SACRAMENTO-
A group of former NFL players say a bill to limit out-of-state workers’ compensation claims made by former pro athletes is an attempt by rich owners to avoid their responsibility to former players.
Assembly Bill 1309 supposedly closes a loophole that more and more NFL players are taking advantage of. California’s workers’ comp laws are more generous than those in other states and allows players who played for out of state teams to file a work injury claim.
But players they paid income taxes for games played in California and that the law allows for claims for injuries incurred in the state. They say they took smaller salaries because owners were supposed to use the savings to pay for worker’s comp claims.
Organized labor is also against the bill fearing that it will dilute the rights of workers. Proponents of the bill say game day injuries are covered but that long term injury claims should be filed in the state where the player resides or where they played.
Players say the claims don’t cost taxpayer’s or the state.