Title 24, Labor

(a) The first claim for compensation for an injury shall be filed in writing within sixty days after the injury on forms to be furnished by the Administrator. Such claims shall be filed at the office of the Administrator or deposited in the mail properly stamped and addressed to …

(a) After an injury, the employee shall, as frequently and at such times and places as may be reasonably required, submit himself to examination by such doctor as the Administrator may designate. The employee may have his own doctor present at all such examinations at employee's …

In cases where it may be necessary to determine the heirs of a deceased employee, the proceeding in the district court shall be free of all court costs. Any right given by this chapter to any employee shall survive to his personal representative for the benefit of his heirs.

(a) (1) Claims for expenses for medical attendance, hospitalization, medicines, compensation and other expenses in the case of an employee working for an employer who, in violation of law, is not insured, hereinafter referred to as “uninsured employer”, shall be processed and pai…

(a) Where injury or death results from failure to obey a safety order of the Administrator fifteen percent penalty shall be added to any award by the Administrator, which penalty shall be payable directly by the employer. (b) Whoever, after citation by the Administrator, violates…

In cases where the injury, the occupational disease or the death entitling the workman or employee or his beneficiaries to compensation in accordance with this chapter has been cause under circumstances making third persons responsible for such injury, disease or death, the injur…

It shall not be a defense to any action brought by or on behalf of an employee, that the employee at the time of his injury or death, was the borrowed, loaned, or rented employee of another employer. Any oral or written agreement between an employer and employee which makes the e…

There is hereby created a fund to be known as “The Government Insurance Fund” for the purpose of insuring employers against liabilities under this chapter and of assuring to the persons entitled thereto the compensation provided by this chapter. This Fund shall consist of all pre…

The expenses of administering the Government Insurance Fund and operating expenses of the Workers' Compensation Administration under this chapter, including wages of salaried employees, shall be fixed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Legislature and paid from the pr…

It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Finance in the exercise of the power hereby conferred upon him to prepare a schedule of classifications according to the hazards of the occupations or industries. He shall also fix the lowest possible premium rates, including minimum pr…

On July 1, 1958, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Finance shall revise such classifications and premiums as, in his judgment, should be revised. Such revision shall be in accordance with underwriting experience and other incidental experience and available statistics …

The Commissioner of Finance shall keep an accurate account of the money paid in for premiums by each of the several groups of occupations or industries, and the expenses of administering the Government Insurance Fund, as well as the disbursements and expenses incurred on account …

(a) The decision of the Commissioner of Finance fixing and regulating the premium rates for each group of occupations or industries, or any order increasing the premium rate, may be reviewed by the Governor if the aggrieved employer files a complaint with the Governor within thir…

(a) Every employer shall secure the payment of compensation under this chapter by insuring with the Workers’ Compensation Fund created by this chapter. (b) The insurance of each employer shall be in force immediately after his statement has been filed with the Commissioner of Lab…

(a) Every employer affected by this chapter shall file with the Commissioner of Finance not later than February 28th of each year on forms supplied by the Commissioner of Finance, an actual report for the previous year and an estimated report for the current year, showing the num…

(a) Any new employer or employer who was not insured at the end of the previous year shall file a statement on forms to be provided by the Commissioner of Finance including the estimated wages to be paid his workmen and shall pay the portion of the annual premium due on such wage…

At the end of the period of insurance, an adjustment of premium shall be made according to the actual expenditures of wages. The Commissioner of Finance shall compare the payroll of each employer paying premiums in accordance with this chapter for such calendar year with the payr…

The Director shall from time to time prepare and certify to the Legislature, through the Governor, a list showing in detail the dates and steps taken by the Government for the collection of unpaid premiums, interest, and penalties owed to the Workers’ Compensation Trust Fund as m…

(a) Every employer who fails to insure as provided in this chapter, or who fails to file such statements as required by this chapter, or who fails to make such payments as required by this chapter shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both…

Every employer insured under the Workers’ Compensation Trust Fund shall keep a true and accurate record of the number of employees and of the wages paid, and the records must be always available for inspection and audit by the Director and the Commissioner of Labor. The Commissio…

The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to all compensation cases pending at the time it takes effect.

