KEMI history

During the industrialization of Europe, Otto von Bismarck passed the first modern workers’ compensation act in 1871 which provided compensation to workers for accidental injuries which occurred while working.

In 1884 an industrial accident insurance act was created, that absolved employers of liability other than that provided under the insurance code.

In 1903, the decision was made to transform the building into the town hall.

However, he began his practice in Louisville in 1910 and later became an Assistant Attorney General.

The new Board also was radically different from that established by the 1914 Act.

The death benefit provision has changed over the years which started in 1916 with $75 in funeral expenses and $100 to the decedent’s estate where there were no dependents.

In 1946 a Subsequent Injury Claim Fund was created which provided for payment for any disability resulting from a combination of existing permanent partial disability and a subsequent compensable injury.

In 1948 the period of duration before retroactive payment from the first day of injury was reduced from 4 to 3 weeks.

In 1950, the amount of medical expenses was again raised.

In 1956 the periods were reduced to 425 weeks for total disability, and 400 for partial disability.

In 1964, the Fund was renamed the Special Fund, and awards based upon the arousal of dormant conditions were apportioned between the employer and Special Fund.

Fuller, Ky., 541 S.W.2d 933 (1976), in which the Supreme Court interpreted certain provisions of the Act as mandating a minimum weekly benefit whether it be a permanent total or permanent partial award and regardless of the individual's average weekly wage.

Paducah Recapping Service, Ky., 694 SW2d 684 (1985) concluded the language used by the Legislature did not mandate a minimum benefit in accordance with the American Medical Association Guidelines to Functional Impairment nor, for that matter, did it establish a maximum.

Governor Martha Layne Collins formed a Task Force composed of representatives of Industry and Labor following the end of the 1986 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Brown-Forman, Ky., 793 S.W.2d 795 (1990) that review by the Workers’ Compensation Board was not equivalent to a review by a court, and that a litigant in a workers’ compensation claim was constitutionally entitled to one appeal as a matter of right from one court to another.

What was intended to be another sweeping reform of the Workers’ Compensation System was enacted by the General Assembly meeting in an Extraordinary Session, with the amendments becoming effective December 12, 1996.

In 2004, the Act was amended to establish minimum financial standards for self-insured groups.

Port of Kemi was incorporated in the beginning of 2012, the new company continued operating as Port of Kemi Ltd.

In 2014, the Act was amended to require every partnership and limited liability company to provide, upon the request of the Commissioner, a copy of its partnership agreement or articles of organization for purposes of demonstrating compliance with the Act.