Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Industrial Sick Funds - CORRECT ANSWER - Earliest funds date from the Civil War
First survey by federal gov't estimated some 1,259 funds in 1890
By the 1908-1917 period roughly 20% of workers were in a sickness fund
Voluntary fraternal, employer, or union funds that typically required a "premium" equaling 1%
of wages
-Withheld from
wages or
collected by
coworkers on
payday
People applied for membership
-Older age limits,
medical
examination, and
waiting period of
several weeks not
uncommon
When ill, one notified the fund
-Visiting
committee to
assess ability to
work
-Few days waiting
, period, often
60% of wages
paid
Workers' Compensation Insurance - CORRECT ANSWER - Employers were liable for
workplace injury, but the worker had to show that the employer was negligent
Employer had three defenses:
-Worker had
assumed the risk
-Coworker
caused the
accident
-Contributory
negligence
1910 to 1915
-32 states enact
legislation
-Employer buys
coverage and
accepts full
liability
-Employer retains
defenses if he
buys workers'
comp.