Section 65-05.1-06.1 - Rehabilitation award1. Within sixty days of receiving the final vocational report, the organization shall issue a notice of decision under section 65-01-16 detailing the employee's entitlement to disability and vocational rehabilitation services.2. If the appropriate priority option is short-term or long-term training, the vocational rehabilitation award must be within the following terms:a. For the employee's lost time, and in lieu of further disability benefits, the organization shall award a rehabilitation allowance. The rehabilitation allowance must be limited to the amount and purpose specified in the award, and must be equal to the disability and dependent benefits the employee was receiving, or was entitled to receive, prior to the award.b. The rehabilitation allowance must include, as chosen by the employee, an additional thirty percent of the rehabilitation allowance for expenses associated with maintaining a second domicile or for travel associated with attendance at a school or training institution when it is necessary for the employee to travel at least twenty-five miles [40.23 kilometers] one way. Travel must be calculated from the employee's residence to the school or training institution. If it is necessary for an employee to travel less than twenty-five miles one way to a school or training institution, the employee may qualify for an additional rehabilitation allowance as determined in accordance with the following schedule: Round-trip mileage | Percentage increase in rehabilitation allowance |
Under 10 miles | 0 |
10 to 30 miles | 10 |
31 to 49 miles | 20 |
Travel must be calculated from the employee's residence to the school or training institution.
c. The rehabilitation allowance must be limited to one hundred four weeks except in cases of catastrophic injury, in which case additional rehabilitation benefits may be awarded in the discretion of the organization. Catastrophic injury includes: (1) Paraplegia; quadriplegia; severe closed head injury; total blindness in both eyes; or amputation of an arm proximal to the wrist or a leg proximal to the ankle, caused by the compensable injury, which renders an employee permanently and totally disabled without further vocational retraining assistance; or(2) Those employees the organization so designates, in its sole discretion, provided that the organization finds the employee to be permanently and totally disabled without further vocational retraining assistance. There is no appeal from an organization decision to designate, or fail to designate, an employee as catastrophically injured under this subsection.d. Notwithstanding the one hundred four-week limit of subdivision c to facilitate the completion of a retraining program, the organization may award a rehabilitation extension allowance that may not exceed twenty weeks.e. The rehabilitation award must include the cost of books, tuition, fees, and equipment, tools, or supplies required by the educational institution. The award may not exceed the cost of attending a public college or university in the state in which the employee resides, provided an equivalent program exists in the public college or university.f. If the employee successfully concludes the rehabilitation program, the organization may make, in its sole discretion, additional awards for actual relocation expenses to move the household to the locale where the injured employee has actually located work.g. If the employee successfully concludes the rehabilitation program, the organization may make, in its sole discretion, an additional award, not to exceed two months' disability benefit, to assist the employee with work search.h. If the employee successfully concludes the rehabilitation program, the employee is not eligible for further vocational retraining or total disability benefits unless the employee establishes a significant change in medical condition attributable to the work injury which precludes the employee from performing the work for which the employee was trained, or any other work for which the employee is suited and has sustained an actual wage loss caused by the significant change in the compensable medical condition. The organization may waive this section in cases of catastrophic injury defined by subdivision c.i. If the employee successfully concludes the rehabilitation program, the employee remains eligible to receive partial disability benefits, as follows: (1) Beginning the date at which the employee completes retraining, until the employee acquires and performs substantial gainful employment, the partial disability benefit is sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the difference between the injured employee's average weekly wage, and the employee's wage-earning capacity after retraining, as measured by the average wage in the employee's occupation, according to criteria established by job service North Dakota in its statewide labor market survey, or such other criteria the organization, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. The average weekly wage must be determined on the date the employee completes retraining. The benefit continues until the employee acquires substantial gainful employment.(2) Beginning the date at which the employee acquires substantial gainful employment, the partial disability benefit is sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the difference between the injured employee's average weekly wage, and the injured employee's wage-earning capacity after retraining, as determined under paragraph 1, or the injured employee's actual wage earnings after retraining, whichever is higher.(3) The partial disability benefit payable under paragraphs 1 and 2 may not exceed the limitation on partial disability benefits contained in section 65-05-10.(4) The partial disability benefits paid under paragraphs 1 and 2 may not together exceed one year's duration.(5) For purposes of paragraphs 1 and 2, "substantial gainful employment" means full-time bona fide work, for a remuneration, other than make-work. "Full-time work" means employment for twenty-eight or more hours per week, on average.(6) The organization may waive the one-year limit on the duration of partial disability benefits, in cases of catastrophic injury under subdivision c.3. If the appropriate priority option is return to the same or modified position, or to a related position, the organization shall determine whether the employee is eligible to receive partial disability benefits pursuant to section 65-05-10. In addition, the organization, when appropriate, shall make an additional award for actual relocation expenses to move the household to the locale where the injured employee has actually located work.4. If the appropriate priority option is subdivision e or f of subsection 4 of section 65-05.1-01 or subsection 6 of section 65-05.1-01, to assist with work search the organization may award an additional award. The additional award under this subsection is awarded at the organization's sole discretion and may not exceed an amount equal to two months of the employee's total disability benefits calculated under section 65-05-09.Amended by S.L. 2021 , ch. 500( HB 1084 ), § 12, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by S.L. 2015 , ch. 480( HB 1102 ), § 6, eff. 8/1/2015, applicable to all claims regardless of date of injury.Amended by S.L. 2013, ch. 499 (HB 1080),§ 15, eff. 8/1/2013, applicable to permanent impairment evaluations performed on or after 8/1/2011.Amended by S.L. 2013, ch. 499 (HB 1080),§ 14, eff. 8/1/2013, applicable to permanent impairment evaluations performed on or after 8/1/2011.Amended by S.L. 2013, ch. 499 (HB 1080),§ 13, eff. 8/1/2013, applicable to permanent impairment evaluations performed on or after 8/1/2011.Amended by S.L. 2011 , ch. 512( SB 2114 ), § 7, eff. 8/1/2011.See S.L. 2021 , ch. 500( HB 1084 ), § 13.See S.L. 2015 , ch. 480( HB 1102 ), § 10.