Senate Bill 3287 passed to amend Workers Compensation Act.

Recently, the Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 3287 n/k/a Public Act 098-0633 which Governor Quinn signed on June 5, 2014, and which is effective immediately. This new law amends the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act to permit lawsuits against service organizations that provide safety service (i.e. third party safety consultants), advice or recommendations to employers or their agents or employees for injury or death sustained by any employee while engaged in the line of duty. Until this amendment, the service organizations were considered protected along with the employer under the Act’s exclusive remedy provision. This new law will likely be reflected in such service organizations now being named in Illinois asbestos lawsuits and other such types of litigation.