By RICK M. GREEN Capitol Bureau rmgreen@oklahoman.comA state law allowing businesses to opt out of the Oklahoma workers' compensation program is unconstitutional, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. In February, the Workers' Compensation Commission made a similar finding on the provision, which allows companies to operate their own alternative workers' comp programs. "The core provision of the Opt Out Act creates impermissible, unequal, disparate treatment of a select group of injured workers," the court said. The court found this "an unconstitutional special law" under Article 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution. Attorney General Scott Pruitt said the ruling will lead to bad outcomes. "The cost of Oklahoma's workers' compensation system was once one of the highest in the country, but thanks to comprehensive reforms by the Legislature, recent studies have confirmed that these reforms are working, steadily bringing Oklahoma's costs in line with other states," he said. "Unfortunately, today's decision is yet another action by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that dismantles these reforms piece by piece.Read more on NewsOK.com

 

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