Update 1987 Rates/Organs and Disfigurement.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 703

Short Title: Update 1987 Rates/Organs and Disfigurement. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Britt, B. Newton, and Daniel (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S703-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT AMENDING THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION ACT TO INCREASE CERTAIN 2
BENEFITS UNDER THE S CHEDULE OF INJURIES AND TO PROVIDE FOR 3
AUTOMATIC BENEFIT AD JUSTMENTS BASED UPON INCREASES IN THE 4
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. Effective July 1, 2026, G.S. 97-29 reads as rewritten: 7
"§ 97-29. Rates and duration of compensation for total incapacity. 8
(a) When an employee qualifies for total disability, the employer shall pay or cause to be 9
paid, as hereinafter provided by subsections (b) through (d) of this section, to the injured 10
employee a weekly compensation equal to sixty -six and two -thirds percent (66 2/3%) of his 11
average weekly wages, but not more than the amount established annually to be effective January 12
1 as provided herein, nor less than thirty dollars ($30.00) fifty dollars ($50.00) per week. 13
Beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the North Carolina Industrial Commission shall 14
raise the maximum compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in the June 15
Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the June Consumer Price 16
Index for the prior year, provided that this percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall 17
be rounded to the nearest dollar ($1.00)." 18
SECTION 2. Effective July 1, 2026, G.S. 97-31 reads as rewritten: 19
"§ 97-31. Schedule of injuries; rate and period of compensation. 20
In cases included by the following schedule the compensation in each case shall be paid for 21
disability during the healing period and in addition the disability shall be deemed to continue for 22
the period specified, and shall be in lieu of all other compensation, including disfigurement, to 23
wit: 24
… 25
(21) In case of serious facial or head disfigurement, the Industr ial Commission 26
shall award proper and equitable compensation not to exceed twenty thousand 27
dollars ($20,000). Fifty-six thousand dollars ($56,000). In case of enucleation 28
where an artificial eye cannot be fitted and used, the Industrial Commission 29
may award compensation as for serious facial disfigurement. Beginning July 30
1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the North Carolina Industrial Commission 31
shall raise the maximum compensation herein in accordance with the 32
percentage change in the June Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau 33
of Labor Statistics and the June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, 34
provided that this percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall be 35
rounded to the nearest dollar ($1.00). 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 703-First Edition
(22) In case of serious bodily disfigurement for which no compensation is payable 1
under any other subdivision of this section, but excluding the disfigurement 2
resulting from permanent loss or permanent partial loss of use of any member 3
of the body for which compensation is fixed in the schedule contained in this 4
section, the Industrial Commission may award proper and equitable 5
compensation not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). twenty-eight 6
thousand dollars ($28,000). Beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, 7
the North Carolina Ind ustrial Commission shall raise the maximum 8
compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in the June 9
Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the 10
June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, provided that this per centage 11
change is positive. The adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest dollar 12
($1.00). 13
(24) In case of the loss of or permanent injury to any important external or internal 14
organ or part of the body for which no compensation is payable under any 15
other subdivision of this section, the Industrial Commission may award proper 16
and equitable compensation not to exceed twenty thousand dollars 17
($20,000).fifty-six thousand dollars ($56,000). Beginning July 1, 2026, and 18
annually thereafter, the North Carolina Ind ustrial Commission shall raise the 19
maximum compensation herein in accordance with the percentage change in 20
the June Consumer Price Index computed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 21
and the June Consumer Price Index for the prior year, provided that this 22
percentage change is positive. The adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest 23
dollar ($1.00)." 24
SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 25
law. 26