(1) One of the primary purposes of this section is to enable injured participants to return to their regular occupation, business, or profession, or to engage in any occupation or perform any work for compensation or profit. To this end, the state board shall utilize the services of individuals and organizations, public or private, whose experience, training, and interests in vocational rehabilitation and retraining qualify them to lend expert assistance to the state board in such programs of vocational rehabilitation as may be reasonable to make the participant return to his or her regular occupation, business, or profession, or to engage in any occupation or perform any work for compensation or profit consistent with his or her physical and mental status. After evaluation and recommendation by such individuals or organizations and prior to final evaluation of the participant's permanent disability, if in the sole opinion of the state board, whether or not medical treatment has been concluded, vocational rehabilitation is both necessary and likely to enable the injured participant to return to his or her regular occupation, business, or profession, or to engage in any occupation or perform any work for compensation or profit, the state board may, in its sole discretion, pay the cost as provided in subsection (3) or (4) of this section.

     (2) When, in the sole discretion of the state board, vocational rehabilitation is both necessary and likely to make the participant return to his or her regular occupation, business, or profession, or to engage in any occupation or perform any work for compensation or profit, then the following order of priorities shall be used:

     (a) Return to the previous job with the same employer;

     (b) Modification of the previous job with the same employer including transitional return to work;

     (c) A new job with the same employer in keeping with any limitations or restrictions;

     (d) Modification of a new job with the same employer including transitional return to work;

     (e) Modification of the previous job with a new employer;

     (f) A new job with a new employer or self-employment based upon transferable skills;

     (g) Modification of a new job with a new employer;

     (h) A new job with a new employer or self-employment involving on-the-job training;

     (i) Short-term retraining and job placement.

     (3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, costs for vocational rehabilitation benefits allowed by the state board under subsection (1) of this section may include the cost of books, tuition, fees, supplies, equipment, transportation, child or dependent care, and other necessary expenses in an amount not to exceed four thousand dollars. This amount must be used within fifty-two weeks of the determination that vocational rehabilitation is permitted under this section.

     (b) The expenses allowed under (a) of this subsection may include training fees for on-the-job training and the cost of furnishing tools and other equipment necessary for self-employment or reemployment. However, compensation or payment of retraining with job placement expenses under (a) of this subsection may not be authorized for a period of more than fifty-two weeks, except that such period may, in the sole discretion of the state board, after its review, be extended for an additional fifty-two weeks or portion thereof by written order of the state board. However, under no circumstances shall the total amount of benefit paid under this section exceed four thousand dollars.

     (4) In addition to the vocational rehabilitation expenditures provided for under subsection (3) of this section, an additional five thousand dollars may, upon authorization of the state board, be expended for: (a) Accommodations for an injured participant that are medically necessary for participation in an approved retraining plan; and (b) accommodations necessary to perform the essential functions of an occupation in which an injured participant is seeking employment, consistent with the retraining plan or the recommendations of a vocational evaluation. The injured participant's attending physician or licensed advanced registered nurse practitioner must verify the necessity of the modifications or accommodations. The total expenditures authorized in this subsection shall not exceed five thousand dollars.

     (5) The state board shall follow the established criteria set forth by the department of labor and industries to monitor the quality and effectiveness of rehabilitation services provided by the individuals and organizations used under subsection (1) of this section. The state board shall make referrals for vocational rehabilitation services based on these performance criteria.

     (6) The state board may engage, where feasible and cost-effective, in a cooperative program with the state employment security department to provide job placement services under this section.

     (7) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the vocational benefits provided for in this section are available to participants who have claims currently pending as of April 17, 2007, or whose injury occurred on or after January 1, 2006.

[2007 c 57 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2007 c 57: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 17, 2007]." [2007 c 57 § 2.]