Jaeger OKs WSI vote for November ballot

BISMARCK — Voters will have their say about the leadership of the state’s workers compensation agency.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger said this morning that he has approved the initiated measure affecting Workforce Safety and Insurance, having verified the measure got more than the necessary 12,844 signatures.

The measure returns responsibility for the hiring and firing of WSI’s CEO to the governor. Since 1997, that authority has been in the hands of an independent board of directors.

The measure also returns WSI employees to the state classified employee system, affording its workers the job protection most other state employees have. Under the current law, WSI employees can be fired at will.

The measure also dictates that the state Office of Administrative Hearings will conduct hearings in disputed cases.

Jaeger said office found measure sponsors had collected 15,110 valid signatures; the committee had submitted petitions containing 15,548.

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