(a) As used in this section, “public recreational activity” means active and regular participation, without remuneration and whether as player, coach, referee, umpire, manager or other participant in any athletic or sport event sponsored, approved or supervised by the Department …

(a) Members, officers and trainees of:(1) the National Guard of the Virgin Islands;(2) the Volunteer Fire Service of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Police Auxiliary;(3) St. Croix Rescue, Inc., St. Thomas Rescue, Inc., St. John Rescue, Inc., Water Island Search and Rescue,…

Any condition of impairment of health caused by hypertension or heart disease resulting in total or partial disability or death to a member of the Virgin Islands Police Force, a prison guard and matron or a member of the Fire Division of the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department …

(a) When an employer is insured under this chapter, the right herein established to obtain compensation shall be the only remedy against the employer; but in case of accident to, or disease or death of, an employee not entitled to compensation under this chapter, the liability of…

(a) An employer shall rehire any employee who—(1) has been disabled and thereby unable to continue his employment, as certified under this chapter, and(2) immediately after the termination of the disability, applies to the employer for reemployment in the position which he held, …

(a) Every employer shall keep a record of all injuries, fatal, or otherwise, received by its employees in the course of their employment. Within 48 hours after notice is received, or should have been received by the employer of an accident resulting in personal injury, which shal…

(a) It shall be prohibited for any employer to inquire into, or to consider for the purpose of assessing fitness or capability for employment, whether a job applicant with regard to employment has filed for or received benefits under this chapter or to discriminate against a job …

(a) The Commissioner of Labor may employ additional staff, if necessary, in order to record the testimony and evidence at hearings conducted by the Administrative Law Judge. (b) The record, or minutes, of the hearing shall be transcribed in every case and shall be kept by the Com…

(a) The WCA shall establish an Employee Assistance Unit (EAU), one of whom shall speak fluent Spanish, to assist injured or disabled employees, persons claiming death benefits, employer, and other persons in protecting their rights and obtaining information available under the WC…

(a) The Workers' Compensation Administration hereby establishes a Dispute Resolution Unit (DRU) among its staff, one of whom shall speak fluent Spanish. These staff persons shall be trained in the principles and procedures of dispute mediation and shall assist injured or disabled…

(a) A dispute may be resolved either in whole or in part at the benefit review conference. If the conference results in the resolution of some of the disputed issues by mutual agreement or in a settlement, the DRU shall reduce the agreement or the settlement in writing. The DRU a…

(a) The Workers' Compensation Administration shall establish a Rehabilitation Services Unit (RSU) staffed by a team of employees trained in providing assistance to persons of the dependents of persons who have been partially or permanently disabled by a job-related injury. (b) Em…

(a) As a guide to the interpretation and application of this chapter, the public policy of the Virgin Islands is declared to be as follows:Economic insecurity due to unemployment is a threat to the health, morals, and welfare of the people of the Virgin Islands, and protection ag…

(a) As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise—(a) “Aggregate reserve ratio” is calculated by dividing the net trust fund balance (cash balance minus outstanding loans) as of September 30 of the current year by total wages paid for insured work by cont…

Qualifying requirements Qualifying requirements (a) To qualify as an insured worker, an individual:(1) (A) Shall have been paid at least $858 for insured work in that quarter of his base period in which his total wages were the highest; and(B) Shall have earned total base period …

(a) (1) An insured worker shall be eligible for and shall receive waiting-week credit or benefits, as the case may be, for any week of his unemployment with respect to which he has not been determined to be disqualified under subsection (b) of this section if such worker has, in …

(a) Benefits shall be paid solely through public employment offices, or such other agencies as the U.S. Secretary of Labor shall approve, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Labor. Information to workers on benefit rights Information to workers on ben…

(a) The Commissioner of Labor shall appoint one or more hearing examiners, selected in accordance with section 312(b) of this chapter, to hear and decide appeals from determinations and redeterminations; Provided, however, that no person may be selected as a hearing examiner unle…

(a) (1) On his own motion or on the application of an employing unit, the Commissioner shall, on the basis of facts found by him, determine whether the service performed for it constitutes employment.(2) Within one year after he has made a determination under paragraph (1) of thi…

(a) Contributions with respect to wages for employment shall accrue and become payable by each employer for each calendar year in which he is subject to this chapter. Such contributions shall become due and be paid by each employer to the Commissioner of Finance for the Unemploym…

(a) If contributions or payments in lieu of contributions are not paid on the date on which they are due and payable as prescribed by the Commissioner of Labor, the whole or part thereafter remaining unpaid shall bear interest at a rate of 9% per annum from such due date until pa…

(a) There is hereby established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands as a special fund, separate and apart from all public money or funds of the Virgin Islands, an Unemployment Fund, which shall be administered by the Commissioner of Labor exclusively for the purposes of this ch…

(a) There is hereby established, in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands, a special fund to be known as the Employment Security Administration Fund, effective on the day after the date the Secretary of Labor of the United States approves the Virgin Islands Unemployment Insurance Ac…

(a) There is hereby established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands a special fund, separate and apart from all public money or funds of the Virgin Islands, to be known as the Penalty and Interest Fund. This fund shall consist of all interest and penalties collected under the p…

(a) The Unemployment Insurance Service, designated as a division of the Virgin Islands Employment Security Agency by section 153 of this title, shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. [Additional duties and powers of the Commissioner of Labor] [Ad…