Agents will advise their clients not to sign in Chicago if worker's comp law passes

[sureLoss]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhlpa-joins-fight-...n-law-1.672750

The National Hockey League Players’ Association, alongside other pro sports player unions, has hired a team of lobbyists to fight a proposed change to workers’ compensation law in Illinois that would affect Chicago Blackhawks players.

The proposed bill, called Senate Bill 12, would adjust the Workers’ Compensation Act in the state as it is applied to pro athletes.

Currently, all employees in Illinois are eligible to receive workers compensation until the age of 67. Under the proposed change, pro athletes eligible for the benefit would not receive any funding after the age of 35, or five years after an injury, whichever is later.

Two NHL player agents, who asked not to be identified because they both have clients on the Blackhawks, told TSN that they would advise their players not to sign with Chicago if the senate bill is passed.

Players on other NHL teams would not be affected by the bill because even if they were injured during a game in Chicago, they would apply for compensation benefits where their team is based.

[nik-]

Is payment during injury not a standard part of an NHL contract or in the CBA? Why does this matter?

[Red Menace]

finally a solution to stop the Blackhawk dynasty

[Resolute 14]

I wonder which former player(s) the Chicago Bears are paying for indefinitely that caused this proposed law...

[Erick Estrada]

So the players are blaming the owners of the Chicago teams of conspiring and pushing this bill? Interesting.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So the players are blaming the owners of the Chicago teams of conspiring and pushing this bill? Interesting.

Where the heck did you get that idea??

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Where the heck did you get that idea??

Umm, the article itself?

The Blackhawks signalled their support for the proposed law in a Jan. 27 letter to state senators. The letter, also signed by baseball’s Cubs and White Sox, the NFL’s Bears and basketball’s Bulls, quotes from an analysis of pro athletes by Ram Financial Group.

“The Bears owners are behind it as well,” Smith told The Chicago Tribune. “To be blunt, it’s just another way to bankroll the coffers of the rich owners … at the expense of the players who do all the work. They’re pushing the bill. Our understanding is they are the people who have lined up the lobbyists to promote the bill… I wish I could say it is something philosophical that makes sense. It’s just cheapness. It’s just being cheap.”

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by nik-

Is payment during injury not a standard part of an NHL contract or in the CBA? Why does this matter?

Most likely would effect the players who are in the low income bracket in pro sports. This is not just a NHL thing.

Say your on league (any sport) minimum for a few years or even just a rookie on a call up and you get a career ending injury that would effect you for life your on your own.

Example that would be effected the most.

You play for a AHlor ECHL team based in Illinois and you get injured you could see hard times ahead if you are not making the big bucks.

It is not juat a NHL thing either . Think about the guys in the minors only playing 3rd or 4th teir baseball and het injured. If you get payed to play a sport thats considered a pro sport.

That's why it is a story. The article may just be focusimg on the highest levelbof pro sports but don't think for a moment the government won't #### over the little guys.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Umm, the article itself?

The Blackhawks signalled their support for the proposed law in a Jan. 27 letter to state senators. The letter, also signed by baseball’s Cubs and White Sox, the NFL’s Bears and basketball’s Bulls, quotes from an analysis of pro athletes by Ram Financial Group.

Fair enough. I just mean that if I were a player agent, whether the team had supported the bill or not wouldn't affect my advice to my client. The question is whether or not the bill will negatively impact my client in some way, not whose fault it is that it's going through.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Fair enough. I just mean that if I were a player agent, whether the team had supported the bill or not wouldn't affect my advice to my client. The question is whether or not the bill will negatively impact my client in some way, not whose fault it is that it's going through.

Well, yeah. And that is why the unions are advising against signing in Chicago - the bill could negatively impact their clients.

The complaints that the law is being driven by the teams (specifically the Bears) is separate, and rather obvious.

[MarkGio]

Good. We need the Panarins of the world, not Chicago

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Well, yeah. And that is why the unions are advising against signing in Chicago - the bill could negatively impact their clients.

The complaints that the law is being driven by the teams (specifically the Bears) is separate, and rather obvious.

Why do the teams care, or are the teams paying huge WCB (whatever the Illinois equivalent is) premiums, and this would reduce their premiums in a meaningful way?

[Oil Stain]

I'm guessing this is to prevent guys from retiring due to injury and then collecting WCB indefinitely.

The clause after 35 and 5 years after injury seems to indicate that some ex-players are basically using WCB claims as a retirement top up and the city wants to end that.

It seems fine to me. The nature of sports is that you can't do it forever.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by nik-

Is payment during injury not a standard part of an NHL contract or in the CBA? Why does this matter?

My guess is for guys whose careers are cut short. Take someone like Eric Daze, his career was ended when he was 23, he could have collected these benefits for 44 years. Even if he received compensation of $1k per week, he could collect almost $2.3 million in these benefits. That can be a major drain on the system, but players would definitely want to bring in as much money as possible post-retirement, especially if their careers were ended by injury.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

My guess is for guys whose careers are cut short. Take someone like Eric Daze, his career was ended when he was 23, he could have collected these benefits for 44 years. Even if he received compensation of $1k per week, he could collect almost $2.3 million in these benefits. That can be a major drain on the system, but players would definitely want to bring in as much money as possible post-retirement, especially if their careers were ended by injury.

I would imagine it's much worse for football players as the rosters are much larder and careers much shorter and many ended by injury.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I would imagine it's much worse for football players as the rosters are much larder and careers much shorter and many ended by injury.

Oh for sure, no doubt. But I am not an NFL fan so I couldn't give an example.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It seems fine to me. The nature of sports is that you can't do it forever.

Doesn't seem fine to me. Say some Joe Schmoe on the Bears practice squad accidentally get's his spine broken in practice... your saying that he shouldn't be able to claim workers comp past age 35 despite the workplace accident severely limiting his future earning potential past that age?

I also don't like the age limit being 35. It's not like athlete's qualify for OASDI sooner then the rest of the population.

[Mattman]

Curious if any laws similar to this already exist in any NHL cities and how much it affects players decisions when offered contracts.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

My guess is for guys whose careers are cut short. Take someone like Eric Daze, his career was ended when he was 23, he could have collected these benefits for 44 years. Even if he received compensation of $1k per week, he could collect almost $2.3 million in these benefits. That can be a major drain on the system, but players would definitely want to bring in as much money as possible post-retirement, especially if their careers were ended by injury.

How does WCB work for someone with a normal $60k per year job?

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Azure

How does WCB work for someone with a normal $60k per year job?

I don't know, I've never had to use WCB and even if I had, I have no idea how it would work in Illinois.