Lawmakers in Colorado are considering legislation that would increase more than threefold the time limits for reporting a workplace injury.

Current law requires an injured employee or someone else with knowledge of the injury to notify the employer within four days after the occurrence of an on-the-job injury and authorizes a reduction in compensation for failure to timely notify the employer. The law tolls the four-day period if the employer has failed to post a notice specifying the notification deadline.

HB 1112, introduced by Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, on Friday would change the four-day notice period to 14 days and repeal the tolling and compensation reduction provisions. The bill would also require employers to post notices of the time periods.

Among other changes, the bill would also repeal the requirement that an employee notify the employer of an occupational disease within 30 days of contraction and instead requires an employee to notify the employer upon manifestation.

The bill was referred to the Business Affairs & Labor Committee in the state House of Representatives. It has not been scheduled for a hearing.

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