LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Asa Hutchinson signed three executive orders Monday (June 15) regarding worker's compensation coverage, medical immunity and business liability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Worker's Compensation Coverage:
The order for worker's compensation assures coverage for employees and notes that COVID-19 is considered an occupational disease.
It also states COVID-19 shall be an exception to prohibition on compensation for ordinary diseases of life. There must be a causal connection between employment and the disease. This order extends during the public health emergency.
Medical Immunity:
The executive order regarding medical immunity states that health care workers and providers are authorized to use crisis standards of care to respond and treat COVID-19 patients.
Health care providers as emergency workers are immune from civil liability during the public health emergency. Immunity does not extend to willful, reckless or intentional misconduct, according to the order.
Business Liability:
The third executive order is for business liability.
It states that all businesses and their employees shall be immune from civil liability as a result of exposure to COVID-19.
Similar to the medical immunity executive order, immunity does not apply to willful, reckless or intentional misconduct. It will be presumed that the actions are not reckless if the business owner complies with public health directives.
This immunity does not extend to worker compensation benefits and is effective beginning June 15 until the public health emergency is terminated.
This comes as the state moves into Phase 2 of reopening.
The COVID-19 numbers in Arkansas as of June 15 are as followed:
- 12,917 total cases (up 416)
- 206 hospitalizations (up 5)
- 45 on ventilators
- 4,383 active cases
- 8,352 recoveries
- 182 deaths (up 3)
- In the last 24 hours, 126 new cases in Washington Co. 53 in Benton County, 18 of the cases came from seven households
- 7,063 tests in the last 24 hours, 330 positives.