HB21 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joseph C. Mitchell

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Workers' compensation, partial disability, cap on removed, schedule limit, Secs. 25-5-57, 25-5-68 am'd.

Summary

HB21 would remove the cap on partial disability benefits and eliminate the rule that partial injuries must be limited to a fixed body-part schedule when other parts are affected.

What This Bill Does

It would let workers with permanent partial disability receive higher weekly payments by removing the current cap (the cap is currently $220 per week or 100% of the average weekly wage). It would also remove the limitation that partial disability must follow a fixed schedule if the injury affects multiple parts of the body, allowing compensation based on overall impairment. Temporary partial disability and long-standing schedule-based rules would largely stay the same, including a 66 2/3% wage-replacement rate, a 300-week limit for temporary partial disability, and a 700-week cap for permanent partial disability, plus related return-to-work and concurrent-injury provisions.

Who It Affects

• Workers with partial disabilities, who could receive higher or more flexible benefits when multiple body parts are involved.
• Employers and insurers, who may face higher disability costs and must adjust calculations for impairment when determining benefits.

Key Provisions

• Remove the cap on permanent partial disability benefits (no longer limited to $220 per week or 100% of the average weekly wage).
• Eliminate the rule that partial disability must follow a fixed body-part schedule if the injury affects multiple parts of the body.
• Maintain temporary partial disability payments at 66 2/3% of the difference between time-of-injury earnings and earnings able to be earned, with a 300-week limit.
• Base permanent partial disability payments on the extent of disability with a defined schedule, subject to a 700-week maximum for such disabilities.
• Include provisions for concurrent injuries, return-to-work wage-based adjustments, and affidavits regarding new employment when benefits continue or change.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Workers' Compensation