Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn signs workers' compensation reform

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a major overhaul of Illinois' workers compensation system.

Quinn signed the legislation Tuesday at a Navistar plant in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park. Quinn says the bill would help companies large and small save money and be more competitive, while protecting workers injured on the job.

The changes include:

• A 30 percent reduction in medical payments.
• Other reforms include letting payments for carpal tunnel syndrome last only 28 1/2 weeks, instead of 40.
• New guidelines also will make it harder for intoxicated workers to win claims.

The changes are supposed to cut between $500 million and $700 million from the $3 billion workers' compensation system.

Republicans lawmakers didn't think the workers compensation reforms went far enough.