers' compensation law.

• Effective: October 20, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 107 - 120th General Assembly

Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, except sections 4123.512, 4123.62, and 4123.64 of the Revised Code, apply to this chapter.

Section 4127.14 | Application to work-relief employees.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Sections 4127.01 to 4127.14, inclusive, of the Revised Code apply to all work-relief employees who are injured and to the dependents of such as are killed, whether such injury or death occurred prior to May 17, 1935, or subsequent thereto.